The state herald., 1908-07-03


town inebriate, was accidentally killed
big Jim Cradlebaugh apprised the
widow Of her bereavement.
hat am l a-goin to do?" walled
the widow.
Nov. don't you worry, Missus Nc
Gaffney," said big Jim Cradlebaugh
ostentatiously, "the town'll see that
you don't suffer. I'll see to 1t. I'll
make the boys shell out" He laid a
coin down on the window-sill There's
half dollar for your immediate
needs, Missus Mccartney" he told her,
land don't you worry. I'll make the
boys do their part, too"
He started in to do it. Down in the
office of the Donaldson Daily they
were waiting for him-the boys.
Nov, boys" he said, as he hustled
into the office of the Daily, gimme n
sheet of paper. This here is for con-
tributors for Sarah Mccartney, the be-
reaved. There you are. There's my
name at the head, where 1t always is
in this here town. | subscribe half a
dollar, do you see? Come, now, put
!
list II be printed in the Daily just as
usual. | give half dollar. Who'll
give more?"
Young Bill Mathewson, the hard
ware man, stepped forward. "Mr.
Cradlebaugh," he said. and his lip
curled as he said 1t. I'm worth about
one-tcnth the sum that you are. Put
/ g. ta11 uft tar
times as much as you"
Jim Cradlebaugh was never feezed.
''Hurrah." he said, example is conta-
gious. ! give SO cents, and the next
man gives five dollars. Who'll give
more? Come, now, your namesll all
be printed. don't you know. Won't
they. Bartlett?"
Bartlett, editor and proprietor of
the Donaldson Daily. nodded. AS
usual" he responded. But his lip
curled Just a little. too. For the only
thing that the town could give Jim
Cradlebaugh credit for was that he
could make other people give. He was
the originator of the published lists In
the Daily. He had started them dur
ing the smallpox scare some three
years before, and the editor acknowl-
edged to himself that the idea was n
good one. Charity is a pleasant weak
ness, but II becomes much more at
tractive when It is set before the eyes
of men. with names and amounts In
full.
But Cradlebaugh-the town was dis
gusted with Cradlebaugh: the Donald
son Daily was disgusted with him.
though II did not dare to say so. Jim
Cradlebaugh could have bought and
sold many men In .the town OF Don
aldson; he was fat with prosperity.
But never yet had be given a five-dol.
lar bill on any one occasion. though
when he gave the whole town knew
II. Cradlebaugh took care to let them
know IT, He was more than laugh.
ing.stock In the town; he was the sub
ject of bitter jeers. hut ho never
realized II, so II seemed.
The McGanney subscription was
ended by $500 gift from "A friend.
Old Terwilliger. who lived at the
end of the street, was a comparative
stranger in the town OF Donaldson. He
had lived there for 10 years. No one
knew whence he had come. All that
knew. Every six months he made sub.
stantial deposits In the First National
and In the Dime Savings bank. At the
end OF each six months the deposits
dwindled 10 n cipher. The banks did
not know where the money went-cer.
tainly old lean Terwilllgcr did not
spend II on himself. And he had no
Vices. no luxurios. He was plain.
simple. unsophisticated old man. But
the eyes OF Editor Bartlett always
twinkied when the name of Terwilll.
ger was spoken. and sometimes moist.
ened. Then they would harden when
he thought OF cradlebaugh.
What difference between two
men," he thought to himself. Cradle.
baugh. u blatant. ostentatious egotist.
Terwilllgcr. gentle. shrinking
man"
But II Tcrwilllgor had secret. and
II Bartlett know. II. he never diyulgcd
II to his best friend
And as time went on. and tho char
fly lists In the Donaldson Daily multi.
piled. II was invariably cradlcbaueh
who headed the list-with dollar;
and II was invariably Constant Read.
er." or PRO Bono" or "A FRIEND
who closed II out-with hundreds.
But the small town of Donaldson
never knew what fate had In store for
bor. She had given bountcouaiy Ia
nil her nclghborH. She little knew
how much she would need charity her.
self.
Il was tho Widow MeGarnoy who
started II. By night the rising little
town OF Donaldson lay In ruins-ruinr
black and stark and ancompromlning.
Donaldson was city without home.
Yes. thoro was ono home that cn.
capped. |, was Jim Cradlobnugh'n his
! house upon the hill And th,ro WINS