Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-01-11

II IL M Uncle Bushrod
~W given Of faithful
III j service to the
house Of Wey.
mouth as chattel, servitor and friend.
OF the color Of the mahogany bank
furniture was Uncle Bushrod-thus
dark was he externally; white as the
uninked pages Of the bank ledgers was
bis soul. Eminently pleasing to Uncle
Bushrod would the comparison have
been, for to him the only institution
In existence worth considering was the
Weymouth bank, Of which he was
something between porter and general
issimo In charge.
Weymouth lay, dreamy and um-
brageous, among the low foothills
along the brow Of a southern valley.
Three banks there were in Weymouth
vile. Two were hopeless, misguided
enterprises, lacking the presence and
prestige Of Weymouth to give them
glory. The third was the bank, man
aged by the Weymouths-and Uncle
Bushrod
In the old Weymouth homestead
the red brick, white porticoed mansion,
the first to your right as you crossed
Elder creek coming into town-hved
Mr.. Robert Weymouth, the president
Of the bank; his widowed daughter,
Mrs. Vesey, called miss Lefty" by ev-
cry one, and her two children, Nan
and Guy. There also, in a cottage on
the grounds, resided Uncle Bushrod
and Aunt Nalindy, his wife. Mr.. VIII
liam Weymouth, the cashier OF the
bank, lived in a modern, fine house on
the principal avenue.
Mr.. Robert was large, stout man,
sixty-two years Of age. with a smooth,
plump face, long iron gray hair and
fiery blue eyes. He was high temper
ed, kind and generous, with a youth
ful smile and formidable, stern voice
that did not always mean what 1t
sounded like. Mr.. william was mild
or man, correct In department and abb
sorbed In business. The Weymouths
formed the family Of Weymouthville
and were looked up to, as was their
right Of heritage.
Uncle Bushrod was the banks trust
ed porter, messenger, vassal and guar
dian. He carried key to the vault,
lust as Mr.. Robert and Mr.. William
did. Sometimes there was ten, fifteen
or twenty thousand dollars In sacked
silver stacked on the vault floor. 1t
was safe with Uncle Bushrod. he
was q Weymouth in heart, honesty
and pride.
OF late Uncle Bushrod had not been
without worry. It was on account OF
Marse Robert. For nearly a year Mr.
Robert had been known to indulge In
too much drink. Not enough, under
stand, to become tpsy, but the habit
was getting a hold. upon him, and ev-
cry one was beginning to notice It.
Half q dozen times a, day he would
leave the bank and step around to the
Merchants and Planters hotel to take
drink. Mr.. Roberts unusual keen
Judgment and business capacity be-
came little impaired Mr.. William, a
Weymouth, but not 80 rich in expert
ence, tried to dam the inevitable back
iow Of the tide, but with incomplete
success. The deposits in the Wey-
mouth bank dropped from six figures
to FIVE. Past due paper began to ac-
cumulate, owing to injudicious loans.
No one cared to address Mr.. Robert on
the subject Of temperance. Many OF
bis friends said that the cause Of It had
been the death Of his wife some two
years before. Others hesitated on ac-
count Of Mr.. Roberts quick temper,
which was extremely apt to resent per-
sonal interference Of such q nature.
Miss Lefty and the children noticed
the change and grieved about It On
Gle Bushrod also worried, but he was
one of those who would not have dared
to demonstrate, though he and Marse
Robert had been raised almost as COM
panions. But there was a heavier
shock coming to Uncle Bushrod than
that caused by the bank presidents
loddies and juleps.
Mr.. Robert had a passion for fishing,
which he usually indulged whenever
the season and business permitted.
One day, when reports had been COM
ing In relating to the bass and perch,
he announced his intention Of making
two or three days visit to the lakes.
He was going down, he said, 70 Reedy
lake with Judge Archinsrd, an old
friend.
Now, Uncle Bushrod was treasurer
Of the Sons and Daughters Of the
Burning Bush. Every association he
belonged to made him treasurer with
out. hesitation. He stood AA1 In col
ored circles. He was understood
among them to be Mr.. Bushrod Wey.
mouth Of the Weymouth bank
The night following the day on which
Mr.. Robert mentioned his intended
fishing trip the old man woke up and
rose from his bed at Il. o'clock, declar-
ing he must 60 down to the bank and
fetch the passbook Of the Sons and
Daughters, which he had forgotten to
bring home. The bookkeeper had bal.
anced 1t for him that day, put the can
celed checks In 1t and snapped two
elastic bands around Il. He put but
one band around other passbooks.
Aunt Malindy objected to the mission
at 30 late an hour. denouncing It as
foolish and unnecessary, but Uncle
Bushrod was not to be detected from
duty.
" done told Sister Adaline Hoskins."
hc said, ''to como by here for dat book
tpmosxse mawnin' at sebin o'clock foa
h lnnk r a rs uoofix r ~ FL