Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-07-01
A Fourth Explosion.

00ILLvlEW folks couldn't quite
III make out old Seth Crowne. A.
long back as anybody could remem-
her he had been fixture In the village.
Like any fixture. he Ind his placc--that
OF n dccrcpit, childish old man, useless
but harmless, lie was always CHEEKY and
sociablc. aud everybody gave him good
word. Along towards May, however, old
Seth became Quictcr than usual, and when
June came In he had grown into almost
mystery.
"Wonder what the ancient's up tor
commented q lOungcr on the tavern veran'
da one evening. MS the object OF the re-
mark came limping into view.
THAT gets me, too" supplemented Q
companion. Look ut him now--dusty.
tottcring, clean done ont. He's taken to
tramping lately. ii Warden told me he
came across him ut Sag Center day be-
fore yesterday"
"AfOOtY'
Just that, aud It's thirty mile sprint
there and back"
All kinds Of remarks attended the ap.
pearance aud disappearance Of old Seth.
One man had seen him working ON farm
. few miles distant, another had observed
him peddling water crosses In an ada
cent town. and oil this was 80 contrary
to Seth's habits for ten years past that
the general conviction was that, Idea, de-
lusion or dream, old Seth was up to some
thing"
Crownc lived with his widowed daugh.
ter.in-law aud hcr son. Albert CrOwne
had died five years before, being the VIC
tim OF an accident at a sawmlll.
Death had come SO suddenly that his
family knew nothing Of 1t TIL his body
was brought homc--so suddenly that there
was no time for preparation for new
kind Of q life. Hitherto they had lived
comfortably, even generously. Mr.. Cr0wne
earned good money, and was supposed to
have several thousand dollars In bank.
In fact. after bis death, II was learned
that he had drawn q sum amounting to
twenty-thrce hundred dollars from local
institution the week before the accident.
In bis pocket was vague memorandum
coupling the amount with bis fathers
name, but the shock Of his death had 10
far driven old Seth deeper Into confusion
and mental trouble, that when approached
on the subject be at frst seemed to re-
member something about It. and then, sad.
u shaking his silveFed head, said II was
oil drcam-all q uuddle.
VOuD tuot tjul0 Uutlu uOW uO trace Oh
the missing money had been discovered.
Widow Crowne bud set bravely at work ia
earn living for three. Her sou, Elmer,
was now sixteen and was fairly started Of
clerk In village store. But the salary
was small, his prospects vague, and the
bitterest drop In the mothers cup OF grief
was that she could not send him to college,
for he had shown unmistakable evidence
OF more than ordinary intellectually.
The new wandering habits OF her aged
father-in'law had been quite source OF
worry to Mrs. CrOwne at first, but as the
old man came back safely night after
night, and us he seemed In the main to BE-
brighter and happier for his change OF
habits, he was not restricted In his no.
tons.
1t looked as IL q last erratic spurt OF nc
tivity, a fash OF odd reason had come into
the cloudcd mind before final dOtage came
on.
AS It neared July old Seth got up earlier
mornings and came home later evenings
Young Elmer CrOwne commented on the
fact ut the dinner table one day.
II don't see what strange idea grand
father has In his mind" he remarked
''There seems to be some system 10 hi,
actions. He takes a pleasure In d0inl
little odd tasks around the country fol
trihing amounts, and the farmers humo
his fancy. The boys over on the greer
say that he sits around some afternoons
watching them and listening to their plans
for the Fourth OF July with great inter
est. Ned Wayne told me yesterday--he'
a great favorite with grandfather, yo'
knOw--that ever since they hogan talkini
up Independence Day celebration he ha
manifested the greatest interest, and YER,
cOntidentially told Ned a day or two Az
that he was going to help make 1t u da.
remembered by Hillview. Ned says tina
grandfather brings mysterious little pack
ages from the different towns, an
chuckles when he promises a wonderful
surprise for the Fourth"
"As long as he gets into no trouble It |
better not to notice his doings," sighe
Mrs. CrOwne.
Those "dOlngs" came to startling eli
max with Elmer one day few week
later, however. He was seated at des
In the store when Ned Wayne dashed i
breuthless.
"Your mother has sent for yoa." b
luttersd.
lfasSt Il 81 II IA. ..rI q. /.