St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-03-23
FATHER AND SON

3 FATHER AND SON S
Seseeoe0ooeeoeeeooaoooeca
-HHE man who speaks loudly in pub
lie places of the valuables of his
sideboard and the insecurity of hi,
front door may safely be put down a.
an amiable idiot. Yet Thomas Ned
ham, of the firm OF Nedham & Viii
kins, was no fool. He was reputet
to be cute man of business, who
knew how to keep his counsel wher
his money was at stake; and yet here
he was tonight, on the front seat Of
a crowded omnibus, boasting to hi.
neighbour that his silver plate wa.
the heaviest in all Hampstead.
"Burglars?" he laughed, in answe,
to . question. '.I have been 30 year.
a householder, and never one of the
gentry has deigned to visit me.
often think that the man who takes
no precaution comes on best in this
matter. I have known some men
spend half fortune in locks and
bolts, and have a housebreaker in nj
regular as the chimney sweep. You
did not know my partner, wilkins
He's been dead these dozen years; and
before things went wrong with him
and l bought him out. he had a col
lection of coins worth & 1000. Well
he kept the treasure in q room whose
windows were sheathed nightly in
heavy shutters. bolted and bolted
again. But, of course, he rose one
fine morning to find the lot gone.
That broke the old fellows heart. and
from then till they placed him in
Norwood cemetery he was never on
the rocks"
AZ the old gentleman proceeded in
q lower voice to tell stories of the
burglaries that he had known befall
his friends the tall young fellow inn
mediately behind him showed evident
signs of nervousness. He shifted un-
easily in his seat, and. as ever and
anon the gaslights were passed. his
pinched face showed white and his
big eyes seemed riveted on the jovial
Nedham. When the merchant eft
the bus, with . hearty Good night!"
TO all and sundry, the stripping rose
and slipped OF. too.
Twelve midnight had. long since
boomed from the church steeple oppo-
site, and still Thomas Nedham. city
merchant and importer. lay wide
awake. Uusally he was a heavy sleep
er, but tonight slumber had deserted
him. though before coming to bed he
had done his best to WOO her by the
subtle aid of two tumblers of strong
toddy. n 88
His active brain insisted on scru-
finizing and dissecting the stock and
share list Of the previous day and
gamboling through his now silent
city warehouse. The old gentleman
chuckled as he held his eyes tight
and conjured before him the thou
sands Of great bsles that numbered
every inch Of his stores.
"Wonderful!" he said. audibly.
~What great thing may sometimes
grow from a small one, to be sure!
Only 30 years ago, and l was wonder
ing how I could meet bill for Sc
1ss. Now, new blocks added, six-and-
fifty warehousemen, piles Of paying
work, and still growing, growing.
Wonder what wilkins would
think of it all il he were looking up
now? Poor wilkins! They tell me
he died declaring that I had robbed
him. That was a hard thing to say.
No robbery, say I. but a business
smart business trans
action. Besides, in any case. It was
ouestion of tit for tat. But for Will
l;ns I should not have been q bach
Flor"
Nedbam moved uneasily in bed. and
through a doorway arched with trou-
bled memory he stole to the land Of
forgetfulness.
How long he slept he hardly knew.
but he woke with . start. He had the
distinct impression that he felt warm
breath on his face, and, springing out
~ he'd. he switched on the electric
Iipht. No trace Of an intruder was
m the room, but the door. which Ned
ham felt sure he had shut, stood part
" aiar.
Hastily pulling on his dressing gown
md showing his bare feet into slippers.
he reached q heavy riding-crop from
he wan and stumbled downstairs.
As he opened the drawing-room door
here was the shufi1e Of hasty feet. |
md. when the light went up. tall /
rounr fellow. shabbily dressed. stood /!
revealed. The two men faced each
,ther across the table, Nedham |
ripping tight the whip-handle.
..Now," he said, in wonderfully |
voice, 1--WE caught you
lean. What in all the world may |
rou want here3
The youngstef removed his bat
cred hat, and his eyes fell as .
inge Of color rose to his cheek.
"A straight question demands .
answer" he replied. Il am
n quest Of some Of the silver-plate |
rou boasted about ea the top OF the
bus last night over
Aeard tAa$ conversation."
Nedham laughed, and laid the crop |
= the table.
.Yon youne fool!" Ae said. "You
10 not know Toa Nedham. or you
souId not Aave tried this mugs
.aDe on He rubbed his Aan1e-
Ten NedAan ~ 1sver ~