The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-06


! might the better survey his property: - I
| his eyes beheld none Of the rich treasu l..
| on which they rested. neither did his
| heart feel the import or his words; Peter
| Smith had grown q trifle too old 10 take
| surprises apprecladvely.
As the weeks went by. and the custom
| ers came in and out Of his shop with ~.
| picious alacrity. Peter began TO feel tax
| all was not right
II can't bargain ne unused. I never
| was no hand al figures. Thomas would
have been grieved TO see his fine stock
frittered; he was pawerfui-headed man.
| was Thomas, an I'm only wastin' his
| substance"
| So Peter Smith pondered for while: and
| then one evening he put up his shutters as
| usual. and he never took them down
! again.
They was Thomas treasures" he said
! to himself, IAN they shall be took care
| Of"
1t was about this time that life became
| tedious 10 Peter Smith. In all his days OF
| hardship and failure he had never before
Ielt the hours hang irksomely upon him.
m missin ThCmas." ha would say 10
himself: but this WEAKNESS had never been
with him during all those years when he
and Thomas had lived their lives apart.
he f1eed the truth after while
ITS the money he decided: '"tis a fine
lot or money. Thomas was undetermined
an generous man. but I'm sighting his
goodness. I'm making no manner of use
OF it,
These thoughts would come to him as he
sat at his lonely meals, and they hindered
his appetite
Il s'pose l haven't been friendly man"
he unused. There isn't no one I'd care
much TO give money 10. 1t must be that
I've got an uncharitahle heart inside me
l spose I'm hard an don't care. I'm q
different m fro,
ed and saved 10 give his earnings TO mis-
Oldest friend. Now. If I'd got Thomas
pack again, and poor. [ should know who
10 give 1t to; but it's a hard matter TO go
i out an make friends now"
So he sat at the table which was once
Thomas Pritchett's table. and his cocoa
grew cold as he fretted under the burden
Of his wealth
might bay second sayeloy of Sun
day. he unused on, but what's the good?
couldn't eat two. / might buy save.oys
every day of the week. but they'd only
make me sick l was never a strong-stom-
ached man. II the money had come when
was boy l could have brought myself
accustomed TO rich feeding-but tits too
late now. Ii the money had come when
l was boy the thought Gent a duh flush
to his old face even now II should have
stood better chance with Margaret not
20 say as she was after money. but of
course. she saw no sense in marryin' a
lad with none. Deart dear, Money is a
rare an powerful thing when you know
what you want"
Then he drank his tepid cocoa and pom
dered Of his youth. He pondered indeed
until q great idea occurred to him: and by
the time his candle had fickered low in
the socket, and the ashes in his CRATE had
grown gray and cherries, his mind was
made UP.
I'm travel home TO Bristol" he decided.
I'll iopk at the old place once more: and
I'll spend Thomas money on the old folks
that are left
SO one day Peter Smith Travelled back to
BRISTOL city, and there was gold in his
pockets for the tightening of Bristol hearts
might so first-class," he thought hes.-
tatnsiy. as he stood upon the platform:
but l shouldn't like To waste Themes
money: and third class is good enough for
anybody nowadays-carriages so finely
cushioned, and pictures all about EN-"
SO ne sat up straightly in the middle &C
the seat, with his hands clasped firmly on
MS knees, his heart beating quickly behind
MS new waisteoat, and IA spot of bright
color on either cheek; and he felt as a
schoolboy feels on his way home for the
holidays
Then at last came the cry, Bristol. Bris-
tol, Bristo', and ii was voice echoins
from his boyhood. Then the train slack
ened speed, and Peter rose, all shaking. to
lie had come home again after all those
long years; but poor as ne had been when
he had set forth from il. he had returned
to be its benefactor.
A few hours later Peter Smith stood
again on the platform. and longed for the
train to come which was to bear him back
TO London. He had visited his native city,
he had paced the streets which lay about
his Old home-and he realized that he had
hVed TOO long. His heart was desolate.
and he enyied Thomas Pritehett. The we'll
worn doorsteps on which he and Tommy
Pritchett had fought their fights were
swept away. The whole lane was gone,
ana coal yards had risen in its stead The
window through which he had gazed upon
Margaret Brooke had been enlarged and
me Old house Was new-frQnted the old
faces, the Old names had vanished. and
these which had taken their places were
In.rterested and embarrassing
"Theyye all forgotten me an Tommy -
sighed Peter; there's none left for me 10
help"
So he Travelled back again to the more
familiar .oneliress of the bigger city.
i have a look at my old crossin' on
my way back home,' he determined. as
the train bore nim back over the ground
once mores and the determination brought
him euia.trt. So when the train could
take MIN no farther he climbed on to a
bus which went that way; to 90 over the
ground in any more expensive manner
never occurred 20 him; and when he drew
near TO his crossing he climbed down again
and walked hastily 20 the spot
But even his crossing brought him no
comfort, Tor ii was dirty and neglected
and its former excellence had fed
Iwouldn do fer a tidy man 10 come
back from the grave when once he's
dead" thought Peter r1,os,rnsnll,-
Iwould only worrit him. A mans soon
forgotten: bat the world goes on Just the
same" Then he turned from the contefn-
piation Of his old lire OF action and walk
ed home.
Inside his front door he found two let
ters lying on the floor. they were both
from secretaries or charities, 10 whom
had come whispered ramors of Peters
wealth He opened them with reverence
and spread them out before him. with all
the precision OF one 10 whom letters are
a rarity. He could not read the long
words; but he gathered the meaning OF
their pleadings-and they failed 10 touch
mis- heart