Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-07-01

OIL. A man ought to be allowed to use
his own Judgment
z Old Bishop was evidently not hear
Ing a word Of this conversation, being
Z wholly absorbed in studying the de-
tails of the deed before him. 1T reckon
It's all right he finally said. You
say the Tonpsins children are all Of
nge?''
Yes, Effie was the youngest" an
swered Trabue, and she stepped over
the line Inst Tuesday There's her
signature in black and white The
deeds all right. 4 don't draw up any
other sort"
Alan went to his father and leaned
over him. Father" he said softly
and yet with flrmness, 81 wish you'd
not act hastily in this deal. You ought
to consider mothers wishes. and she is
nearly distracted over it."
Bishop was angry. His massive,
clean shaven face was red. "I'd like
to know what I'd consult her fer" he
said. In a matter o. this kind a wom-
ans about us responsible as a suckin'
baby"
Trabue laughed heartily. well, I
reckon it's good thing your wife
didn't hear that or she'd show you
whether she was responsible or not. I
couldn't have got the first word Of
that off my. tongue before my wife
would "a knocked me clean through
.Eat wall"
4 Alfred Bishop seemed not to care for
Z. eyity during business hours, for he
greeted this remark only with frown.
he scanned the paper again and said,
We'll, eff thar's any flaw In this I
reckon you'll make it right"
oh. yes, I'll make any mistake of
tmine good" returned Trabne. "The
fpaper's all right
You see, :" said Alan to the lawyer,
lt.mother and think father has al
lrendy more of this sort of property
than he. can carry, and.-
II wish you and yore mother d let
my business alone" broke in Bishop,
firing up again, "Trabue heer knows
4 I've been worryin' i'm fer the last two
months to get the property in salnble
shape. Doiyou reckon after he gets 1t
| that away want to listen to yore two
tongues a-waggin' in open opposition
4 to it?'
Trabue rubbed his hands together.
TT really don't make. bit of differ.
ence to me, Alan, one way or the
/ other" he said practically. ..I'm only
acting as attorney for the Tompkins
,estate and get my fee whether there's
a transfer or not. That's where / stand
In the matter"
But it's not whar stand in 1t, Mr..
Trabue," said a firm voice in the door
way. 1t was Mrs. Bishop. her blue
eyes. flashing, her face pale and rigid
think I've got a right-and a big
one to have u say so in this kind Of a
trade a woman Fats stayed by a
!Nan,s side fer thirty odd yeer an,
] ralsed dih scrnpei to hep save a little
handful o. property fer her two chill
: dren has gota right to raise rumpus
I when her husband goes crooked like
Alfred has an starts in to bankrupt
'em all jest fer a blind notion o. his'n."'
"Oh, thar you arew said Bishop, lift
ing his eyes from the paper and glar-
Ing at her over his glasses. II knowed
I'd have to have a knockdown an;
drag out fight with you fore 1 signed
I my name. SO sail in an git 1t over.
Trabue's got to ride back to town.
\ But whar In the name O. common
sense is the money to come from?" the
woman hurled ut her husband as she
rested one Of her bony hands on the
edge of the table and glared ut him.
AAs understand it. thar's about 5000
acres In this piece alone. an yo're
4 5a-payin dollar a acre. Whar's it
Eju-comin' from, ID like to know? Whar's
/ 1t to come from
Bishop shifted and ran a steady hand
lover his short. gray hair. You see
how little she knows o. my business"
he said to the lawyer. s'Heer she's
raisin' the devil an Tom Walker about
the trade, an she don't so much as
know whar the moneys to come from
How was to knowP retorted the
j woman, when you've been teitiD' me
fer the last six months thxt thar
wasn't enough in the bank to give the
house n coat o. fresh paint an patch
the barn roof
4 You knowed / hnd 5000 with O.
stock in the Shoai River cotton mills.
didn't your asked Bishop defiantly
4 and yet with the manner Of a man
throwing a missile which he hoped
would fall lightly.
yes. knowed that. but The
woman's eyes were two small fires
burning hungrily for information be-
You'd their reach.
well, 1t happens that Shoal stock is
4 jest the same on the market as ready
money, upfa little today an down to-
morrow, but never varyin' more'n O
fraction of n cent on the dollar, an 80
the Tompkins heirs say they'd Jest as
slieye have 1t, nm as I'm itchin' to re-
ieve them of Their land 1t didn't take
US long to come together"
4 II he had struck the woman squarely
4 in the face, she could not have shown
more surprise. She became white to
4 the lips and with a low cry turned to
her son. "Oh, Aim, don't-don't let
i'm do 1t. It's all we have left that
we can depend on! 1t will ruin usp'
4 "Why, father, surely protested
Alan as be put his arm around his
mother, "surely you can't mean to lei
go your mill investment which Is pay.
ling 10 per cent to put the money into
lands that may never advance in value
and always be dead weight on your
hands! Think OF the loss Of interest
and the taxes to be kept Up. Pathes
you must listen to"
4 "Lasten to nothin'," thundered Bish.
OPP, half rising from his chair mo
body axed you two to put In. It's my
business. an Pm a-goin' to attend tc
it / believe I'm dom the right thing
an that settles it,
1.-THE right thing" moaned the old
4 woman as she sank into a chair and
covered her face with her hands. "Nfr
4 Trabue," she went on flercely, when
that factory stock leaves our hands we
II won't have a single thing to our names
that will bring In cent of income