The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-14

to conceal as pumpkins. He had mean
ness enough to equip all he knew and
gave it with a lavish tongue. In bis
opinion Hiilsborough came within one
of having as many rascals IN it 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
for security. Foreclosure and sale
were a perennial source of profit to
him He was tall and well past mid
die age, with short gray beard, look
OF severity. a stoop in his shoulders,
and a 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
>agiIe man. boosting often that he still
kept the vigor of his youth. On his en-
rands in the village he often broke into
an awkward gallop, like child at play.
When he slackened pace it was TO
shake his head solemnly, as if some
thing had reminded him of the wicked
ness of the world.
IF | dared tell all | knew" he would
whisper sugsestively and then proceed
to tell much more than he could posi-
bly, have known. Any one Of many
may have started his tongue, but the
shortcomings of one Ezekiel Swack-
hammer 1r-ara for hi M an eyor nraSas1t
help and provocat ton. If 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. 1t was
curious. that turning of his tongue
from the SANDER 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 salyati had come to him one day
when he was shearing sheep and when,
as be 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-with hospital
fly 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
q varied exhibition of skips and jumps
terminating in sort OF gallop. Once
I'm the sacred house he looked to right
and left accusingly and aloft with en-
touraging applause. His God was one
of wrath. vengeance and destruction;
his hell the destination of his enemies.
They who resented the screw of his
ayariee and pulled their thumbs away;
they who treated him with contempt
and whose faults, compared to his own,
were as a mound to u 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.
"Yere going t heaven, 1 hear" said
Darrell. who had repaired a clock for
him and heard complaint of his small
fee.
II am was the spirited reply.
God speed yer said the tinker as he |
went away.
III such disfayor was the poor man
that all would have been glad to have /
him 20 anywhere, so he left Hills /
borough.
One day in the Christmas holidays a
boy came to the door of Riley Brooke |
with a bucksaw on his arm.
I'm looking for work." said the
boy. land 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 a day.
six shillings."
100 much,'' said the old man snap
pishly. Il used to git Sc a month when
1 was your age, an rise at o'clock in
the mornin' an work till bedtime. You
boys nowadays are a lazy. good fer
nothin' lot. What's yer name?'
Sidney Trove."
Don't want ye."
n well. mister" said the boy. who
WAS much in need of money I'll saw
your wood for anything you've a mind
to give me"
III give We - ~-~ - said the
old man.
Trovc hesitated - sam was bare
" 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 strong
pace. When at last Brooke went away
Trove heard sly movement of the
f.lin,is AMI knew that other eyes WISE
Oh the watch He spent three days at
the job-iaming, wearisome days after I
SO long ar absence from heavy toll
.'Waal. | suppose We want money"
Brooke snapped as the boy came to the
door How much:"
Zone dollar aud Il half"
..Too much. too much. / won't pay
IT."
THAT was the sum agreed upon"
Don't care ye hain't earned no
dollar an n half. Here. take that an
clear out" having said which Brooke
tossed some money at the boy and