Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-05-28

too, and poor, you know; it was
mighty tough
And you've been gone two years,
said the lady. Wont she be glad to
see you, though y
II guess so - he replied, confident
ly. "And I've got some good news
for her, l tell you" He hesitated a
few moments, then said:
1T was hard struggle to live in
New York at best, and when the times
grew worse l went West to contract
and work at my trade at Gladstone,
Michigan, where they were putting up
buildings for the railroad and steam
boat lines After while wages were
reduced there, and when the Worlds
Fair opened, l went down to Chicago
looking for a job. l finally went to
work helping to make the big frames
they used in the fireworks, you know,
but | was discouraged, and didn' t
know how | was ever going to have
my family with me again. One day,
while was sitting on the pier, gem
tleman came walking down, little
under the influence of liquor, l guess,
for his legs seemed to be tangled. He
was looking toward the city for boat,
I suppose, when suddenly he reeled to
one side, and went plumb over into
the lake. The water was ten OF fifteen
feet deep where he went in, but twen-
tv-fve feet nearer the shore a man
could touch the bottom. was sitting
close to where he went over, and with
out thought just slid in, grabbing
loose board on the pier as | went,
and when he came up, l pushed the
board under him and towed him into
shallow water.
1T was all done in two or three
minutes, and didn't attract much at
tention from the people, though may
be hundred gathered round as he
came out. He asked me to get him
a chair, and l hurried up, and when |
got it wheeled him out myself Then
l got him a carriage. and as he got in
he asked my name and address, and
handing me ten dollars told the driver
to 60 to the Auditorium Hotel. a
few days afterward man came and
requested me to call on the gentleman.
l went there, and he asked me lot
of questions, and finally said he would
like to have me 60 with him to Cali
fornia. didn't hesitate long. When
we got to San Francisco l found he
was big gun-not like Mackay and
that class, you know, but worth a lot
of money. He was preparing to build
a row of houses, and put M in charge.
In a week he took me off, and said he
was going away for his health, and l
must 90 with him, and in three days
more we we're on our way to Honolulu.
He was a strange man, and as he got
worse he would have no one but me
near him. He had no family but
plenty of other relatives.
After a while we returned to San
Francisco, and a few weeks ago he
died. | felt blue and lonesome enough
then, but what do you think-when
his will was open he had left me
twenty thousand dollars. 1t couldn't
be paid to me just then, and was so
afraid there might be some slip about
it that never wrote home a word Of
my good luck, but just said l was
coming back. Ten days ago they paid
me the money, clean stuff you know
I've got three drafts for it in my pocket
and then l thought III just wait
and surprise her; and so my wife don t
know thing about it, and won't till l
tell her today. But good heavens !
he exclaimed, wiping the sweat from
his face, "it has seemed as though we'd
never get there! I've been afraid the
cars would run off the track and kill
me, but then l SAYS, We'll, if l think
I'm not going to get through safe, that s
a sure sign l Will, and so here l am.
I got letter from her in Chicago, and
telegraphed her to meet me.
"And is she well?" queried the
lady.
"Oh, yes; but good Lord you don t
know what she's been through. She's
been darning clothes and scrimping
herself to send the little girl to school,
and taking in washing to get along
Even the money sent her she has