The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-19


in 1883 He was tho only man from his
county who had been bcguiled by the
song of that siren In California, and he
had abandoned everything, including a
wife and five children. and had dared to
go where fortune called him.
Little Jim, who coulant remember his
father at all. grew TO the ago of eight.
profoundly sure that the great day would
dawn. Ono time he played "eat dinner"
with Deacon Pitchers son, and was told
he must ask a blessing.
II don't know what TO say, demurred
innocent little Jim.
"Why. just pray for what you want tha
hardest" said the deacon's son. And
little Jim. folding his hands and bending
his uoWhead over tho acorns that served
for cups and saucers, simply said:
20 Lord. please send pap home from
Californy."
And they went on with their Barmecide
dinner
saturday night the store at Green Oaks
held the customary crowd of rural phil
osophers. There was no village-only the
st)re and n Blacksmith shop. Many of tie
mem bers of the circle must have walked
two miles. But they always gathered in
shortly after tho early October nightfall.
And they sat around there telling stories
that Were old as the zigZag fences, but
made them perennially new. Bissell, the
s or Keeper, had kog OF very hard cider in
the shed In the rear. and the philo,o-
pliers drifted out there one at "a time and
helped themselves, coming in moro versa
tile rs raconteurs or more anpreoatiye as
auditors till full o'clock.
Just at that hour when Bissell, past all
possibility OF more selling, mad unbent
from proprietor To associate and found a
comfortable chair in the crowded corner,
the heavy foot of man beat Oh the
wooden porch and a stranger enterod. He
gave them greeting and in the silence
which fell on the story telling announced
that the evening was chilly. In the dress
and appearance OF farmer he was plsas-
ant spoken enough To win some welcome,
and Charley pelton moved along on rhe
empty shoe box and offered him seat.
Peter CRUDE completed his story. and 1t
reminded the stranger Of one, which was
essentially new. They laughed generously,
and Gabe Turner invited him into the
back room for "a cup of hard cider, and
when he came out he told another story.
Bissell put half his body i'm a barrel and
soooped up a scale scoop of crackers,
which he passed around with novel hos
pitalitv.
Lets have some cove oysters with
these - said the stranger. and he tossed
silver dollar on the counter without
rising from his place on the shoe box.
CuCu pfOuiRdl cApeDulluTe Ol IuOHty,
sucn an unusual coin. such unem bar
rassed ordering of great things, such ac-
quaintancs with!Tare delicacies of food,
could argue nothing loss than opulence.
Each man opened bis small tin can with
a ready jackknife and seasoned the feast
with pinch OF salt, which Bissell pro-
duced on Il sheet OF brown wrapping pa
per. The last cracker was issued with "a
prodigal hand, for the storekoeper had
grown generous under the inspiring ok
ample OF tho genial stranger. and he ga 3e
tho highest possible expression OF his sdr-
render when, the crackers being con-
sunad before the cove oy sters had van
ished, he opened a box of ginger snaps
and set it on the floor in the very centre
of the circle.
The stranger he'd not yet told who he
was whence he had come. nor whittier
he was going-and his reception in spite
OF tnat was additional tribute to his tact
when Gabe Turner mentioned Cali
fornia and the region representative in
tnat for land.
"What do you hear from hi mp ask
eel the stranger.
"Rolling in wealth." said Gabe.
"Thar was a man went out there from
my reighborhood. remarked the guest
of the evening, and he found $1,000 in
20 days"
Bissell and all the rest applauded with
a gasp
But III cOht MN s-UVn 20 get Incfe.
They shook their heads slowly in apprc-
ciative sorrow.
'And he lost his $1,000 and broke n leg
prospecting for another mine.
"Wellp' CALCULATED Bisssll
And while ne laid in his blanket on
the ground bs picked up nuggets enough
To make ten pounds OF gold.
Land alive, - cried CAabe Turner, and
Charley Pelton looked gratefully at the
speaker for expressing the general amaze
meut
"'And his partner stole that and his
blanket besides % very first nignt he
WAS able TO crawl TO the creek.
The sau Of hickCry cried Peter
Gruhe. with proper INDIGNATION.
And % Now man came int1 she camp
and bought his claim for $40, 600 the very
next day"
"You don't say 40. ~
It was Philemon iodu. No one hut n
returned Cal fOrnlan could have the ready
money for an oyster trent And when
they found MIN out they fell upon his
neck with Welcoming. The prayer of lit
Ito Jim. which had grown with him
from his bat V days, was answered, and
Priscilla was ms most envied woman of
the nei shhorhood, though whether ste