Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-01-05
GRATEFUL
UNCLE EBEN.
ONE WAY OF REPAYING KIND
NESS.


NESS.
Uncle Eben vas a Irm believer all
his life in casting bread upon the wa
tiers. That and scattering seeds OF
kindness had always been his delight,
but until recently the tide of the
waters had been invariably 'ebD.
There had peer no returning flow and,
while he had reaped a fairly satisfac-
tory harvest OF n~eighborly good will,
that didn't pay off the mortgage. and
the corn crop had been almost an en-
tire failure for the two seasons past.
But the old man was hopeful, for all
that. Sam Eberfeld at .he bank, who
was the ag, mt for the Chicago com
pany that held the mortgage, told him
as gently as possible that it was the
height of foolishness to think of taking
the long trip, that it was a cold business
proposition with the company.
You can't always tell, Sam" he said.
Il know you hate to foreclose and all
that. But you haven't got the say-so,
have ye?"
"Of course | haven't, Uncle Eben''
said Eberfeld. But | keep telling you
it's just a company and what it's after
is the money. 1t amt got no bowels O.
compassion. You've seen the Levers
they've written me-"
Sam, my boy" said Unele~-+sben,
there's some n in that company thaG3
got the say-so about things, an hesfa
man of flesh an blood, same's we be.
I'm goin' right to that man an tell him
how it is an I'm goin' to say "a hlHy five
the Teller did to the stewaf6t'
patience with me an will pay thee all,
an l bet you it's goin' to be all right"
'IIave your own way, Uncle Ehsh,2
said Eberfeld. But l hate to see you
doing anything so foolish" -
A few days later Uncle Eben stood be-
fore the Office rail of the company, while
an Office boy tried to explain that the
manager was too busy to see him.
Wont nobody else do but Mr., Valen-
tine?" asked the boy.
"%Valentinel" repeated Uncle Eben.
rs that his name? No, if he's the head
manager there amt nobody else will do,
buddy. I'll wait for him. Valentine!
don't ~s'pose-oh, shucks, no! 'Tain't
likely"
III go back and try him again" said
the boy.
He hurried off and returned in amin
ute or two, beaming. He says he'll see
you a moment" he said.
Uncle Eben followed the boy to a lit
tie private room whose ground-glass
door bore the inscription "Mr. Valen-
tine-private."
The moment the man at the desk
looked up, with a crisp We'll, sir, what
can | do for you?" Uncle Eben cried:
Little Johnny Valentine! You don't
remember Uncle Eben Cloomer, do we,
Johnny?'
Slowly a light of recognition came
into the pale blue eyes of the mar at the
desk and he smiled family and uncom-
fortably as his visitor wrung his hand.
Il remember you, Mr.. Cloomer," he said.
Just to think of it," the old man
went on. delightedly. what will moth
er say when l go back and tell her I've
seen little Johnny Valentine. who used
to sneak around by the Usage hedges an
into her kitchin bakin' days for the
hunk O. hot gingerbread? An when |
tell her that the company that's ben a
keepin' us both awake O nights for the
last veal isn't nothin' but Johnny VAL
entine. | wonder what she'll say then.
she won't b'lieve me, bless you!"
He chuckled at the joke of it. $50
you've p~rospered, have you, Johnny?"
he said. Il knowed you would. | told
YOU if you governed your ways in the
fear of the Lord that He'd not forsake
YOU
ITS business you came to see me
about. is it?" asked Valentine, Tell
me what it is"
Uncle Eben began his story-thc story
of the m~ortgaged homestead. He told
it slowly and with great wealth of detail,
and Valentine listened silently and with
knitted brows to the end. Perhaps he
a poor. half-starved and abused little
boy living on his SteptatnefS farm ana
of the comfort of Uncle Eben's sympathy
and Mrs. Eben's hot gingerbread and.
pett!ng. All the brightness Of hisiearig
boyhood life proceeded from uncie Eben
and Mrs. Eben.
He touched the buzzer at his desk and
told the clerk who attended the sum-
mons to bring him the papers in a loan
made to Ebenezer B. Cloomer and wife.
and when the papers came hetstHdied-
them carefully. H',% t..
Well" said Mr.. Valentine at last,
business is business. but I'mgwilling to
stretch a point or two with you for Old
accuaintance's sake. You say the place
hasn't run down and that it would
bring $4,000 if it was sold tomorrow"
That's nothing more than the truth,
MIR. Valentine said Uncle Eben. And
M Valentine Epow II WoC no trntb