Lincoln County leader., July 10, 1908, Image 3

trong and Steady
By HORATIO
CHAPTER IV. (Continued.)
Walter raised his eyes and saw Joshua,
whose small, mean features, closely resem
bling his father's, expressed considerable
curiosity. Walter secretly doubted wheth
er be should like him; but this doubt he
kept to himself. Mr. Drummond opened
the outer door, and led the way in.
"This is my wife, Mrs. Drummond," he
aid, as she approached, and kindly wel
comed the young strangei.
"I think I shall like her," thought Wal
ter, suffering his glance to rest for a mo
ment on her mild, placid features; "die
is evidently quite superior to her hus
"and." "Joshua, come here and welcome Mr.
Conrad," said his father.
Joshua came forward awkwardly and
hi Id out his band with tbe stiffness of a
pump handle.
"Howdy do?" he said. "Just come?"
"Yes," said Walter, accepting the band,
end blinking it slightly.
"Are you tired with your journey, Mr.
Conrad?" asked Mrs. Drummond. "Per
haps you would like to be shown to your
room."
Walter went upstairs, preceded by Mr.
Drummond, who insisted on carrying his
cnrpetlintr. for his trunk would not ar
rive till the next day, having been for
warded by express. At five o'clock they
at down to supper.
"I hope, Mr. Conrad," said Jacob, "you
will be able to relish our humble repast."
"Humble again!" thought Walter. He
was about to say that everything looked
very nice, when Joshua said :
"If you call this humble, I don't know
what you'd say to the suppers we com
monly have."
Mr. Drummond, who desired, for this
day, at least, to keep up appearances,
frowned with vexation.
"Joshua," he said, "I desire that you
will act in a more gentlemanly way or
else leave the table. Have you ever been
in Stapleton before, Mr. Conrad?"
"No, sir; never."
'It is not a large place, but it is grow
ing ; the people are plain, but they have
kind hearts. I hope you may like tbe
town after a while. If you feel inclined
to walk, Joshua will go out with you af
ter supper, and show you the, mill dam,
the church, and the school house. He will
also point out the store it is only across
the way where, in my humble way, I try
to earn a living I rfhall be very glad
If you will come in and take a look inside.
I may be busy, for work has accumulated
during my absence, but Joshua will show
you around."
"Thank you, sir."
"May I usk, Mr. Conrad excuse my
intruding the question who is left execu
tor of your father's estate?"
"Mr. Shaw, the lawyer in our village.
He is an excellent man, very honest and
upright. He was an intimate friend of
my father." '
"I am glad to hear you say so. So
many lawyers, you know, are tricky. We
have no lawyer here," pursued Mr. Drum
mond. "You will perhaps be surprised to
bear it, but my humble services are fre
quently called into requisition, in admin
istering and settling estates."
"Indeed, sir."
"Yes; but I am glad you have got a
man you can trust. Mrs. Drummond, I
think Mr. Conrad will have another piece
of pie."
Slipper was over at length, and Walter,
by invitation, went out to walk with
Joshua.
CHAPTER V.
Walter did not anticipate a very pleasr
ant walk with Joshua. The little he had
seen of that young man did not prepos
sess him 1n his favor. However, having
no other way of spending his time, he
had no objection to the walk.
"That's the old man's store just across
the street," said Joshua, as they emerged
from the house.
"Your father's?"
"Of course. Don't yon see the name on
the Bign?" Walter did see it, but never
having been accustomed to speak of his
own father as "the old man," he was not
quite sure be apprehended Joshua's mean
ing. "You were an only child, weren't you?"
aid Joshua.
"Yes," said Walter, soberly.
"So am I," said Joshua; adding, com
placently, "Between you and I, the old
man has laid up quite a snug sum. Of
course,. It'll all come to me some day."
"I am glad to hear It," said Walter,
wondering that Joshua should have made
such a communication to a comparative
stranger.
"To hear the old man talk," pursued
Joshua, "you'd think lie was awful poor.
He's stingy enough about everything in
the house. There isn't a family in town
"dint don't live better than we do."
"I thought we had a very good supper,"
mild Walter, who experienced not a little
disgust at Joshua's charges against bis
father.
"That was because you were with us.
The old man laid himself out for tbe oc
casion. It's the first decent supper I've
eaten at home since the Sewing Circle met
at our bouse three years ago."
Though these communications did not
raise Joshua in the estimation of Walter,
the latter could not help thinking that
there was probably some foundation for
what was said, and the prejudice against
Mr. Drummond, for which he had blamed
himself as without cause, began to find
omi extenuation.
ALGER, JR.
"When I talk to the old man about his
stinting me so," continued Joshua, "he
tells me to go to work and earn some
money."
"Why don't you do it?'
Tile wants me to go into his store, but
he wouldn't pay me anything. He offered
me a dollar and a half a week ; but I
wasn't going to work ten or twelve hours
a day for no such sum. If I could get a
lif'ht, easy place in the city say at ten
dollars a week, I'd go. There ain't any
chance in Stapleton for a young man of
enterprise.
"I've thought sometimes," said Walter,
"that I should like to get a place in the
city; but I s'ippose I couldn't get enough
at first to pay my board."
You get a place"!" exclaimed Joshua,
in astonishment. "I thought you was
going to college."
"Father intended I should ; but his
death will probably change my plans. It
is expensive passing through college; I
cannot afford it."
"Oh, that's all humbug. You're talking
like the old roan. Why, you're rich. The
old man told me that your father left a
hundred thousand dollars. You're the only
sen ; you told me so yourself."
"Your father is mistaken."
"What, wasu't your father rich?" asked
Joshua, opening his- small eyes in amaze
ment. "M.V father was unfortunate enough to
g'-t involved in a speculation, by which he
lost heavily. I can't tell how his affairs
stand until they are settled. I may be
left pennjless."
"Do you mean that?" asked Joshua,
stopping abruptly and facing bis compan
ion. "I generally mean what I say," said
Walter, rather stiffly.
Joshua's answer was a low whistle of
amazement.
"Whew !" he said. "That's the biggest
joke I've heard of lately ;" and he follow
ed up this remark by a burst of merri
ment. Walter looked at him with surprise. He
certainly did not know what to make of
Joshua's conduct.
"I don't see any joke about it," he said.
"I don't complain of being poor, for I
think I can earn my own living; but it
doesn't strike me as a thing to laugh at."
"I was laughing to think bow the old
man is taken in. It's rich ! He thinks
you're worth a hundred thousand dollars."
said Joshua.
"Well, he is mistaken, that's all. I
don't see how he is taken in."
"He's been doing the polite, and treat
ing you as if you was a prince of the
blood. That's the reason be told the
old woman to get up such a nice supper.
He expected to get you to take him for a
guardian, and then he'd have the hand
ling of your money. Won't he be mad
when he finds out how he's been taken in?
Giving you the best room, too ! Are you
sure that none of the property will be
left?"
"Probably not much. I am sorry to
think that your father made such a mis
take. I will take care to undeceive him."
"What! You're not going to tell him,
are you?"
"Certainly. I meant to do so; but I
did not suppose he invited me just because
he thought I was rich."
"What for, then?"
"Being my father's cousin and nearest
relation, it didn't seem very strange that
he should have invited me on that ac
count." "The old man's pretty shrewd," said
Joshua, rather admiringly. "He knows
which way his bread is buttered. .He
don't lay himself out for any poor rela
tions, not if he knows it. Don't you tell
him about it till to-morrow."
"Why not?"
"Because, if you do, we'll have a mean
breakfast as usual. I just want him to
think you're rich a little while longer, so
we can have something decent for once."
"I don't feel willing to deceive your
father any longer. I have not willingly
deceived him at all. I would rather he
knew at once."
"To-morrow will be soon enough."
"At any rate, I shall tell him to-morrow
then. But I've got tired walking.
Suppose we go back."
They went back together. Mr. Drum
mond was in the store, but Mrs. Drum
mond was at home.
"You didn't go far," she said. "But I
suppose you were tired, Mr. Conrad."
"A little," answeerd Walter.
"I wonder," thought our hero, "whether
she will change as soon as she finds out
that I am poor?" Somehow he felt that
she would not. She seemed very different
from her husband and her son, and Wal
ter was inclined, to like her better.
Joshua went out again soon, not hav
ing much taste for staying at home ; and,
as Walter retired early, he did not see
either hint or his father again till the
next morning at breakfast.
"I must go back to the store," said Mr.
Drummond the next morning, when break
fast was over. "Joshua will look after
you, Mr. Conrad. I hope you will be able
to pass the time pleasantly."
"If you can spare me five minutes, Mr.
Drummond, I should like to speak to you
in private," said Walter.
"Certainly. I can spare five or ten
minutes, or more, Mr. Conrad. Won't
you walk into the parlor?
Mr. Drummond was far from anticipat
ing the nature of Walter's communica
tion. Indeed, he cherished a hope that
our hero was about to ask hla assistance
iu settling up the eitats a request with
which, it is needless to say, be would
gladly have compiled.
"I don't suppose you know how I am
situated I mean in relation to my fath
er's estate. It is not certain that my fath
er left anything," said Walter, thinking
it best to reveal everything at once.
"What!" exclaimed Mr. Drummond,
his lower jaw falling, and looking very
blank.
"My father made some investments re
cently that turned out badly."
"But he was worth a very large prop
erty It can't all bt lost."
"I am afraid there will be very little
left, if anything. He lost heavily by some
mining stock, which he bought at a high
figure, and which ran down to almost
nothing."
"There's tbe house left, at any rate."
"My father borrowed its value, I under
stand ; I am afraid that must go, too."
Now, at length, it flashed upon Mr.
Drummond how he had been taken in. He
thought of the attentions he had lavished
upon Walter, of the extra expense he had
incurred, and all, as it appeared, for a
boy likely to prove penniless. He might
even expect to live upon him. These
thoughts, which rapidly succeeded eacr
other, mortified and made him angry.
"Why didn't you tell me this before,
young man?" he demanded with asperity.
His change of tone and manner showed
Walter that Joshua was entirely right in
his estimate of his father's motives, and
he in turn became indignant.
"When did you expect me to tell you,
Mr. Drummond?" he said, quickly. "I
only arrived yesterHay afternoon, and I
tell you this morning. I would have told
you last night, If you had been in the
house."
"Why didn't you tell me when I was at
Willoughby?"
"I hud other th:c'.:s to think of," mid
Walter, shortly. "Tbe thought of my
father's death and of my loss shut out
everything else."
' "Well, what are you going to do?" ask
ed Mr. Drummond In a hard tone.
"I shall have to earn my own living,"
snid Walter. "I am well and strong, and
am not afraid."
"That is a good plan," said Mr. Drum
mond. who knew Walter so little as to
fear that he wanted to become dependent
ujKin him. "When I was of your age I
had my own living to earn. What do you
propose to do?"
"Have you a vacancy for me in your
store? Joshua told me you wished him to
go in."
"You couldn't earn much, for you
don't know anything of the business."
"I should not expect to. I am perfect
ly willing to work for my board until I
find out how my father's affairs are going
to turn out."
This proposal struck -Mr. Drummond
favorably. He judged that Walter would
prove a valuable assistant when he was
broken in, for it was easy to see that he
hnd energy. Besides, it wsi desirable to
keep him near until it was decided wheth
er Mr. Conrad's affairs were really in as
bad a state as his son represented. Even
if a few thousand dollars were left, Mr.
Drummond would like the handling of
that sum. Then, again, no one knew bet
ter than Mr. Drummond that Walter's
board would cost him very little; for, of
course, he would at once return to his
usual frugal fare.
"Very well," he said; "you can go Into
the store on those terms. As you say,
you've got your own living to earn, and
the sooner you begin the better."
Walter had not said this, but he agreed
with Mr. Drummond. It may be thought
strange that our hero should have been
willing to enter the employment of such
a mean man ; but he thought it wisest to
remain in the neighborhood until he could
learn something definite about his father's
affairs. He prepared to go to work at
once, partly because he didn't wish to be
dependent, partly because he foresaw that
he should be happier if employed.
When Mr. Drummond and Walter cam
out of the parlor, Joshua was sitting in
tht next room, and looked up eagerly to
see how his father bore the communica
tion. He was disnpnointed when he saw
that Mr. Drummond looked much as
usual.
"Conrad has been telling me," said Mr.
Drummond, "that his father lost a good
deal of money by speculation, and it is
doubtful whether he has left any prop
erty." "I am very sorry," said Mrs. Drum
mond ; and Walter saw and appreciated
her look of sympathy.
"As he will probably have to work for
a living, he has aked for a place in my
store," pursued Mr. Drummond, "and I
have agreed to take him on trial. Con
rod, you may get your hat and come over
at once."
Joshua whistled in sheer amazement.
The affair had by no means terminated as
be anticipated.
(To b continued.)
The Lady in the Moon.
An amateur astronomer -writes of the
"lady in the moon :" "It Is a very beau
tiful face seen In profile and uplifted,
as though in proud disdain oT things
terrestrial. The curve of the throat Is
exqulBlte, and Indeed the entire outline
Is marvelously lifelike. The moon
lady mny best be observed through a
small opera glass when our satellite Is
at half. At that time the tip of the
chin about touches the terminator
that Is, the dividing line between the
light and dark portions of the lunnr
surface. Most people jean recognize
the man in the .moon. Well, the holr
of the lady, In which I can always
fancy I see a spray of orange blossom,
forms the man's left eye, the nose and
mouth, his nose, and the chin am)
throat the man's mouth."
Obvious.
"Do you tip the waiter where yoi
dine?"
"flay, do I look starved r
"I understand the new niagaslne has I
a high standard." "Indeed It has. It
went up yesterday." Atlanta Constlru- ,
tion.
Redd What kind of a machine have
you got uow? Greene A runabout ; it
wlll run about a block, and then stop.
Youkera Statesman.
Authoress I'm very happy In my
married life. I find my husband such
a help. Friend Indued! Does he
cook, or write? Fllegende Blaetter.
"Maude was afraid the girls wouldn't
notice her engagement rlne." "Did
they?" "Did they I Six of them rec
ognized It at once." Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
"I hear yer frlen' Tarason's marrlet
again." "Aye, so he is. He's been a
dear frlen' tae me. He's cost me three
weddln' presents an' twa wreaths."
London Tit-Bits.
"Is your husband voracious in his
appetite, madam?" "I can't say ns he
Is, doctor. He'll eat anythlnk and ev
erythlnk as long as there's anythlnk
to eat." Baltimore Americun.
He If you refuse me I shall go out
and hang myself to the lump-post In
front of your house. She Now, George,
you know father said he wouldn't have
you hanging around here. Life.
"Ever seen Congress in session?"
"No," replied Farmer Coboss, "but I
know how it looks. I hev a hired man
who kin gtt ns busy doing nothln' as
anything on earth." Washington Her
ald.' Mr. Newlywed But, my love, why
are you weeping? Mrs. Newlywed
Oh, John ! John ! I just peeped Into
the kitchen and saw that cook has
on her traveling gown. Harper's
Weekly.
"I want a man to do odd jobs about
the house, run on errands, one that
never answers back and Is alwnys ready
to do my biddings" "You're looking for
a husband, ma'am, not a man." The
Jewish ledger.
HI Tragerdy Yes, we opened in Osh
kosh. Lowe Conierdy And what did
your audience think of your "Ham
let?" Hi Tragerdy Wey er he went
out before I bad a chance to ask Dim.
Philadelphia Press.
" "Cheer up, old man," said the consol
ing friend. "You know love laughs at
locksmiths." "Yes, I know," replied
the dejected lover. "But her father
ain't a locksmith ; he's a bollermaker."
Detroit Free Press.
He So your father thought I want
ed to marry you for jrour money. What
did you say? She I persuaded him
that you didn't, and then he said if
that was the case you didn't have any
sense. The Jewish Ledger.
"Willie, did you put your nickel in
the contribution box In Sunday school
to-day?" "No, mammal I ast Eddy
Lake, the preacher's son, if I couldn't
keep it nn' spend it for candy, an' he
gave me permission." Denver News.
"Young man." said the pompous In
dividual, "I did not always have this
carriage. When I first started In life
I had to walk." "You were lucky,"
chuckled the youth. "When I first
started in life I couldn't walk." The
Catholic News.
Nell He doesn't know anything
about the little niceties of paying at-,
tentlon to a girl. Belle Why, I saw
him typing your shoestring. Nell
Yes ; but he tied It In a double knot, so
It couldn't come untied again. Phila
delphia Record.
"What you want Is a stenographer
who is rapid and absolutely accurate."
"Well," answered Mr. Bligglns, "rapid
ity is all right, but as to accuracy
well, I don't want to be held down
strictly to my own ideas of grammar."
-Washington Star.
Miss Cutting I see by the paper
that all the swell set was at the As
sembly ball last night. Miss McBlufT
Yes; I expected to be there, but was
prevented Miss Cutting The ideal
I hope the doorkeeper wasn't rough
with you, dear. Catholic Standard and
Times.
Tommy Do you believe It Is fortu
nate to be the seventh son? Mickey
Naw! I'm the seventh son. Tommy
But the fortune tellers say the seventh
ton has all kinds of luck banded down
to blm. Mickey Huh! All I have
banded down to me is me six brothers'
old clothes. Chicago News.
First Gentleman (entering the apart
ment of second gentleman) About a
year ago you challenged me to fight
l duel. Second Gentlemun (sternly)
' did, sir. First Gentleman And I
told you that I bad Just got married,
;and I did not care to risk my life
it any haznrd. Second Gentleman
(haughtily) I remember, sir. First
Sentleman (bitterly) Well, my feel-
iui8 have changed; any time you want
to fight, let me know. Human Life.
SOMETHING FOE EVERYBODY
Deposits in the postal savings banks)
ot Japan now exceed $45,000,000.
Manchuria already receives 1,000 ca
ble messages a day from Japan. Tht
.doubling of the cables is probable.
Joun Burns Is said to hnve the bes
wonting unrary or any niemner or tue
English House of Parliament
Belgium is now imnortinir vearlt
nbout $1,?00,000 worth of automobiles,
motor-cycles and bicycles. The ini-
Prt8 have quadrupled in four years.
In the last eight years the thre
great iron countries have produced
310,300,000 tons or pig Iron, of which
over half has come out of the United
States.
In the Slavonic section of the New
York public library there are 8,527
volumes and a very large proportion of
the Russian readers select books of
social and governmental subjects.
There nre now not far from 00,000
miles of railroad under block signal op
eration, nearly 10,000 miles of which
have been added within a year and n
half. All of this mileage Is distributed
among eighty-four different systems.
Emigration to Canada from the Uni
ted States in January and February In
creased 01 per cent, while foreign emi
grants arriving at Cnmidlan ports de
creased 3(1 per cent. Over 1,000 Ameri
can settlers reached Saskatchewan n
Mtirch 10.
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wlggin has been
nominated as an honorary steward of
the anniversary dinner of the Royal
Literary Fund In London. Lord Tenny
son Is the president of the society. Rnd
yard Kipling, who will preside at the
dinner, has asked Mrs. Wlgglu to re
spond to a toast.
An Eskimo will devour greedily
twenty pounds of meat a day. A Rus
sian Tartar will eat In twenty-four
hours forty pounds. Captain Cochran
intuitions a Tartar who consumed In
that time the hind quarters of a lnrge
ox, twenty pounds of fat and a pro
portionate quantity of melted butter
for drink. Three of his tribe the Ya
kut! think nothing of polishing off a
'elndeer at a meal. New York Press.
President Fouse, of the Fidelity Mu
tual Life Insurance Company, calls at
tention in his nniiual address to the
vast extent of the life insurance busi
ness in this country, by compnrlng it
with the banking business. The 0,044
national and 11,852 State, private and
savings banks and trust companies
have an aggregate capital and surplus
of $3,000,000,000, and deposits of $13,
000,000,000. Ninety-three insurance
companies have admitted assets of over
$3,000,000,000 and insurance In force
amounting to $14,000,000,000.
There Is a possibility that the Episco
pal church will soon have three broth
ers as members of the bishopric.
The Right Reverend Dr. William
I'aret, bishop of Maryland, be
cause of advancing years and failing
strength, has asked his diocese to elect
a coadjutor and has called a special
convention to choose the priest to be
elevated to the episcopate. Several
clergymen have been mentioned for the
honor, among them being the Rev. Dr.
Arthur B. Klnsolvlng, rector of St."
Puul's church, Baltimore, who Is said
to stand a good chnnce of election. Ons
of Dr. Klnsolvlng's brothers is bishop
of Texas and another is the head of
the diocese of Southern Brnj-.U.
In a recent trial a San Francisco
I 1l!(1iro Illllrilt n rlthflloHr n tout rt iiiuntiil
Bmm(llam BIt ,, tnt ,,
applied to certain great men they
would been declared Imbeciles. Dean
Stanley, for one, would huve been set
down ns hopeless had he been Judged
by bis incapacity to do a sum in simple
addition or multiplication. Had Keble,
wrltur of famous hymns, depended up
on his arithmetic Oxford would not
long have-known him. When bursar he
found, to his horror, that certain ac
counts came out nearly $10,(MX) to the
bad. In vain did the learned and pious
men of the college go over the figures
with him. Not until an expert was
summoned was it discovered that. Ke
ble, in casting up a column, had add
ed the date of the year to the college's
debts.
"I know where $3,000,000 in cash Ilea
concealed," said a New York lawyer..
"This vast sum lies concealed in the in
side vest pocket of the 80,000 automo
blllsts of New York State. Each man
carries $100 of it in one crisp note,
ready to be paid out In a fine, if he
should be arrested for speeding. Fines,
though, don't appear to stop speeding,"
he continued. "Perhaps the rich auto
moblllst regards them much as the Sun
ilnn wood thief did. The thief was ar
rested. The magistrate said to him,
'You are brought up on the charge of
stealing wood. This charge has been
proved against you. But you are old
nnd poor and you shall be let off this
time. Only don't do It again.' 'Non
sense I' retorted the thief. 'Let us not
have any false sentimentality here. I
steal my wood, I pay my flue, and
there's an end of It' "