The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-06-14
CHAPTER VI.

came to great size and were as hard
to conceal as pumpkins. He had mean
ness enough to equip all he knew and
gave 1t with a lavish tongue. In his
opinion Hillsborough came within one
OF having as many rascals In 1t as
there were people. He had tried to
bring them severally to justice by vain
appeals to the law, having sued for
every cause In the books, but chiefly
for trespass and damages, real and ex.
emplary.
He was money lender, shaving
notes or taking them for larger sums
than he lent, with chattel mortgages
Tor security. Foreclosure and sale
were a perennial source OF profit to
him. He was tall and we'll past mid.
die age, with short gray beard, lool,
of severity, a stoop in his shoulders,
and third wife whom nobody within
the knowledge of the townfolk had
ever seen. If he had no other to gossip
with, he provided imaginary company
and talked to his own ears. he
thought himself most powerful and
agile man, boasting often that he still
kept the vigor of his youth. On his er.
rands In the village he often broke into
an awkward gallop, like child at play.
When he slackened pace 1t was to
shake his head solemnly, as IL some
thing had reminded him Of the wicked
ness of the world.
"If dared tell all knew" he would
whisper suggestively and then proceed
to tell much more than he could possl-
bly, have known. Any one of many
may have started his tongue, but the
shortcomings of one Ezekiel Swack-
hammer were for him an ever present
help and provocatlon. II there were
nothing new to talk about, there was
always Swackhammer Poor Swack-
hammer had done everything he ought
not to have done. The good God him
self was the only being that had the
approval of old Riley Brooke. Ii was
curious, that turning Of his tongue
from the slander of men to the praise
Of God. And Of the goodness of the
Almighty he was quite as sure as of
the badness of men. Assurance OF his
own salvation had come to him one day
when he was shearlng sheep and when,
as he related often, finding himself on
his knees to shear, he remained to pray.
Sundays and every Wednesday even
Ing he wore stovepipe hat and long
frock coat Of antique and rusty as
pect.
On his way to church-wlth hospital
ity even for the like Of him, thank
God-he walked slowly with head bent
until, remembering his great agility
and strength, he began to run, giving
a varied exhibition of sklps and jumps
terminating In a sort OF gallop. Once
In the sacred house he looked to right
and left accusingly and aloft with en-
couraging applause. His God was one
OF wrath. vengeance and destruction;
his hell the destination of his enemies.
They who resented the screw of his
.avarice and pulled their thumbs away;
they who treated him with contempt
and whose faults, compared to his own,
were as mound to mountain-they
were all to burn with everlasting fire,
while he, on account of that happy
thought the day OF the sheep shearing,
was to sit forever with the angels In
heaven.
"Ye're going T. heaven, hear" said
Darrell, who had repaired q clock for
him and heard complaint of his small
fee.
II am" was the spirited reply.
"God speed ye!" said the tinker as he
went away.
/. In such disfavor was the poor man
that all would have been glad to have
him go anywhere, so he left Hills
borough.
One day In the Christmas holidays n
boy came to the door OF Riley Brooke
with bucksaw on his arm.
I'm looking for work." said the
boy, "and I'd be glad of the chance to
saw your wood"
How much cord?" was the loud
inquiry.
"Forty cents"
"Too much" said Brooke. How
much dayT'
"Six shilllngs."
"Too much" said the old man snap
pishly. 81 used to git so month when
was your age, an rise at o'clock In
the mornin' an work till bedtime. You
boys nowadays are lazy, good fer
nothln' lot. What's yer name?"
Sidney Trove."
"Don't want ye."
swell. mister" said the boy, who
was much In need of money, "Pll saw
your wood for anything you've mind
To rive mat
'T'll give ye 80 cents day" said the
old man.
Trove hesitated. The sum was bare
ly half what he could earn, but he had
given his promise and fell to. Riley
Brooke spent half the day watching
and urging him to faster work. More
than once the boy was near quitting,
but kept his good nature and a strong
pace Whs at last Brooke went away
Trove heard n sly movement of the
blinds and knew that other eyes were
on the watch. He spent three days at
the Job-lamlng, wearlsome days after
SO long an absence from heavy toll.
"Waal, l suppose ye want money"
Brooke snapped rs the boy came to the
door. "How much?
"One dollar and half"
''Too much. too much. I wort pay
It."
'"rhat was the sum agreed upon"
'Don't care, Ye hain't earned no
dollar an hair. Here, take that an
clear out" having said which Brooke
tossed some money at the boy and