Year: 1876

"Thee would like to see thy wife and
children before thee goes?"


"I should-but they have become so
estranged from me; if went, perhaps
they would not believe me. l think it
would be better they should not know
where l am. want to surprise them,
and hope to do so by coming back sober
man, and with money enough to make
them comfortable. prefer that you and
your wife should be the only persons in
the place who shall know where am or
what 1 am doing"


Thus, while riding toward the quiet
farmhouse of the Quaker, the whole
thing was arranged. When they reached
the farm the horse was put into the barn,
and they entered the house. As they
seated themselves before the fire, the
Quaker said to his wife:


"Amy, thee can put On another plate.
Daniel will stay with us few days, and
then he is going to California"


The good Quaker felt confident Daniel
would keep his word this time. At the
end of few days everything was in
readiness. The cid horse was harnessed
and, before daylight, Daniel Akin was
on his way to the railway station. He
had not been in the village since the
night when the words, "Not a drop
more, Daniel" were uttered. He was
missed from his customary haunts; but
it was supposed he had gone on a spree,
so nothing was thought of his absence.
No inquiries were made, for all were
glad that he was missing and cared not
for his return.


He had been gone somewhat more
than year, when the Quaker was in
the store of Hoskins and wished to hire
pasture for the coming season.


81 have one will let you have free, if
you will put up the fences on the place" 4"
said Hoskins.


"Where is it?" asked the Quaker.


cts on the Akin's farm," was the
reply.


"lf thee will let it at that rate, thee
must have let it get cut of repair.


at is, indeed. | can not leave the
store to look after it. The house is poor,
and the family that lived in it last were
too shiftless to buy wood, so they burnt
up all the fences in fact, would rath
sell it than rent it."


"What will thee takef for it?' inquired
the Quaker.


alt cost me 81 ,600"


"Yes; but thee paid in goods, and
charged thine own price for them"


"To be sure did. Akin could not get
trusted anywhere else, and l felt that l
was running a great risk in letting him
have the goods, so l charged accordingly
just as any body else would have done
under the circumstances"


"But thee has not told me what thee
will take for the place. 1 will give thee
$500 for it, if that is any object to
thee"


Hoskins thought long enough over the
matter to conclude that the interest OF
$500 was far better for him than a farm
for the use of which he realized scarcely
anything, and at last said, "You can
have it."


every well, Hoskins; thee can make
out the deeds tomorrow, and thee shall
have thy money. By-the-by, does thee
know what has become of Daniel
Akinw


"No; he has not been in the village
for more than year; at any rate, l have
not seen him."


We may here tell the reader something
that Hoskins did not know. The Quaker
had that day received a letter from
Daniel Akin, saying that he was at the
mines hard at work and sticking to his
motto, "Not drop more, Daniel" that
he had laid up few hundred dollars
and desired him to inquire what the
place he once owned could be bought
for.


Mr.. Edgerton had taken the method
above mentioned to find out the views Of
Hoskins respecting the place; so conf.
dent was he that Daniel Akin would
come home sober man, with money in
his pocket, that he had ventured to pur
chase the place, to keep for him till hi!
return.


He wrote to Akin, informing him
what he had done; and about three
months after he received letter from
him stating that he had sent by expires;
$500 in gold to banker in New York
with orders to sell it and remit the pro
ceeds to him, to go toward the money fol
the farm.


Gold at that time commanded higt
premium, and the $500 became $500 be
fore it reached the hands of friend Edger
ton. Akin requested him to draw up {
deed giving the whole property to hi
wife Mary, to have it duly recorded ant
left with the register of deeds.


In his letter he said: "If perchance
l should ever break my resolution,
shall have secured a home for my wifi
and children. l prefer, however, tina
they should not know anything of thi
for the present. If live to come home
| will give Mary the deeds with my Owl
hands; if not, you can do it. Now tina
the farm is bought, you had better stool
it, for l still stick to my motto, Not
drop more, Daniel"


Another year passed away. By thi
time friend Edgerton had stocked tn
farm with young cattle and sheep, tn
fences were put in repair, and every
thing but the house wore a tidy appear
auce. Another remittance came, whic
. paid for all the stock and left an ovel
plus with which to repair the houst
, Carpenters were busy, and villagers VIII
udppeHSu " pass Ihdl way 'Ouho eii.
| extensive repairs were going on; sti
no one presumed to question the Quak'
t with respect to his plans. These repai
e completed, furniture found its way I'M
a the house. A yoke of oxen were see
on the farm. The villagers we
astonished to see the Quaker driving 6
l elegant horse and riding in new bugg


He received this short note one day:
al have arrived all safe and soun
> Please go and get Mary and the children
S Friend Edgerton rode over to Il
e next town and called on Mary's fatht
and invited her and the children to
j home with him and make a visit. t
e invitation was accepted and they
O turned with the Quaker to his hou


On the afternoon Of the next day,
V said:


"Mary, I want to go to the railw


station. Thee and the children can st
y with Amy"


1t He went down to the station a
W fetched Daniel and left him at his o.