The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-11-03
Trustful
Apoloni;

II old Jedediah Haymaster had real
~ bitten all the tenpenny nails II
two that people invariably mentioned
when called upon to describe his char
acteristics and abilities, he woult
have accumulated quite a little scray
iron heap by the time he was sixty
hve. As II was. what he had accu
mulated was the awed dislike Of his
townsmen and a collection Of stocks
bonds and mortgages that would sinh
a ship. I.
Jed Haymaster could make money
with his eyes shut and one hand tied
behind him. Make II he did, with no
quarter for the innocent bystander.
Having all these years Of practice
behind him. II was easy for him to In.
dite the letter to Mrs. Daw. Apolonia
Daw had come TO town a few years
before a. the bride Of Henry Daw, who
had died shortly after. His young
widow had continued to reside in the
pretty cottage Daw built for her, her
small income sufficing for her quiet
needs.
Most OF this income came In the
shape OF dividends from her stock in
the Haymaster engine works. This
STOCK her husband had purchased
cheap when old Jedediah had started
this. the tenth Of his big enterprises.
Jedediah disliked women mixed ND
In his business affairs and entitled 10
participate In the annual meetings OF
stockholders--and. besides. there was
soon to be a large extra dividend.
Whoever held Mrs. DAVIS stock a,
that happy time naturally would re,
the FAT dividend upon II.
Therefore Jedediah wrote her that
u had occurred to him that she nigh,
like to invest her money In govern.
ment bonds or something else solid
ana Trustworthy instead OF having II
IN engine stock. which. while good.
might he seriously affected BY some
unexpected disaster. He would, in the
generosity OF his heart. take her stock
on her hands. now that the dangers
OF possessing II had been made clear
10 her. and he remained hers respect.
fully.
Apolonis Daw wrote back on paper
family scented with violets. She said
she certainly appreciated his deep In.
terest In her AFFAIRS. because she had
found very little genuine kindness In
business way since she had been
left alone. II touched her greatly. |
But the fact that he was at the head
OF the engine works gave her such a
sense OF security that she had never
worried q BIT about her stock. The
Haymaster engine works was Just a.
solid as the Bank Of England to her
with his keen Judgment and strong
hand At the helm. 30. thanking him
agnin. she remained his most crate.
fully.
Jedediah read this with his face
screwed up In a tight knot. 1.-THE
woman's more Of fool than most OF
'em!" he said as he dipped his pen
In Ink. she hasn't sense enough TO
get scared"
This time he wrote that her trust
In him was. indeed. nattering. but that
he was only a weak. human man who
did not claim infallible judgment and
he could not bear to have II upon hia
II she should suffer finan.
cially through him. or course the
engine works were Ms solid as any.
but he begged 10 point out TO her that
Industrial stocks fluctuated unexpect.
IDLY sometimes They were delicate.
He considered Il his duty TO look out
FOR her. SO great was his concern
that he would offer hSr IS a share
above par value.
Apolonia answered that she wished
there were more men like Mr.. Hay.
master In this hard world. Things
would take on a far different aspect
hen. She said there were tears In
her eyes rs she wrote and that she
would be less than woman II she felt
The slightest culver OF doubt In the
engine works under his guidance.
while, II she descended to the depths
d selling her stock. she would really
be an object Of contempt. No. she
assured him. she never would be un.
grateful or foolish enough to think
'he could better herself by getting rid
" her engine stock, Again she was
lis most gratefully.
Jededinh gazcd at this epistle hos
ilely and brcathed hard. yet she
amt be as ALFRED smart az she
must be II she isn't a fool!"
So he called on Mrs. Daw that eve.
ling on the way home. She Ruttered
O welcome him as though he were
Ter dearest friend and clasped his
iand warmly. Jedediah. really look.
ng at her for the first time In his life,
Jaw how very pretty she was
u called" he said. "'about that stock.
don't seem to have made myself