Water Valley progress., 1903-03-21

The deacon knew that Brother Bill
had scraped together considerable
property, and, as he was bachelor,
it would come to him in case the bro
ker was removed by any sudden dis
pensation. What he really feared
was that his money might be fooled
away in high living and speculation.
And so he banged away into the mid
die of the flock, hoping to bring down
those two birds. Now that it began
to look as if he might kill off the
whole bunch he started in to hedge.
'SIs it safe, William?" says he.
Gas Sunday school," says Bill, Elf
you do strictly brokerage business
and don't speculate"
81 trust, William, that you recog
nize the responsibilities of your stew
ardship?"
Bill fetched groan. "Zeke," says
he, ssyou cornered me there, and ]
s'pose l might as well walk up to the
office and settle. | hadn't
bought or sold bushel ON my own ac-
count for year until last week, when
| got your letter saying that you were
coming. Then | saw what looked like
a safe chance to scalp the market for
a couple of cents bushel, and /
bought 10000 September, intending
to turn over the profits to you as lit
tie present, SO that you could see the
town and have good time without its
costing you anything"
The deacon judged from Bill's ex-
preston that he had got nipped and
was going to try to unload the loss on
him, SO he changed his face to one
which he used when attending the
funeral of any one who hadn't been
professor, and came back quick and
hard:
''l'm surprised, William, that you
should think | would accept money
made in gambling Let it be lesson
to you. How much did you lose?"
'.That's the worst of it didn't
lost; / made $780," and Bill hove
another sigh.
Made $200!" echoed the deacon,
and he changed his face again for the
one which he used when he found a
lead quarter in his till and couldn't
remember who had. passed it on him.
"Yes," Bill went on, "and I'm
ashamed of it, for you've made me
see things in new light. Of course,
after what you've said, ] know it
would be an insult to offer you the
money. And | feel now that it
wouldn't be right to keep it myself.
| must sleep on it and try to find the
straight thing to do"
/ guess it really didn't interfere
with Bills sleep, but the deacon sat
up with the corpse Of the 5000, you
bet. In the morning at breakfast he
asked Brother Bill to explain all
about this speculating business,
which made the market go up and
down, and whether real corn or wheat
or pork figured in any stage of a deal,
Bill looked sort of sad and dreamy
eyed, as is his conscience hadn't di-
gested that two hundred yet, but he
was mighty obliging about explain
ing everything to Zeke. He had
changed his face for one which he
wore when he sold an easy customer
ground peas and chicory for O. G.
Java, and every now and then he
gulped as if he was going to start
hymn. When Bill told him how good
and bad weather sent the market up
and down he nodded and said that
that part of it was all right, because
it was of the Lord.
"Not on the board Of tradei it isn't"
Bill answered back; cat least, not to
any marked extent; it's from the
weather man OF some liar in the corn
belt, and, as the weather man usually
reckons wrong, | reckon there isn't
any special inspiration about it. The
game is to guess what's going to hap