The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-02-26

You can see the lDl .sA government
stamp on the lock and barrel. 1t looks
odd in these days of repeating rifles,
but those old fellows made them do
The work."
'I've got one like 1t at home" re-
marks Crary, "only mine has the
Springfield mark. George Washington
wanted to make my ancestor, Putnam
Crary, a major general, but he said
that he would waive his gentility and
shoulder q musket in the ranks with
the rest Of the boys"
Even Coomer is annoyed by this dig,
and he 1ushes little angrily, but the
miniatures coming in give him an
opportunity to treat the sneer with the
silent contempt 1t merits.
That was the extent of Coomer's vain.
glory--just little natural pride, free
from boastfulness - but at the same
time nobody ever enjoyed any degree
Of intimacy with him without learning
all about Digby Creighton Coomer, the
reputed owner of the rapler, who was
one of the leaders of fashion in old
New York; Of Mistress Betty Coomer,
his daughter, who was the toast of her
day; of the intcrmarriages with the
Drivingstons and the Van Bruntslears
and other aristocratc families and all
the rest of 1t. But nobody could rea-
sonably object to that.
Coomer was, however, perfectly sim
cere in saying that he had never paid
attention to his genealogy. His father
was in business In New York-a busi
ness that had something to do with
hldes-and he was wealthy for the Pc
Rod. When he had asked any ques.
tions about the tree, Coomer senior had
returned answers that were of n gen.
eral rather than a special character.
Most OF his information he had derived
| from his mother, who was then bril-
| liant figure in New York society. She
died, however, when Coomer was about
| IL years old. Fcr these reasons Coom-
er was hazy on the subject Of his an
cestry, for all his varied stock Of gen.
eral knowledge. Some of these days,
he said, he was going to see what the
but he put off doing so from time to
time and contented himself with what
additional scraps Of information he
could pick up in Chicago. At least he
got all that he needed In one lot.
Mrs. Coomer had been down in the
basement rummaging, and she made a
discovery. 1t was an old hair trunk of
type and pattern now quite extinct,
and her idea was to bring 1t up and set
1t in the hall as an antique, which II
undoubtedly was. She called Coomer
down to look at 1t, and he recognized II
instantly. 1T belonged to the old gen.
tleman," he said. II thought Brother
William got that. Strange that
shouldn't have noticed it before! Have
you opened st."
"Yes," reylied his wife, "but there Is
nothing In it but lot of old books, moi
old enough to be valuable. They are
mostly books on divinity"
"Well, let's empty them out" said
Coomer, and lie turned the old trunk
upside down and spilled its contents
on the floor. They were, as Mrs
Coomer had said, old books Of divinity
all but one, and that one was canvas
and leather bound, like ledger. Coo
mer picked 1t up and huttered over th'
leaves.
"Hellow he exclaimed. "There's {
weakness l never suspected Of him
He started to keep diary. Yes, start
ed is the word. Here's the first date
Jan. 1, 1860. How long did he keel
It up? Ha! Did pretty well too
April II is the last entry: Everything
going on in the same old way. Moth
ing Of Importance happened
"Let me look" said Mrs. Coome
eagerly.
"Nay, nay" answered Coomel
"There may be something here tha
only sons eye should scan."
He went over by the window wit
the book and, seating himself In
chair, began to skim through the book
1t was written In brief, concise style
But for all that the writer had evident
ly started In with the intention of SCI
ting everything down without reserva
tion and with the frankness Of
Pepys. Several times Coomer had t
close the diary on his thumb and abar
don himself to mirth, but at last h
came to an entry that made him tur
pale and utter an exclamation tina
brought his wife to his side. 1t was a
follows:
"Feb. S.-Bleeker positively refuse
to consider the purchase Of the shiploa
from Argentina, and am likely to los
money on it. think that 1 will &c
even with Mr.. Bleeker. Araminta
: still worrying because the Bybees hav
painted their crest on their stanhope.
told her there wasn't any crest too goo
: for her to have IL she wanted it, bu
she only told me not to make bigge
fool of myself than could help. Wen
round to Levy Moss In aft. and bougl