Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-02-01
The Old Mans
Secret
By MORRIS SCHULTZ

20. 1924 Western Newspaper union.l
ELDOM, If ever, had such bomb
~ shell been thrown into the little
town. Selvlngton had always been
proud of its ancient origin, and of the
impeccable character of its leading
citizens. And now its honor lay in
the hands of this little old, bent man
who could sweep all the pride of the
leading families into the dirt.
How had he come there-this little
old man Of eighty years, with the
hump, and the high-pitched cackle,
this man whom everybody feared? 1t
was said that he had entered Solving
ton as common tramp. He had called
on the mayor, and made himself
known. He had been born in Solving
left him papers, So long as he could
work he had no desire to use them,
but now-well man must live.
And the name he whispered In the
mayors ear was not the name he
went by; but 1t made the mayor
glance at him with sudden apprehen-
sion.
Next morning the news was all over
town. The banker heard 1t and went
to see the mayor. SO did Judah
Granger, the noted lawyer, one of the
lights Of Selvlngton. And Mrs Emily
Baker-she had good reason to fear
the little old man with the hump.
What was going to be done for himf
A subscription was quickly made up,
under the pretense of charity, but 1t
far exceeded any charitable subscrip-
ton raised for single person at any
previous time in the history of Sell
vlngton. The little old man was as
signed the best room In the house of
the Widow Parkes.
There he sat all day long, sorting
his papers, and 1t was known he al
ways worked with loaded pistol be-
side him.
The banker went to the mayor. "If
ever murder was justified" he said,
white with passion, at is now"
And Mrs. Emily Baker-it was said
that she had gone secretly to see the
little old man, had gone down on her
knees to him.
And the attempted burglary at the
Widow Parkes' housewife had staged
that? Was It a genuine burglar who
hobbled off, leaving trail of blood
behind him, as the result of wound
from the little old mans pistol?
How the little old man cackled when
he went TO call on the mayor next
day.
THE papers are no longer in my
possession" he said. 81 have given
orders that II die by accident, they
are to be published. There is no news
paper in the land but would pay fab.
ulously for the news"
The mayors stenographers In the
next room heard the little old mans
cackle. And the mayors broken an.
swer
He was exactlng, too, the little old
man. Blackmail.' that Is what 1t was
--blackmail was paid him by the
whole town
I'll keep the secret" he assured In.
terrogators. Half the town knew It.
But not one of them was brave enough
to tell 1t to his nelghbor Half knew,
half didn't
"I'll keep the secret, and It'll die
with me If you treat me white" said
the little old man.
His whlms He took 1t Into his
head to eat roast goose in April, and
the countryside had to be secured for
a mature bird, who was parbolled for
hours before It was edible Then there
was that time at the county fair, when
The little old man insisted on riding
back In the mayors carriage
And that awful time when he made
Mrs. Emily Baker tear off her wedding
ring in the street and fling 1t awayi
And not soul dared speak No one
dared to resent II.
One of the people not in the secret
vas the reporter for a metropolitan
daily. He got wind Of affairs at Sci.
vington, and came out to see the little
old man. The little old man was very
sick, lying propped up with pillows.
The mayor called every day to ask
for him. Mrs. Emily Baker nursed
him with her own hands How the lit
tie old man cackled.
"Teli me the secret" pleaded the re-
porter "We'll pay you five thousand
dollars"
Avarice shoDe In the little old mans
eyes. 81 gave my word" he mumbled.
Buff / was to dle-d-n 'em.
On 'eml III make 'em pay"
A fit Of coughing interrupted him.
1.-THE secret is" he gasped, coughed
again, and died.