The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-06-01
Continued from last weekD
<sVI nTHU7n VT

cry day new suspicious took
root in him, while others grew and
came to great size and were as hard
to conceal as pumpkins. He had mean
ness enough to equip all he knew and
gave it 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
for security. Foreclosure and sale
were q perennial source Of profit to
him. He was tall and well past mid
die age, with short gray beard, look
of severity, 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, Boosting often that he still
kept the vigor Of his youth. On his err
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 l knew" he would
whisper suggestively and then proceed
to tel much more than he could posi-
may have started his tongue, but the
shortcomings of one Ezekiel Swack-
hammer were for him an ever present
help and provocation. If there were
nothing new to talk about, there was
always Swackhammer. Poor Swack-
hi inner had done everything he ought
n to have done. The good God him
was the only being that had the
A1roval of old Riley Brooke. 1t was
| frious, that turning of his tongue
- 1.-the SANDER Of men to the praise
Inc d.s.And of the goodness of the
| when he was shearing sheep and When IN
as he related often, finding himself on
MS knees to shear, he remained to pray.
Sundays and every Wednesday even
ing he wore a stovepipe hat and q long
frock coat of antique and rusty as
pect.
On MS way to church-with hospital
ity even for the like of him. thanl,
God-he walked slowly with head bent
until, remembering his great agility
and strength, he began to run, giving
varied exhibition of skips and Jumps
terminating in a sort of gallon. 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.
Ihey who resented the screw of his
avarice and pulled their thumbs away:
they who treated him with CONTEMPT
anu whose faults, compared to his own.
were as mound to mountain-tbev |
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
oarrel, who had repaired a clock for
Inn and heard complaint of his small
zee.
ana" was the spirited reply.
God speed YER said the tinker as he
vent away.
In such disfavor was the poor man
hat all would have been glad TO have
IN 20 anywhere, so he left Hills
orough.
one day in the Christmas HOLIDAYS n
oy came to the door of Riley Brooke
7ith bucksaw on his arm.
I'm looking for work" said tho
oy, and I'd be glad of the chance 10
aw your wood"
How much a cordY' was the loud
lquiry.
Forty cents"
Too much" said Brooke. "How
UGH dayT
six shillings."
100 much" said the old man snap.
shly. II used to git SO a month when
was your age, an rise at 4 o'clock in
mornin' an work till bedtime. You
'ys nowadays are lazy, good fer
thin lot What's yer nameY"
Sidney Trove."
Don't want ye." -.
wen, mister said the boy, who
as much In need of money, an saw
ur wood for anything you've mind IN
give me-" lie
III give We 30 cents day." said the M
man.
rrove hesitated. The sum was bare. W
half what he could earn, but he had -.
zen his promise and fell to. Riley &c,
ooke spent half the day watching w, WY
l urging him to faster work. More "'
m once the boy was near quitting, %.
KEPT his good nature and q strong =.
'e. When at last. Brooke went away no
we heard sly movement of the oh,