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 F. J. HEER PRINTING COMPANY 
 
 1907
 
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 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 I 
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 
 
 THOSE who know nothing of Cranberry County 
 save what they see of it as they are whirled 
 across its undulated surface on the graded track of a 
 railway, may naturally enough conclude it is a stale 
 subdivision of the commonwealth, where population 
 vegetates all unconscious of events which tend to 
 quicken the blood of men. But notwithstanding the 
 unpicturesqueness of its scenery, the plainness of its 
 farm houses, and the unfashionable costume of its in 
 habitants, it will be found to have its fair quota of 
 social ups and downs, and dramatic episodes ; and 
 should these ever fail to leaven the human lump suf 
 ficiently, the spring and fall elections may always be 
 relied upon to give additional vivacity to the drowsy 
 mass, and afford the usual crop of petty rivalries, 
 political clap-trap, and needless lying. 
 
 Young men go a-courting in Cranberry, just as 
 they do in more ostentatious sections of the country, 
 and they sometimes get the girls they like best and 
 sometimes do not ; and occasionally in these little com 
 petitions for the favor of the fair sex, they maul 
 each other with their fists, and so by a sort of counter 
 irritation process, obtain relief from the intense sore 
 ness and aching of their hearts. And then again, purse 
 proud and blood proud fathers, like such fathers else 
 where, grow irritable and obstinate and terribly dis-
 
 2 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 agreeable when they discover young men of no prop 
 erty and perhaps little promise, prowling about their 
 houses, seeking opportunities to make love to hand 
 some daughters who may be still in their teens, and 
 hence too young to assume the responsibilities of mar 
 ried life. And sometimes philanthropic brothers take 
 these young lovers in hand with a view to disciplining 
 them for their own good and the sister s benefit, and 
 as a wholesome lesson also to the neighborhood ; then 
 of course there is much to talk of when good people 
 gather about the church door before service of a Sun 
 day morning in summer time, and after service, too, 
 for that matter, before they reluctantly scatter to their 
 several homes to attend to the cow-milking, and other 
 chores common to farm life. 
 
 The most interesting incident of this sort which 
 ever transpired in Cranberry, occurred ten years ago, 
 or thereabouts, when young Rob Brett, Mrs. Dick 
 Dundren s second cousin, undertook to run away with 
 Squire Dougald Frazier s daughter, and marry her in 
 spite of opposition. He had arranged to have the 
 Reverend Dr. Mathe\vs, of Cranberry town, tie the 
 marital knot, and was in the act of entering the par 
 sonage gate with the blushing and trembling Gertrude 
 on his arm, when lo! and behold! her three brothers, 
 Dougald, Malcolm and Archie, pounced down upon 
 him in great fury. All recollect the fight who saw 7 it, 
 and not a few were lookers-on, for it lasted above an 
 hour and took place near sundown on the lawn in front 
 of the pastor s house, and in the shadow of the princi 
 pal church of the village. 
 
 Rob Brett was then twenty-two, and a thorough 
 bred, who stood straight on his legs and carried his 
 chest well out. It was not his habit to consult people
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 3 
 
 as to whether he had better do what he pleased or not, 
 and yet he was a manly fellow who was never known 
 to take the property of other folks without permission, 
 except in this one instance when he seized Squire 
 Frazier s daughter; and it may be safely assumed in 
 this case that the girl was not as strenuous in her ob 
 jection to being picked up and^ hurried off, as she 
 might have been. It is true, indeed, she desired to be 
 an obedient daughter, and that she respected her father, 
 and was a modest, well bred girl, withal, who could 
 never have brought herself to the work of planning 
 an elopement, or of assenting to one devised by others, 
 But then she was desperately fond of Rob, and when 
 the handsome fellow stopped her on the highway as 
 she was returning to her home from a neighborly call, 
 and half forcibly placed her in the carriage, and told 
 her he had the marriage license in his pocket, and that 
 Dr. Mathews was waiting for them, and that a little 
 courage now would give them the victory, she was 
 perhaps too bewildered to see her duty clearly, and 
 possibly too weak to stand out resolutely against the 
 man she loved. Of course if she had been a strong- 
 minded woman of mature years she would have 
 screamed, and scratched like a panther, and insisted 
 upon a strict observance of all the proprieties, and 
 died in her tracks rather than go upon such an errand 
 without the conventional wedding garment. But Ger 
 trude was young and Rob gave her small opportunity 
 for calm reflection and the adoption of heroic meas 
 ures. While assuring her of the intensity of his love, 
 and depicting in vivid colors the delights of the future, 
 he plied the whip so vigorously to a span of fleet- 
 footed bays that almost before the astonished and 
 trembling girl had time to collect her thoughts and
 
 4 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 summon up whatever resolution she might have had 
 within her, the carriage came to a sudden stop in front 
 of the parsonage gate. 
 
 Old Dougald Frazier was a Scotchman, proud 
 always and at times irritable, but when things went 
 to suit him, genial and neighborly enough. He set 
 great store by Gertrude, possibly because she was his 
 youngest child, and only daughter ; and possibly be 
 cause his three sons were ne er-do-weels, who afforded 
 him neither aid nor comfort ; and possibly because 
 she was the loveliest girl of seventeen, or any other 
 age, in all that country. 
 
 The Squire would doubtless have been a more 
 contented citizen of the land of his adoption than he 
 was, if he could have kept his thoughts from dwelling 
 so intently and continuously on the castles of his an 
 cestors, and the splendors of the time when the Fra- 
 ziers stood side by side with kings on famous battle 
 fields. But he could not, nor could he help contrasting 
 his own humble farm house and the thousand or more 
 acres of poorly cultivated land about it, with the 
 stately mansion in which he was born, and the broad 
 well-kept fields and picturesque scenery familiar to 
 him in boyhood. Reflections like these were not at all 
 calculated to increase his respect for the people of 
 Cranberry County, and so when Rob Brett came sky 
 larking about the Frazier homestead, the old aristo 
 crat not only bade him keep away, but became violent 
 and damned the whole generation of Bretts, their rela 
 tives and friends. 
 
 In this instance, however, as in many others, the 
 Squire s lively temper leaped beyond the trim do 
 main of justice and lighted amid the brambles of un 
 truth; for there were many respectable folks in the
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 5 
 
 Brett family, and one of these was Mrs. Dick Dun- 
 dren, the wife of a nephew of Gertrude s own mother. 
 The fact is, there was only one person, so far as the 
 public knew of the Brett connection, who was too 
 mean to live, and that was old Peter Sked, the miser, 
 Rob Brett s uncle. It must be admitted that he was 
 altogether objectionable, but it was certainly no more 
 Rob s duty to kill him than that of Squire Dougald 
 himself. And it could not be denied that even the 
 Skeds were an old family running back in a line 
 easily traceable through the Revolution to a broad 
 farm in Shropshire. There were now collateral mem 
 bers of it in the army, on the bench, and in the pulpit. 
 As a rule whatever the Skeds took hold of they clung 
 to tenaciously until they achieved success. Old Peter s 
 predominating characteristic was simply an exaggera 
 tion of a peculiarity of the race. If he had begun life 
 with a million it is not at all improbable that he would 
 have been noted for his extravagance, and died with 
 out a dollar. The tendency of the Sked blood was 
 toward extremes. Old Peter s grandfather had ac 
 cumulated a fortune by a long life of sordid pinch- 
 ings and abjecf discomforts, which the son, Peter s 
 father, had scattered by open handed and reckless im 
 providence. The fact, therefore, that Peter, Rob s 
 uncle, was a disgusting and relentless old skin flint 
 should not have been accepted as proof conclusive that 
 there was no generous blood in the Sked family. But 
 let all this be as it may, old Dougald Frazier could 
 not tolerate Rob Brett, and the sons regarded him with 
 even greater disfavor than the father, and so had 
 kept watch on him and ward on their sister for more 
 than twelve months, prophesying, meanwhile, with 
 much frequency and great emphasis that some ter-
 
 6 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 rible disaster would ultimately overtake Rob if he did 
 not seek bodily exercise at a respectful distance from 
 the Frazier homestead. It may be these vaporings 
 of a trio of idle roysterers spurred him to more vig 
 orous measures than he at first contemplated ; but this 
 is by no means certain. 
 
 Old Dougald s sons did not occupy an elevated 
 place in the estimation of their more temperate and 
 frugal neighbors, and their utterances were not ac 
 cepted as current coin and passed from hand to hand 
 unquestioned. No man can continue a habitual and 
 intemperate imbiber of raw whisky for ten years with 
 out going at the end of that time, if indeed he has 
 not gone before, to the poor house, the prison, or the 
 grave ; and Dougald, Malcolm and Archie Frazier 
 were in a fair way to reach all the places named, and 
 quite sure, at least, of one of them. The mother, Mr. 
 Dick Dundren s aunt, had very fortunately for herself, 
 died while her sons were still bright, promising young 
 boys, and hence had experienced none of the heart 
 rending anxieties with which fond mothers watch from 
 day to day the gradual descent and final degradation 
 of their own flesh and blood. No father, perhaps, was 
 ever fonder of his sons, at first, and more desirous of 
 their success, than the elder Frazier ; but after the 
 mother s death, they, by frequent and prolonged ab 
 sences from home and riotous conduct, gradually de 
 stroyed his confidence in them, until finally he seemed 
 to abandon all hope of their reformation, and to rely 
 on Gertrude alone to maintain and perpetuate, in so 
 far as one of her sex could do it, the traditions and 
 honors of the family. 
 
 But the girl loved the castles which her fancy 
 builded better than the turreted strongholds of her
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 7 
 
 ancestors, and she thought more of Robert Brett, a 
 thousand times, than of the dead Fraziers who fought 
 with Robert Bruce, and yet when her lover sought to 
 hand her from the carriage at Dr. Mathews gate, she 
 grew deathly pale and shrank from him, and her quiv 
 ering lips seemed to be making an unsuccessful effort 
 to frame a protest. But it was now no time for argu 
 ment, and so Rob put his strong arms around her, and 
 with gentle force lifted her to the ground, and then 
 supported her up the narrow walk leading to the door 
 of the parsonage. 
 
 Fifteen uninterrupted minutes would doubtless 
 have translated Gertrude into Mrs. Brett for life, or at 
 least until Rob shuffled off the mortal coil, and left 
 her free to take another name. But just then, unfor 
 tunately, her brothers came dashing up on horseback, 
 and dismounting hastily, profaned the sacred edifice in 
 the shadow of which they stood, and shocked the 
 minister of peace in whose hearing they were, by 
 pouring upon Brett s head torrents of blasphemous 
 and vile invective. Gertrude would have fallen now 
 if Rob had not taken her up in his arms and carried 
 her to Dr. Mathews, who, upon the arrival of the car 
 riage, had come to the door of the parsonage with his 
 wife, to welcome the couple whose marriage he ex 
 pected to solemnize. , 
 
 When the door had closed behind Gertrude and 
 Mrs. Mathews, Rob turning to the brothers, said 
 quietly : 
 
 "Now, gentlemen, you have talked enough. What 
 do you propose to do?" 
 
 "We propose to prevent this marriage," said Dou- 
 gald. "It s downright robbery "
 
 8 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "It s the trick of a beggarly scoundrel to get a 
 iarm," shouted Malcolm. 
 
 "It s the attempt of a d rascal to thrust him 
 self where he is not wanted," yelled Archie. 
 
 "Gentlemen," interposed the pastor, "discuss this 
 matter less violently surely Mr. Brett stands well in 
 this community, and is entitled to fair gentlemanly 
 treatment." 
 
 "Do you call it the act of a gentleman to seek to 
 take advantage of a young girl?" retorted Dougald. 
 
 "To hang about another s house like a sneak 
 thief?" said Malcolm. 
 
 "To push -himself into a family which despises 
 him?" said Archie. 
 
 "If Miss Gertrude is satisfied," replied Dr. Math- 
 ews, "surely you should be ; she has a greater interest 
 in the matter than yourselves ; why not leave her the 
 same freedom to choose you would insist upon if in 
 her place?" 
 
 "She shall not disgrace the Fraziers," replied 
 Dougald hotly. "Her father and brothers have rights 
 which she shall not be permitted to disregard." 
 
 "Rights or no rights, she shall not marry Brett," 
 said Archie. 
 
 "That will depend wholly upon her will and 
 wishes, "interposed Rob, calmly. "If she consents 
 there are not Fraziers enough in Cranberry County 
 to prevent." 
 
 "There is one right here," retorted Archie, squar 
 ing himself for action, "who can prevent it and will." 
 
 "And another here." cried Malcolm. 
 
 "And still another," shouted Dougald. 
 
 Rob made no reply in words, but sprang upon 
 his opponents with the fierceness of a tiger. The
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 9 
 
 struggle shall not be described. It is enough to say 
 that when it ended and some enthusiastic fellow in 
 the crowd of lookers-on proposed three cheers for Rob 
 Brett, they were given so vigorously no one could for 
 a moment doubt the sympathy of the village people had 
 been with him throughout, and that they were en 
 tirely satisfied with the result. The blood of the Fra- 
 ziers, coming as it did from a long line of warriors 
 stretching back to the somewhat hazy time of Bruce 
 and Wallace, may have been superior to the crimson 
 current of other folks, but on this occasion it certainly 
 failed to exalt itself by any special feat of generosity 
 or valor. It is one thing, however, to be clad in linked 
 steel and contend with shepherds clad in sheep skin, 
 and another to stand up on fair terms and strike out 
 from the shoulder with bare knuckles. In this latter 
 game Rob Brett, although he seldom played it, had no 
 equal in Cranberry County. 
 
 There was pressing need just now for the village 
 surgeon, and for plasters and poultices. Dougald was 
 stunned beyond consciousness ; Malcolm and Archie 
 were not only much disfigured about the face and dim 
 of vision, but exceedingly tender in the region of the 
 ribs. Rob had not, by any means, escaped unhurt; 
 indeed his face and head and chest had been sorely 
 pummeled, but thanks to a sturdy pair of legs he 
 could still stand erect. Going to Dr. Mathews, who 
 stood at the door of the parsonage, shocked by the 
 struggle he had been unable to prevent, and was com 
 pelled to witness, Brett said : 
 
 "Can I see Gertrude? I think the ceremony may 
 be performed now." 
 
 "Mr. Brett," returned the pastor solemnly, "I fear 
 a funeral is more likely to follow this unfortunate and
 
 10 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 most disgraceful affair than a wedding. You have 
 made a grave mistake, sir." 
 
 "But I must see Gertrude! I shall abide by her 
 decision in the matter." 
 
 "She will not see you " 
 
 "I do not believe you, sir I beg pardon I do 
 not mean to question the truth of your statement nor 
 to speak roughly but I must see Gertrude. If I 
 have done her wrong I should ask her forgiveness. 
 God knows I meant well I I may have erred 
 in thinking she loved me as deeply as sincerely as 
 I do her, but surely this is no great offense." 
 
 "When I say she will not," replied the pastor 
 softly, and with better feeling in his tone, "I simply 
 repeat her own words." 
 
 This was the first blow that staggered Rob; his 
 courage seemed for an instant to disappear, but after a 
 time he said: 
 
 "Dr. Mathews, I think you misunderstood her. If 
 I may not see her, bring me the words you have ut 
 tered over her own signature, and and I shall 
 leave and trouble her no more." 
 
 "Mr. Brett," said the pastor kindly, for he saw it 
 was love and not mere bravado that had prompted the 
 young man to adopt the course he had taken, "you are 
 not managing this matter wisely. You should not urge 
 Miss Frazier to a decision now ; time and patience are 
 likely to prove good friends to you." 
 
 "No, no, I must see her or have proof that she 
 will not see me. After coming so far I shall neither 
 stop nor be stopped by anybody but Gertrude." 
 
 "I am an older man than you are old enough 
 indeed to be your father and have had much ex 
 perience ; take my advice and let the matter rest until
 
 A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP 11 
 
 the bitterness and sorrow occasioned by this struggle 
 are in some degree forgotten." 
 
 "I will not I mean to say I cannot." 
 
 It was evidently a waste of time to prolong the 
 discussion. There was nothing the good pastor could 
 do now, but re-enter his house and consult Gertrude. 
 
 She had at no time consented to an irregular and 
 hasty marriage. The impetuosity of young Brett re 
 inforced by her own sincere affection, had simply 
 paralyzed her discretion and overpowered her will. 
 But the rude interruption at the parsonage had broken 
 the spell that was upon her and given her time to 
 reflect. All her innate sense of delicacy and maidenly 
 decorum now came to her assistance. If Brett s pro 
 ceedings were ill-advised even before the struggle, as 
 she now perceived they were, still less could she con 
 sent to the immediate exchange of marriage vows 
 after what had passed. Having just experienced the 
 force of her lover s importunity she determined not 
 to subject herself to it again, and to defer all thought 
 of matrimony to a happier season. Consequently she 
 deemed it best that Brett should not again that day 
 be admitted to her presence. 
 
 After a brief absence Dr. Mathews returned with 
 a little scrap of paper which he handed to the im 
 portunate young man. Rob stared at the writing on 
 it for a moment, and looking up into Dr. Mathews 
 face, said : 
 
 "You were right; I have made a great mistake. 
 Good-bye." 
 
 Rob now walked slowly to the street, and then 
 proceeded to the village hotel. A few hours later he 
 left Cranberry on a westward going train, and has
 
 12 UNCLE PETEH SKED 
 
 not been seen of heard of, by his old neighbors, from 
 that time to this. 
 
 Ten years the one-sixth part of an old man s 
 life have gone by since then. Squire Frazier and 
 his son Malcolm are sleeping in the little cemetery on 
 Sand Ridge. Dougald and Archie have sold the land 
 inherited from their father, and squandered the money 
 it brought them. The former is a broken man depend 
 ing in some degree upon his sister s bounty for a com 
 fortable home. The fractured bones resulting from his 
 struggle \vith Brett have indirectly served to prolong 
 his life by compelling him to curb his passion for 
 strong drink. Archie, if living, is a wanderer; his 
 old acquaintances of Cranberry have lost all trace 
 of him. Gertrude has for eight years been a welcome 
 guest at Cherry Farm in the family of her cousin, 
 Richard Dundren. If common rumor may be relied 
 upon she is the handsome, estimable and wealthy lady 
 whom the distinguished Mr. Travis proposes to en 
 dow, in due time, with his name, fortune and prospec 
 tive triumphs in law and politics. The people in that 
 locality, however, differ somewhat as to which of the 
 persons named is to be the gainer by the contem 
 plated marriage. Some claiming that with all his 
 money and splendid prospects the honorable Mr. Tra 
 vis is unworthy of such a woman. Others insist that 
 he is far too good for one who could turn her back on 
 Rob Brett when he was driven to desperation by love 
 of her. But it should be known that this adverse crit 
 icism of Gertrude comes wholly from the few personal 
 friends of Rob who still persist in remembering him 
 as the bravest and manliest, but possibly the most im 
 prudent and reckless fellow who ever set foot in Cran- 
 berrv Countv.
 
 II 
 
 SKED 
 
 A CCORDING to a rule of alternation thus far al- 
 /V ways adhered to by the Democratic party in that 
 political subdivision of the state, Cranberry County 
 \vas entitled to the candidate for Congress, and public 
 sentiment had quietly settled upon Richard Dundren 
 as a man well qualified to represent the district and 
 entirely worthy of the honor of a nomination. In 
 business affairs he had for years been recognized as a 
 leader, while in all social and charitable matters his 
 good wife was deservedly prominent. Cherry Farm, 
 the home of the Dundrens, was a pleasant place of 
 a thousand acres, with a spring brook rippling in 
 gentle curves across it, and a roomy farm house stand 
 ing modestly back from the public highway, noted in 
 all that region for hospitality. It was but natural 
 that the thoughts of the honest Democrats of an agri 
 cultural district should center upon this thrifty and 
 popular farmer when seeking a suitable person to 
 carry the party banner in the approaching conflict. 
 
 It would not be correct, however, to conclude 
 from the unanimity with which Mr. Dundren s nomi 
 nation was foreshadowed, that there were no other 
 aspirants for Congressional honors in Cranberry Coun 
 ty. Mr. Travis ambition in this direction was well 
 known, and had been freely discussed by his political 
 friends. But Mr. Travis was a lawyer who, for sundry 
 reasons, was not popular with the people. In the first 
 place he was exceedingly fond of money and never 
 
 (13)
 
 14 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 permitted considerations of either delicacy or honor to 
 interrupt his pursuit of it. It was also whispered con 
 fidentially by those who knew him best, that in the 
 practice of his profession he had not only taken fees 
 from both sides, but had finally deceived both, and by 
 ingenious lying, and the assistance of cheap confed 
 erates swindled the creditor who employed him out 
 of nearly the full value of a just claim, and then en 
 forced its collection against the debtor to whom he 
 had secretly made overtures of the utmost friendliness. 
 He did not, however, confine himself exclusively to 
 the law ; on the contrary, he was a politician of the 
 most aggressive character, and by some persons be 
 lieved to be even less scrupulous in this line than in 
 the practice of his profession. Indeed his enemies 
 were not slow to affirm that he was eminent not only 
 for cunning in the contrivance of schemes of political 
 rascality, but for boldness in their execution, and that 
 no corrupt job was ever concocted in the county in 
 which he did not have a hand and share. It should 
 be borne in mind, however, that these were the state 
 ments of men whose defeat at the polls had at one time 
 or another, perhaps, been popularly attributed to Mr. 
 Travis superior tact and energy. 
 
 But notwithstanding all that may have been said 
 against his political and professional methods, it must 
 be admitted that he was a gentleman of good form and 
 bearing, whose speech, apparently, was the essence of 
 sincerity and truthfulness. He was shrewd enough at 
 this time to know that in a contest with Dundren he 
 could look forward to nothing save a needless ex 
 penditure of money and a humiliating defeat; but if 
 his chances of success had been ten-fold greater than 
 they were, he would have hesitated to make any open
 
 SKED 15 
 
 opposition to his more popular rival, for the simple 
 reason that he was a suitor for the hand of Gertrude 
 Frazier, and any interference with the political aspira 
 tions of her cousin might materially abridge his oppor 
 tunities to win an estimable wife and handsome for 
 tune. He felt, therefore, that the wisest thing for him 
 to do under the circumstances, was to unite with the 
 majority of his party in support of the owner of 
 Cherry Farm. 
 
 This in brief was the political situation in Cran 
 berry when a man who had no more respect for poli 
 ticians than for the dust he trod on, and no more influ 
 ence in nominating conventions than the town pump, 
 appeared on the scene and not only knocked the pre 
 dictions of the most sagacious all awry, but thwarted 
 the popular will, and compelled it to accept the candi 
 date whom it least desired. 
 
 The twenty-two years elapsed since Peter Sked 
 began his annual visits to Cherry Farm have wrought 
 some changes in him. The hair which at fifty was just 
 turning gray has at seventy-two become quite white. 
 The bend of the figure, then partly affected, has now 
 increased to a real and permanent deformity. The 
 habit of holding audible communion with himself as 
 if he were f alking to an invisible companion, has so 
 grown upon him that in these discussions he frequently 
 becomes violent and profane. 
 
 His journeys by daylight are now usually limited 
 to sections of the country where, if the people know 
 him at all, they only know him as a persistent and dis 
 gusting beggar. He is accustomed to darkness, and 
 often travels by night. He rarely sleeps in a house and 
 never does so when it would cost him money, or any-
 
 16 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 thing which by possibility could be exchanged for it. 
 His clothing is ragged and unclean, tied together in 
 places by such bits of twine as he has been able to 
 pick up in his wanderings. He wears no stockings, 
 and his bony and dirty ankles are visible between the 
 flapping upper leather of his shoes and the ragged 
 bottoms of his too scanty trousers. At sunset he turns 
 into Dundren s gate, and shuffling up to the front door 
 gives the knocker such a sounding as might serve to 
 startle a whole neighborhood. He is admitted by one 
 of the children of the house, and going through the 
 hall is met by Mrs. Dundren, and invited to seat him 
 self in an arm chair which she places near her own. 
 
 "I hope you are well, Cousin Peter," said she as 
 Peter dropped into his seat. 
 
 "Never better, Helen never better. Is Dick at 
 home, eh?" 
 
 "Yes, Richard is at home, Cousin Peter." 
 
 "Is he making money, Helen? Can he pay his 
 debts ?" 
 
 "I hope so," she answered with a troubled look; 
 "but I sometimes fear Richard has undertaken too 
 much, and borrowed .too largely. You know how 
 hard it is for farmers to make from uncertain crops 
 enough to provide for the certain interest which grows 
 nights and Sundays. All seasons are alike good for it, 
 but many seasons leave the farmers bins empty at the 
 end of harvest time." 
 
 "Tut, tut, Helen, what makes you talk so of in 
 terest ? It s a mere nothing nothing. A man may 
 put fifty dollars in a colt and sell it for seventy-five 
 or a hundred the next month, or the next year. What 
 rate per cent, is that, eh? You buy a sheep in the 
 fall for two dollars, take a dollar s worth of wool off
 
 SKED 17 
 
 it in the spring, and then sell the sheep and its lamb for 
 three, eh ? What rate per cent, is that, madam ? And 
 yet you talk as if a poor man who got ten dollars for 
 the use of one hundred during a whole year a whole 
 year, mind was a robber. Tut, tut, woman ; you 
 know little of business. The farmer buys a mare, say, 
 she has a colt, he sells the mare at a profit, and has 
 the colt extra. What rate per cent, is that? Eh? 
 Come, come, no nonsense, Helen." 
 
 The subject was not an agreeable one to Mrs. 
 Dundren, and with a view of diverting Peter s 
 thoughts from it she said : 
 
 "You must be very tired, Cousin Peter; you are 
 such a rapid walker, and you always walk." 
 
 "What are legs for," responded Peter sharply; 
 what are legs for? Eh? To straddle and wear out 
 a horse that will sell for a hundred dollars, good 
 money? To be wheeled about in a carriage that may 
 be cost three hundred ? Nonsense ! legs were made to 
 walk with. They re cheaper than horseflesh and safer, 
 mind that, madam, cheaper and safer. The money 
 some men spend in useless riding would make them 
 rich in thirty years; mind that, eh? Rich!" 
 
 "But, Cousin Peter, there s much to live for be 
 sides money. It is pleasant to have nice things about 
 you to have books and horses and carriages, and 
 good houses, and neat and comfortable clothing, 
 and 
 
 "The less the better, madam. They wear out and 
 are gone forever. It s sheer waste ; our investments 
 should be in things which increase, not in those which 
 diminish. The value of all things should be estimated 
 by the income in ready money to be derived from them.
 
 18 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 On a large farm like this, may be, you spend a dollar 
 a day which might be saved. How much at simple 
 interest payable annually would this saving amount to 
 in fifty years? How much? One hundred thousand 
 dollars! No trifling sum, Helen; a good thing to 
 have, madam." 
 
 Mrs. Dundren made no reply to Peter s disquisi 
 tion on the power of interest and the importance of 
 economy in daily expenditures, and after a moment s 
 silence he asked : 
 
 "Is Dick still making a fool of himself in politics? 
 Eh?" 
 
 "He is a candidate for Congress and quite certain 
 to be nominated by his party," replied Mrs. Dundren, 
 softly. 
 
 "If he is nominated and elected will it bring him 
 money to pay his debts?" asked the old man sharply. 
 "Will the office fetch him money to pay his debts, 
 Helen? That s the point, eh?" 
 
 "I have no doubt it will, Cousin Peter," replied 
 Mrs. Dundren. "The salary I understand is large. O, 
 yes, it will be a great help to him." 
 
 "I don t know , madam ; I think there is some 
 doubt about it. Offices are not always obtained by 
 those who want them, and they generally cost more 
 than they are worth any how." 
 
 The conversation was here interrupted by the en 
 trance of a tall, strongly built man of perhaps forty- 
 five. His high top boots suggested that he had been 
 on horseback, and his ruddy face that he was accus 
 tomed to open air and fond of bodily exercise. He 
 was in the prime of manhood and evidently disposed 
 to get all the comfort out of life attainable. The mo-
 
 SKED 19 
 
 ment he caught sight of his wife s cousin he called out 
 in a brusque, good natured tone : 
 
 "Hello, Peter, you old flint, are you around" 
 again?" 
 
 "Yes," responded Peter. 
 
 "Nothing so certain to come back as a bad penny. 
 Confound it, man ! why don t you buy, beg or steal a 
 decent and comfortable suit of clothes?" 
 
 "I m too honest to steal," replied Peter; "begging 
 is a slow business, and as for buying, I shall do that 
 when there s no better manner to invest what little 
 money falls in my way." 
 
 The supper bell now rang, and Peter was invited 
 to the dining room. After partaking of a hearty meal 
 they returned to the sitting room, when Peter opened 
 the conversation rather abruptly by declaring that he 
 had present need of ready money and must insist upon 
 gathering in what people owed him. 
 
 "Cousin Peter," said Mrs. Dundren as she placed 
 the easy chair before him, "you must not be too hard 
 on Richard." 
 
 "But Richard must pay his debts in money," re 
 plied the old man, crustily ; "promises won t an 
 swer." 
 
 "The farm is good for it, Peter," responded Dun 
 dren, soberly. "You don t need the money. Why, 
 confound it, man, you can t find any body who ll pay 
 you a bigger interest than I do." 
 
 "Pay, eh? Did you say pay?" Peter s small 
 eyes fairly blazed. "When did you pay interest? 
 Pay! Why, I ve not seen a copper of your money, not 
 a copper. How long is it since I made you the loan? 
 How long, eh?"
 
 20 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "Twenty years or more." replied Dundren, medi 
 tatively. 
 
 "Twenty-one years last corn cutting," said Sked 
 with emphasis. "Nearly twenty-two years and not a 
 cent of either principal or interest has come back to 
 me." 
 
 "But," began Dundren in an apologetic tone as he 
 walked to and fro across the room, "you never pressed 
 me for payment before. Peter ; you always seemed to 
 prefer my note for the amount of the annual interest. 
 I gave you what you appeared to desire most. I could 
 have paid you the interest at first easily enough, for at 
 first it was small and a little retrenchment here and 
 there in house and farm would have kept things even, 
 but you never seemed to want it then." 
 
 And so you blame me for my leniency, eh? For 
 my kindness of heart and forbearance?" cried Sked in 
 a rasping voice, "and so you would " 
 
 "No, no, Peter." broke in Dundren with a hearty 
 laugh, as he stopped and looked the old man in the 
 face; "I never blamed you for anything of that sort. 
 I knew you had no more heart than a grindstone, 
 Peter, and confound you, man ! I don t intend to be 
 bullied by you now. You have my notes of hand ; the 
 debt is an honest one, at least as honest as any debt is 
 where usury is piled on usury, and then usuriously 
 compounded " 
 
 "What! what! you plead usury? Eh?" If there 
 was ever murder in Sked s flashing eyes it was there 
 at this moment. "You plead the baby act, eh ?" 
 
 "Hold, you old flint!" said Dundren sternly; "I 
 plead nothing except a willingness to sell the clothes 
 off my back to pay your claim in full. I am proud to 
 say my fathers for two hundred years have paid their
 
 SKEI) 21 
 
 debts. I shall pay mine. Your money has come to me 
 so easily at first indeed without solicitation, and at 
 last by renewals of the original sum and interest 
 that I have been led to do many things I should not 
 have done - that a prudent man would not have done 
 who expected to be called on suddenly to pay the debt. 
 This house has been built when a cheaper one would 
 have sheltered us as well ; I have made investments in 
 lands and blooded cattle which a discreet man would 
 not ordinarily have done with borrowed money ; I 
 have entered upon a system of underdraining, the cost 
 of which I can not hope to get back at once, and I 
 confess to many expenditures arid small extravagan 
 cies into which I have been drawn gradually, and al 
 most unconsciously, by having in possession more 
 ready money and more property than really belonged 
 to me, for men who seem rich must act as rich men 
 should if they would avoid the reputation of being 
 mean and niggardly I have endeavored to avoid 
 this ; I could not bear to have my neighbors think so 
 ill of me " 
 
 "I see, I see," broke in Sked impatiently, "I have 
 been to blame for all your troubles. This is the sub 
 stance of your argument, eh? I should not have 
 made the loan to you at all, but after committing the 
 first offense. I should have pressed you for the annual 
 interest instead of allowing it to accumulate from year 
 to year. I see, I see, I made a mistake when I sought 
 to do a kindness. It shall not be repeated." 
 
 Rising from his chair and pointing his long bony 
 finger at Dundren, he cried, angrily : "It shall not be 
 repeated ; pay me pay me what you owe me, sir. I 
 want money and must have it." 
 
 Cousin Peter," interposed Mrs. Dundren sooth-
 
 22 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 > "Richard did not mean to offend you ; he simply 
 sought to make an apology for his own shortcomings 
 not his alone, but mine also, all he asks now is a 
 little time - " 
 
 "No, no," Sked answered hotly. "If I were to 
 grant more time it would be heaping injury on injury. 
 Come now, I see how it is, eh? My money has made 
 your husband the great farmer the great man of 
 the county. It has even suggested to him that he 
 should play the role of statesman, and now I am a 
 robber because I ask that my own shall be returned 
 to me ; because its restitution will take your husband 
 down a peg in the estimation of the people. I have 
 heard such talk before, madam. It has always sat 
 isfied me the time had come when I should have my 
 own." Turning from wife to husband, he continued : 
 "Pay your debt and I shall give you no further cause 
 to censure me." 
 
 The idea of making immediate payment was so 
 absurdly impossible that, sober as he had been hither 
 to, Dundren could not refrain from laughter, and when 
 he laughed, like the strong man he was, he did so 
 heartily. 
 
 The old man s anger instantly forsook him; his 
 heart was clutched with the terrible suspicion that by 
 some dishonest transfer of property Dundren had ren 
 dered himself execution proof, and was therefore in 
 condition to laugh at his creditors. 
 
 "Is my demand for payment so very amusing to 
 you?" he said quietly as he sat down. "Does it strike 
 you as a matter to be laughed at ? Eh ?" 
 
 "It does," replied Dundren, placing a chair near 
 Sked, and seating himself in it. "How much do I owe 
 you, Peter?"
 
 SKED 23 
 
 "You should know your books should tell," said 
 Peter with returning courage. 
 
 "And so will the bills. I have not thought it 
 worth while to keep the account. I knew you would 
 do it." 
 
 "The question is easily answered," said the old 
 man, fishing from his underclothing a soiled handker 
 chief tied into many knots, from one of which he took 
 a greasy wallet and from this a little package of dirty 
 papers. "Here the notes are. Principal and interest 
 amount to a little over eighty thousand, sir. Would 
 you like to verify the calculations ? Eh ?" 
 
 "No, I ll take your word for it?" said Dtmdren, 
 soberly. "The sum twenty-one years ago last October 
 was ten thousand. Interest at ten per cent, com 
 pounded annually and working night and day, amounts 
 to something, Peter." 
 
 "I could have loaned the money at twelve per 
 cent.," said Peter, eagerly. "I could have loaned it to 
 a hundred men as good as you at twelve to better 
 men, in fact." 
 
 "To wiser men, perhaps to men who would 
 have made better use of the money, to men more able 
 to pay it back," replied Dundren, sadly, "but to none 
 more anxious to do so, Peter." 
 
 Sked s heart sank, and his knees began to shake 
 again, as he asked : 
 
 "What do you mean, sir? Do you mean to say 
 you can t pay me?" 
 
 "I mean to say I can t do it now, Peter. It would 
 be impossible to do it suddenly without stripping me 
 of all I have, and turning my family out of doors." 
 
 "Would you be left in any worse condition than
 
 24 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 others than many others ? Are not the lands, horses 
 and cattle really mine, not yours ?" 
 
 "They were not when I made the original loan," 
 replied Dundren, thoughtfully ; "I had something 
 then ; I certainly had five hundred acres of good land 
 and was out of debt. Now I have a thousand acres 
 and owe this great sum. The interest has won them 
 all to you surely all if you press me now." 
 
 "Well, well, no man can blame me for asking my 
 own. You have already reminded me that I have in 
 dulged you too long. The interest is accumulating at 
 the rate of eight thousand a year. If the burden is 
 heavy now, it will be heavier still a year hence. You 
 must pay. Give me what belongs to me and accept 
 yourself what belongs to you. Right s right, and right 
 wrongs no man, eh?" 
 
 "Will you buy the farm. Peter? Come, now, 
 make me a fair offer for it." 
 
 "I m not a farmer; I m too old for farming," 
 said Sked thoughtfully. If I were to buy, it would 
 be to sell again, and it might be years before I could 
 find a purchaser. In the meantime the farm would not 
 pay the interest on my money. No, no, I do not want 
 land and live stock. The seasons are too uncertain 
 to make the one profitable, and the other eat their 
 heads off before you know it. I shall not buy." 
 
 "Give me a few months time and I ll find sale lor 
 it, or at least for enough of it to pay your claim." 
 
 "A few r months a few months," returned the 
 old man, angrily, "no, no; men have sold farms and 
 put the money in their pockets or their wives pock 
 ets, beyond reach of the sheriff, in a few months. 
 Give me a mortgage to secure my claim, and I ll wait a 
 few months, but not otherwise a mortgage on land,
 
 SKED 25 
 
 farming implements and live stock. I have been too 
 indulgent in this matter, too careless and confiding. 
 Your two months is but a trick to swindle me." 
 
 Dundren heard him through, but almost before 
 the last words were fairly uttered he turned fiercely 
 on the old man, and seizing him by the coat, gave a 
 sudden jerk which would have brought him to his 
 feet if the rotten garment had not given way. Mrs. 
 Dundren put herself between them, and begged her 
 husband to be quiet. 
 
 "No, no," cried Sked in an aggrieved tone, "let 
 him murder an old man if he will. May be he thinks 
 it an easy way to pay an honest debt. Let him do it 
 if he wants to." 
 
 "Murder you !" exclaimed Dundren, indignantly ; 
 "no, no, I will not do that, but I shall allow no man 
 to sit in my own house 
 
 "You mean my house, eh?" interjected Sked snap 
 pishly. 
 
 " in anybody s house," continued Dundren, 
 
 "and insinuate that I am a thief who seeks an oppor 
 tunity to defraud his creditors. I shall not stand it 
 from any one, old or young." 
 
 "Richard, say no more," pleaded Mrs. Dundren, 
 "I beg you to say no more, and let me show Cousin 
 Peter to his room." 
 
 "No," said Dundren firmly, "he shall neither eat 
 nor sleep in this house until I cease to occupy it. I 
 shall not be bullied and insulted by him again. If he 
 does not leave at once of his own accord, I shall kick 
 him out." 
 
 "Let him kick," said Sked in a half injured, half 
 defiant tone; "I have been kicked before Robert
 
 26 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Brett could have told you how much it costs to kick 
 me, eh ?" 
 
 "Yes, you vindictive wretch, you stony-hearted 
 fiend," cried Dundren thrusting his wife aside and 
 grasping Sked s arm. "He knew and I know how you 
 pursued him day and night with unrelenting cruelty, 
 until you had impoverished him, broken the heart of 
 his wife, your sister, and made their child your 
 nephew r a penniless wanderer. We all know the ter 
 rible story, and if there is one place in hell hotter than 
 another, it is the place you deserve to occupy for your 
 conduct in that very case. Now gather up your bag 
 gage and get out, or I shall do precisely what Robert 
 Brett did twenty years ago, and was justified in doing. 
 To-night I am master here. Come, stir yourself more 
 nimbly. If there was a shilling in sight you would 
 go toward it fast enough." 
 
 "And I ll go toward the money you 
 
 "Yes, and you ll get it every penny of it. My 
 children shall never be compelled to admit that their 
 father did not pay his debts. Go!" 
 
 "He has torn my coat," whined Sked, as Mrs. 
 Dundren handed him his hat and umbrella. "It s a 
 pretty condition he has left me in to face the dews of 
 night in a malarious season. This is hospitality, eh?" 
 
 "Here, take this," cried Dundren, stripping off his 
 own coat and throwing it after the retreating man. 
 
 Sked picked up the garment from the floor, and 
 although it was too large for him, went off with it. He 
 cared not the snap of one s finger whether it fitted him 
 or not, but was pleased to know it cost him nothing, 
 and was worth something. When the front door 
 closed against him, and he was shuffling down the 
 walk to the public road two lively dogs caught sight
 
 SKED 27 
 
 of him and, concluding he was an enemy, started in 
 pursuit with such impetuosity and noise that Peter, 
 striking about him vigorously with his umbrella, ex 
 claimed : 
 
 "Confound the dogs, and dod-blast their keepers. 
 I don t wonder they can t make ends meet at this 
 house. I believe they keep a thousand worthless 
 curs."
 
 Ill 
 
 MR. TRAVIS 
 
 WHEN Peter emerged from the trees and shrubs 
 which darkened the lawn of the Dundren 
 homestead, he found the sky clear and the light suf 
 ficient to enable him to pick his way without difficulty 
 along the public road. It might be supposed by one 
 who had heard his discussion with Dundren, and knew 
 the manner of his exit from that gentleman s comfort 
 able house, that just now he would not be in a very 
 amiable mood ; but not so. As he trudged on in the 
 darkness, his mind was active, and his busy tongue 
 gave ready utterance to his thoughts. He was, indeed, 
 congratulating himself on the fortunate termination 
 of the interview. He did not want his money, but he 
 had sense enough to know the farm, fertile and valu 
 able as it was, would not much longer afford security 
 for his claim. Up to this time it had been abundantly 
 good for all the money loaned, and the accumulations 
 of interest. If sold now in a hard market, it could be 
 made to pay the debt, but if disposed of a year or two 
 hence, even in a more favorable time, it would prob 
 ably not fetch enough more than at present to pay the 
 additional interest. What he most desired, therefore, 
 was an open rupture with his debtor to prepare the 
 way somewhat for the immediate collection of the 
 claim. It is not easy for even the hardest creditor to 
 turn a debtor out of doors, who has as a rule treated 
 him with courtesy. Still Sked would not ordinarily 
 
 (28)
 
 MR. TRAVIS 29 
 
 have hesitated to do this ; in fact, he had done it 
 many times, but in this instance the debtor s wife was 
 his own cousin, who had always welcomed him to her 
 house and given him good dinners, soft beds, and re 
 spectful entertainment. Under the circumstances, 
 therefore, it was particularly gratifying to have her 
 husband lay violent hands on him, and threaten to 
 forcibly eject him from the premises. 
 
 It was but an hour s walk from Cherry Farm to 
 the county seat. When Sked reached the village its 
 shops were still open and many people on the street. 
 Going directly to the second floor of a business block, 
 he walked along the dimly lighted hall until he came 
 to the room he sought. Opening the door he entered. 
 It was an attorney s office. 
 
 " Squire Travis," said Peter to the man he found 
 writing at a table, "you know me, don t you?" 
 
 "Certainly ; but what brings you here at this 
 hour? I have no time to waste, and no alms to give." 
 
 "Business," said Sked emphatically, "important to 
 you and to me." 
 
 "Well, well, it will keep until morning. I am en 
 gaged to-night in the preparation of an important 
 case. Call at nine to-morrow, and I will hear what 
 you have to say." 
 
 "No, you must hear me to-night if you hear me 
 at all," said Sked firmly. "Five minutes will do; if 
 you can t spare the time, I shall look for some one 
 else." 
 
 The lawyer was annoyed by the interruption, but 
 he laid down his pen, and pointing to a chair, said : 
 
 "There, sit down ; now make it short." 
 
 "I have a claim against a farmer of this county, 
 and desire suit begun for its collection."
 
 30 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "Of what amount?" 
 
 "Over eighty thousand dollars," replied Peter. 
 
 "Against whom?" 
 
 "One of the wealthiest men of the county, or 
 rather one who is supposed to be," said Peter. "A 
 claim against a responsible man, sir." 
 
 "Have you the evidence of it with you?" 
 
 "I have the man s notes of hand; he will not 
 resist payment. There will be no contest. The pro 
 ceedings will be simply matters of form, requiring no 
 more legal knowledge and no more labor than if the 
 sum to be collected were a hundred dollars. I want to 
 know first what you will charge for making the col 
 lection. It is always best to have an understanding 
 when we begin so there may be no misunderstanding 
 when we end, eh? Now, how much for preparing 
 the petition, and, when the time comes, asking judg 
 ment in the case? How much?" 
 
 "The claim, you say, is for eighty thousand," said 
 Mr. Travis, eyeing the old man sharply. 
 
 "More, more," said Sked. "If figured up to-day it 
 would amount to eighty-two or eighty-three thousand." 
 
 "The ordinary fee would be five per cent., but on 
 so large a sum I would make it three provided the 
 case is not litigated." 
 
 "What !" shouted Sked, "twenty-five hundred dol 
 lars for an hour s work? Why, man. you re either 
 crazy or you think I am." 
 
 "No," replied Travis coolly, " I am entirely sane, 
 and I hope you are, but you must bear in mind the 
 years spent in the labor of qualifying myself for doing 
 this hour s work. You must remember, also, the grave 
 responsibility I assume in seeing it done properly. 
 You should understand, also, that the debtor may be
 
 MR, TRAVIS 31 
 
 a friend, and by accepting a case against him I may 
 lose his patronage. You should be aware, also, that 
 the work of pressing debtors is not regarded favor 
 ably by the people, and may lose me many clients 
 
 "Dod-blast it, man," cried Sked impatiently while 
 reaching for his umbrella, "I know all this and all you 
 could tell me if you talked till midnight. I tell you 
 flatly I shall pay no such fee. It s robbery, downright 
 robbery that s what it is." 
 
 "Well, well, you can, of course, do as you please. 
 What do you say to sixteen hundred? That would be 
 but two per cent, on eighty thousand. I don t say I d 
 do it, but I d think about it; what do you say?" 
 
 The old man had risen and was moving to the 
 door. 
 
 "I should say I wouldn t give it, nor the half of it, 
 nor the quarter of it. A man better let his money go 
 uncollected than be robbed of it in that way." 
 
 Mr. Travis now quit his chair, intending to get rid 
 of his visitor as soon as possible, and began inwardly 
 to condemn himself for permitting the disagreeable old 
 man to remain so long; but just then it occurred to 
 him that he would like to know who owed so large a 
 sum. The information might be made profitable in 
 sundry ways. He could tell the debtor he had refused 
 the case, and thus perhaps obtain a larger fee than 
 Sked would pay, by advising him to contest the claim, 
 and so postpone the payment of it, a scheme dishonest 
 debtors often resort to in order to gain time in which 
 to sell their property and pocket the proceeds, or turn 
 them over to their wives. With these thoughts upper 
 most in his mind, Travis said softly : 
 
 "Of course, Mr. Sked, if I knew who the debtor 
 was we might perhaps agree on terms. In asking me
 
 32 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 to accept a case you should in all fairness tell me the 
 facts relating to it before you go so far as to accuse 
 me of an attempt to rob you. There are some men I 
 should not like to take a case against for any fee, how 
 ever large it might be. In fact, there are men to whom 
 I am under obligations, and against whom as an honest 
 man I could not appear. Tell me the name of the 
 debtor and if we agree at all we shall do so instantly." 
 
 Sked had been standing with his hand on the 
 door-knob, and when the lawyer concluded, answered : 
 
 "Richard Dundren." 
 
 "Hold on ! Come back ; sit down. Let me see 
 the notes, we shall agree on terms." 
 
 The old man put his hat and umbrella on the 
 floor again, and then unbuttoning his coat and shirt, 
 drew out the greasy handkerchief, which at an earlier 
 hour he had produced at Dundren s house. Extricat 
 ing from one of its many knots the notes of hand, he 
 desired to have collected, he showed them to Travis. 
 The lawyer recognized Dundren s signature at once. 
 He had never before seen it attached to a promissory 
 note. Here was an opportunity to pull down his rival 
 and secure a nomination for Congress. In availing 
 himself of it, however, his hand, for several reasons, 
 must not be seen. He must not do anything to give 
 offense to Gertrude Frazier. Again, if he were to 
 prosecute a case against Dundren, there might spring 
 up a feeling of sympathy with the farmer, which, in 
 an agricultural district, would render his own election 
 impossible. 
 
 But these difficulties could be easily avoided. Any 
 one of a half dozen attorneys of small practice would 
 be glad to do the business for him, and ostensibly 
 assume all the responsibility. It was very clear to the
 
 MR. TRAVIS 33 
 
 mind of this wily politician that, after the commence 
 ment of the suit Dundren could not expend the money 
 requisite to enable him to succeed, and for this reason 
 would probably at once withdraw from the contest. 
 
 "I ll do this work," said Travis, "on your own 
 terms upon one condition." 
 
 "What condition?" 
 
 "That I shall be permitted to put it in the hands 
 of another lawyer and not appear in the case myself." 
 
 Peter never had much confidence in men, and now 
 suspected this was a trick to cheat him ; but the lawyer 
 was sharp enough to divine the thought uppermost in 
 the old man s mind, and therefore continued : 
 
 "I shall receipt to you for the notes. Without 
 your endorsement they would be valueless to any one 
 but yourself, and the judgment must necessarily be 
 rendered on them in your favor. I shall be responsi 
 ble to you for the proper management of the business, 
 and will draw up the petition myself. All I ask is to 
 have another appear of record as the attorney in the 
 case ; and I am free to say to you I desire this simply 
 because I cannot afford to offend Dundren and drive 
 away his friends by appearing against him, and yet I 
 desire as much as you that the matter shall be pushed 
 at once." 
 
 "Well, well," said Sked, "I don t care who appears 
 as the attorney, so the business is properly done 
 that is all I want." 
 
 "Shall I take the case?" 
 
 Sked s little eyes blazed like coals of fire as he 
 asked : 
 
 "On what terms? How much? Eh?"
 
 34 UNCLE PETEE SEED 
 
 "Say five hundred dollars. This would be one- 
 fifth the usual fee." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Two hundred and fifty. This would not pay 
 for the responsibility I assume, to say nothing of the 
 labor." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "One hundred. This would be nothing, really 
 nothing for the collection of so large a sum." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Fifty! I should be compelled to pay treble this 
 amount to my assistant." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Why, my gad ! man, what do you expect to have 
 it done for?" exclaimed the lawyer, now thoroughly 
 angry. 
 
 "An hour s work is, may be worth a shilling, " 
 replied Sked calmly; "a dollar would be exorbitant." 
 
 We shall not dispute about trifles," said Travis, 
 trying to conceal his vexation. "I ll do it for a dollar." 
 
 "I ll see. I ll see. I shall be around again in a 
 month or two," responded Sked, "and will perhaps call 
 on you again. It would not be entirely fair to spoil 
 Dundren s chances of a nomination. Eh? He is my 
 cousin, you know, by marriage, and I have a good 
 deal of family pride, and \vould like to have my cousin 
 in Congress, and may be when he draws his salary he 
 will be better prepared to pay his debts." 
 
 "Well. I ll be d d," cried Travis in a towering 
 
 rage. "What do you mean you dirty, old fool, by 
 thrusting yourself in here and wasting my time. I 
 thought you wanted the claim collected. I thought 
 
 "I do," said Sked, coolly, for he was not at all
 
 ME. TRAVIS 35 
 
 deficient in courage, and did not propose to be intimi 
 dated. 
 
 "Then what do you mean by this trifling?" con 
 tinued the lawyer savagely; "this wasting of an hour 
 or more of my valuable time." 
 
 %< I mean to say it would be money in your pocket 
 to make the collection, eh ? It would give you the lead 
 in the race for Congress, eh ? Do you understand ? It 
 would put your most formidable competitor out of 
 the way. That s what I mean, eh?" 
 
 The lawyer was amazed at the impudence, shrewd 
 ness and meanness of his client, but he understood 
 him now, and therefore said : 
 
 "Very well, I ll give you fifty dollars." 
 
 "Make it one hundred and draw up the contract. 
 Ready money, cash in hand. Squire, you know it 
 will save you a thousand." 
 
 "All right, I ll do it." 
 
 On this basis the contract for the collection of the 
 claim against Dundren was drawn up, carefully super 
 vised by Sked, and signed by the lawyer. Then the 
 one hundred dollars were paid over, tied up in the 
 handkerchief and carefully secreted in the old man s 
 clothes. 
 
 One might naturally conclude that Sked left the 
 lawyer s office in the best of humor, chuckling over 
 the transaction of profitable business, but such a con 
 clusion would be far from correct. He was angry 
 with himself for not insisting upon five hundred dol 
 lars instead of one. 
 
 "Dod-blast it !" he exclaimed as he trudged down 
 the middle of the street on his way to the country, "he 
 would have given five hundred and then would have 
 saved much money. I was too fast; I committed
 
 36 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 myself too quick; I should have stood out for three 
 hundred more at least certainly two. I have lost 
 much money to-night by my senseless haste. Why, 
 dod-blast it! Peter," he cried, shaking his umbrella 
 angrily, "you re a fool, eh! an extravagant fool! 
 You ve lost four hundred dollars to-night; two hun 
 dred at the very least. I am sure he would have paid 
 three more, Peter. It would have been a great saving 
 to him to have paid four, but I ll put the loss at three. 
 Three hundred in seven years would have amounted 
 to six, in fourteen to twelve, in twenty-one to twenty- 
 four, in twenty-eight to forty-eight, in thirty-five to 
 ninety-six, in forty-two to nineteen thousand two hun 
 dred, in forty-nine to thirty-eight thousand four hun 
 dred. Why dod-blast it, man, you ve lost a fortune 
 this very night. You ve allowed the lawyer to rob you, 
 sir! You must do better than this, Peter, or you ll 
 die in a poor-house. You should have a guardian; 
 you re not competent to make a bargain, you re a fool 
 in business." Then the old man s voice softened to a 
 pleading and pathetic whine as he continued : "Sked, 
 you re too hard on me. I am quite sure if I had not 
 made the offer I did while he was hot and eager to 
 crush his rival, he would have given nothing. I think, 
 good sir, I had reached the point where it was well to 
 strike and not stop to higgle for a larger sum. I m 
 quite sure if I had stuck for more he would have 
 kicked me out." And now we hear an admonitory and 
 scoffing voice : "Bah ! Peter, you re soft, and liable to 
 be plucked right and left by all who desire to feather 
 their nests from the body of an innocent goose. 
 Kicked you out, eh? No, no, he never kicks in the 
 light. I know the honorable Andrew Jackson Travis, 
 son of old Billy Travis, the Tumbletown butcher, very
 
 MR. TRAVIS H7 
 
 well. He might wish for your death and burial, or rob 
 you if he could without risk of detection, but he would 
 do nothing he thought could by possibility subject him 
 to bodily harm. He likes to feel that his bones are 
 whole and his skin not ruptured ; in short, he prides 
 himself on being a statesman, not a fighter. He might 
 have frozen you out by an assumption of icv dignity, 
 Peler, or lie might have reminded you that it was 
 growing late, but his courage would never have lifted 
 him to the height of a kick. No, Peter, you made a 
 mistake in not insisting upon at least four hundred." 
 The tone of the old man became plaintive now: "It 
 may be as you say, Sked ; it doubtless is as you say, 
 good sir, and I ll be on my guard hereafter, on my 
 guard, sir." Then with a voice of stern authority he 
 continued : "You must make good the loss of this 
 night, Peter. Mark you, man, we can not stand such 
 losses ; they will break us up." 
 
 Sked had by this time traveled beyond the scat 
 tering houses of the suburbs and reached the farms. 
 It was a clear night and innumerable stars sparkled 
 in the dark vault overhead. As he pressed on now 
 talking to himself as was his habit, and at times re 
 lapsing into silence, he heard the bleating of a lamb 
 in a field near by, and soon thereafter a dog came 
 charging toward him, barking furiously, and this dis 
 turbed the sleepy cows lying in the dusty highway, 
 near the barns, where night and morning they were 
 milked. All this took Sked s thoughts back to Dun- 
 dren s, and he began to talk about the farm. 
 
 "It s a good farm the best in the county, by 
 odds, and a full thousand acres, a little more in fact, 
 for there was a surplus in the tract last purchased." 
 Then after a pause his tone changed to one of expostu-
 
 38 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 lation and mild censure. "Sked, you are too hard, 
 good sir; it s a nice family, and Helen is the child of 
 your own father s sister; you should not be hard on 
 her and hers ; you should not, truly." Then came 
 another change indicating some slight exasperation. 
 "Peter, you are a soft-hearted fool. Is it hard, do you 
 say. for a man to claim what belongs to him ? Xo, no, 
 Peter, you re wide of the mark, as usual ; it would 
 be wrong not to do so. It w r ould be encouraging de 
 ceit, fraud, violence, theft." "But Sked, you have had 
 many a warm dinner at Richard Dundren s when other 
 people were quick to shut their doors in your face. 
 You have had many a good night s rest under his com 
 fortable roof, when otherwise you would have sought 
 shelter in a shed or slept in the open air. They have 
 entertained you hospitably there, off and on, for more 
 than twenty years, and now you would sell them out 
 and turn them out, root and branch. Is not this 
 rather hard, good sir? Come, now, speak up like an 
 honest man and tell me if it is not a little hard?" The 
 voice now changed to angry earnestness. "I tell you 
 no, you simple-hearted fool ! In demanding my own I 
 but do my duty; I follow in this the strict letter of 
 the law. I refuse to encourage the extravagance of 
 one at the expense of another. I teach men a whole 
 some lesson to live within their means ; I teach them 
 not to pretend to be what they are not. You speak 
 of dinners and lodgings ; they have not been so many 
 that you need to have mentioned them. If given free 
 ly, as you say they were, it would have been an insult 
 to hospitality to offer compensation. If intended as a 
 bribe to draw me on, and wheedle me out of money, 
 the act was an unworthy one for which they are en 
 titled to no favor. Come, now, Peter, you haven t the
 
 MR. TRAVIS 39 
 
 impudence to claim that men should be influenced by 
 bribes ? For if you have, I shall make bold to say you 
 are a scoundrel, sir." 
 
 Sked had by this time reached the crest of a hill, 
 and from it looked down upon the twinkling street 
 lamps of a city. It was not yet light enough to see 
 what else lay before him, but as he descended the easy 
 slope toward the valley, the eastern horizon became 
 brighter, the darkness began to fade away, and objects 
 near to him grew more and more distinct. He dis 
 cerned now, off to his left, a level plain, like a great 
 sheet of lead ; while directly in front and to the right 
 of him he sa\v the roofs, gables and chimneys of the 
 city, with here and there columns of coal smoke ris 
 ing, then toppling and hanging indecisively in the still 
 air. Pretty soon he caught sight of the dark waters 
 of a currentless river which bent in and out around 
 the. base of the elevated ground beyond it, on which 
 the greater portion of the city lay; and then, near the 
 junction of this sluggish stream with the leaden lake, 
 he beheld a forest of masts, and plying among the ves 
 sels noisy little steam tugs with chimney tops in a 
 luminous glow, and behind them long banners of black 
 smoke which broadened and finally thinned out until 
 it became, apparently, murky vapor, and made all man 
 ner of fantastic figures on the dull background of the 
 sky. *
 
 IV 
 
 EBENEZER GUM 
 
 DUNDREN and his wife had many friends in 
 Cranberry County, and yet it is perhaps true 
 that the average citizen is not, as a rule, greatly 
 depressed by the misfortunes of those who have 
 been, in point of wealth and social standing, far 
 above him. "Here," he is inclined to say, "I have been 
 looking upon this man and touching my hat to him be 
 cause I thought him wealthier than myself, but when 
 the truth is known, I find him poorer." Those whose 
 donations for charitable purposes have been surpassed 
 by the gifts of a more generous hand, are apt to con 
 clude : "Ah ! well, it is easy enough to be liberal in the 
 disbursement of other people s money." Those who 
 control fewer acres and ride in poorer carriages, are 
 not unlikely to remark : "Thank heaven, what we own 
 we own." Those who. on the score of economy, wear 
 cheaper clothing, will probably observe in confidence 
 to their next door neighbor. "The clothes we wear 
 are paid for." And so, for a multitude of reasons, peo 
 ple who were most charming in their treatment of us 
 when we stood in the sunshine of prosperity, drop off 
 one by one, until we are surprised to find ourselves 
 nearly, if not quite, alone with our misfortunes. This 
 is perhaps well, for men in trouble find little, if any, 
 solace in companionship. That practical sympathy 
 which stands ready to make tangible sacrifices for our 
 relief is so rare that sensible men seldom look for it, 
 and certainly never rely upon it. 
 
 (40)
 
 EBENEZEE GUM 41 
 
 Mr. Travis had hitherto been so frequent a visitor 
 at Cherry Farm that his going to and from the place at 
 tracted little or no attention, but just now he purposely 
 remained away. If he were to hasten to Dundren with 
 his sympathy and offers of professional assistance, that 
 gentleman might, under the circumstances, suspect the 
 honesty of his motives. There was, he thought, a 
 more effective way of accomplishing the end he had in 
 view, and to this he had immediate recourse. In the 
 presence of Dundren s personal friends he denounced 
 the Sked claim as fraudulent, and affirmed that the 
 case would be promptly dismissed by the court with 
 out the formality of a trial." 
 
 "You must be mistaken, Mr. Travis," they would 
 say, "the sheriff 
 
 "Not at all; I know Sked, the plaintiff; he is a 
 worthless tramp who never had money enough to buy 
 a decent and comfortable suit of clothes. The idea 
 that anybody owes him eighty thousand dollars is 
 simply preposterous." 
 
 "But Mr. Travis, Dundren admits the claim, and 
 will make no defense against it." 
 
 "You must be wrong. As I have already said, I 
 know old Peter Sked, and am quite sure he never 
 possessed a dollar in his life. I think the man from 
 whom you heard the story is mistaken ; in fact, I 
 know he must be !" 
 
 "But Dundren is no longer a candidate. He 
 would not have withdrawn at this late day if there 
 were not some urgent reason for it." 
 
 "Well, well, he may have done that; I am quite 
 sure, however, he had some reason for withdrawing 
 other than the one suggested."
 
 42 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 By thus defending Dundren against the doubts 
 and fears of that gentleman s best friends, Mr. Travis 
 raised himself considerably in their esteem, and se 
 cured the support of many men who would, in the 
 absence of these professions of friendliness, have rid 
 den the county day and night to accomplish his defeat. 
 
 The Congressional Convention was to be held on 
 the 25th of June, and as it was now the middle of 
 that month, Mr. Travis time was fully occupied. 
 There were many whom he esteemed friends to be 
 stimulated into activity, and many more whom he re 
 garded as enemies to be quieted. The former were 
 at best but lukewarm, the latter generally bitter, and 
 not a few of them vindictive. To the one class he 
 made personal appeals for help; and upon the other 
 brought to bear such influences as he deemed most 
 effective. But by far the greater number of those who 
 thronged his office as the day for choosing the nomi 
 nating delegates approached, entertained no feeling 
 whatever either for or against the candidate. They 
 were ward or township politicians of unsavory repu 
 tation, and little influence, known to be purchasable, 
 who on one pretext or another extorted money from 
 him which never went beyond their pockets until ex 
 pended for their own personal benefit. 
 
 It being now generally understood that there 
 would be no other candidate in Cranberry, Mr. Travis, 
 on the day of the primaries, succeeded in securing a 
 solid delegation from his own county to the district 
 convention, and as it was, by the rule of alternation 
 hitherto mentioned, the turn of this county to have the 
 candidate, he was in due time nominated for Congress, 
 bv acclamation.
 
 EBENEZEK GUM 43 
 
 The honorable Alexander Hamilton Popper, the 
 Republican candidate and Mr. Travis opponent in this 
 contest, was a gentleman by no means deficient in 
 political cunning, nor in ability to make the race an 
 interesting one. Although not a member of any 
 church organization, he nevertheless prided himself on 
 his morality and was somewhat demonstrative in his 
 support of religious enterprises. From the elevation 
 on which he stood it was an easy matter to make ex 
 cursions to the right or left in search of helpers, and 
 to levy contributions from the powers of light and 
 darkness. Still he was strictly moral and naturally 
 religious, and if he ever coquetted with Satan it was 
 to decejve the rascal and make good use of him. It 
 was the prevailing tendency of Mr. Popper s thought 
 in the direction of noble objects which led him to 
 write to Deacon Ebenezer Gum that he would be 
 pleased to meet him at as early a day as possible with 
 a view to a consultation on important business con 
 nected with the present alarming condition of the 
 country. 
 
 Gum was a well preserved man of fifty-five, whose 
 long, narrow, smoothly-shaven face, broad brimmed, 
 low crowned hat, and clothing of sober color and anti 
 quated cut, betokened that his affections had been 
 weaned from the follies in which a wicked and adul 
 terous generation takes delight, and concentrated on a 
 period of the near future when, through his own ef 
 forts mainly, mankind would be purged of all social 
 and political uncleanness, and made to stand up an 
 everlasting monument of his superior goodness. 
 
 Time had not dealt as tenderly with the hairs of 
 Ebenezer s wig as a humane and gentle heart might 
 wish; from a lovely brown they had been converted.
 
 44 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 by its inexorable hand, to a faded and dirty yellow. 
 And there were spaces also where the wig was bald, 
 the hairs of it possibly having been shaken out by the 
 tremendous throbbings of the active mental engine 
 underneath. 
 
 In early life the Deacon had been a shoemaker, 
 and as was natural for one in the leather line, had 
 given much attention to the soles of men, and pegged 
 and mended them until he become very proficient in the 
 art. But at last finding this pursuit restrictive, monot 
 onous and unsuited to one of high aspirations, he di 
 verted his thoughts from soles to souls, studied divinity 
 at odd hours of the day and night, and finally leaving 
 his bench, became the spiritual adviser of a congrega 
 tion which assembled for worship at Wild Cat meet 
 ing-house. The Sunday collections at this outpost of 
 duty, however, were not of such magnitude as fully 
 to meet his generous expectations, and consequently 
 his religious fervor abated gradually until it ceased 
 altogether, when, abandoning his charge, he entered 
 the political arena and became the recognized and 
 trusted leader of the Prohibitionists of his immediate 
 locality. 
 
 Although the revenue derived from this last posi 
 tion was by no means munificent, he nevertheless man 
 aged to subsist on it quite comfortably, and at the same 
 time make himself exceedingly useful to the country 
 by elevating the popular conscience to a higher polit 
 ical standard. His devotion to the principles of tem 
 perance and reform, however, did not deter him from 
 indicating a neighborly willingness to make himself 
 useful to Mr. Travis in the convention which had just 
 concluded its labors ; but as that gentleman had ascer 
 tained there would be no opposition to his nomination,
 
 EBENEZER GUM 45 
 
 he did not deem it advisable to go to the expense of 
 carrying with him to that body a living and unim 
 peachable witness to his high character and good hab 
 its. If, however, Mr. Travis had employed Ebenezer 
 to testify to his personal worth, he would have dis 
 charged the duty assigned him, with scrupulous fideli 
 ty, and immediately thereafter felt at liberty to ren 
 der a like service to any one or all of the many aspir 
 ants of the opposite party. 
 
 It may not be generally known how a gentleman 
 of Brother Gum s standing could be made useful in an 
 assembly composed of men who did not profess to be 
 lieve in his peculiar political tenets ; but in every party 
 there are elements more or less inharmonious to be 
 reconciled. There are, for instance, the radical man 
 and the conservative ; the bold and the cautious. The 
 man whose interest, and possibly habits, make him the 
 advocate of free rum, and the man who is opposed to 
 the unlicensed, or even the licensed traffic in intoxicat 
 ing liquors. Men holding every shade and variety of 
 views respecting the revenue laws ; men who pride 
 themselves on their standing in the church ; men who 
 have no religious convictions whatever. Men who be 
 lieve secret societies exert a wholesome influence in 
 the community, and those who regard them as danger 
 ous to the well being of the state. Men hostile to all 
 members of the learned professions, and those who 
 have no confidence in farmers and workingmen as law 
 makers. Men who favor corporations, and those who 
 would restrict them, or abolish them altogether. 
 
 To reconcile a body in which so many diverse 
 creeds, opinions and temperaments are represented, 
 and lead it up to a common purpose requires the dis 
 creet use of many, apparently, antagonistic influences ;
 
 46 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 and now that the popular mind had become in some de 
 gree sensitive on the temperance question, a gentle 
 man of Brother Gum s antecedents, so far as the gen 
 eral public knew of them, was especially valuable, and 
 hence it was that almost every convention and alto 
 gether every election was made to contribute to his 
 income. 
 
 Brother Ebenezer had had too much attention 
 from candidates to be at all inflated by the letter re 
 ceived from the Honorable Air. Popper, but he never 
 failed to respond promptly when called to the perform 
 ance of a political duty, and therefore saddled his 
 mouse-colored mare, rode leisurely northward from 
 Cranberry town for a few miles until he came to a 
 cross-road, then turned westward and proceeded to 
 another intersection of the highways, where, turning 
 directly to the south, he increased the speed of the 
 mare and continued until the dusk of evening, when, 
 after a brisk ride of thirty miles, he drew up in front 
 of a comfortable dwelling in a neighboring county 
 seat. Hitching his animal to a post which stood con 
 veniently near the gateway, the Deacon crossed the 
 space intervening between the road and the residence, 
 and rang the door-bell. A moment thereafter Mr. 
 Popper appeared, and recognizing his visitor, ex 
 claimed : 
 
 "It is Mr. Gum. My good sir. I was just thinking 
 of you and am rejoiced to meet you. Come in." 
 
 After the visitor s appetite had been so fully satis 
 fied that he could not be induced to indulge it -further, 
 the interview on the state of the country began. 
 
 "You are aware, Mr. Gum," said Popper, deliber 
 ately, and with an air oi exceeding soberness, "that 
 my sympathies have always been with the cause of
 
 EBENEZEK GUM 47 
 
 temperance; that I am practically a teetotaler. It 
 would not, however, be politic for me to express my 
 views on this subject too strongly in my public utter 
 ances. I have, therefore, sought this opportunity to 
 assure you, the recognized leader of the Prohibition 
 ists of Cranberry County, that if elected I shall do my 
 utmost, sir Here Mr. Popper paused for a mo 
 ment to give Brother Ebenezer time to estimate the 
 immensity of the service modestly alluded to by the 
 feeble word, utmost "my utmost, sir, to advance the 
 cause you have at heart." 
 
 Ebenezer cast his eyes devoutly to the ceiling be 
 fore giving expression orally to the intense joy which 
 filled his heart at this blessed assurance, and then said : 
 
 "To be frank and honest with you, my honored 
 sir, I must confess that I have had my doubts as to the 
 precise tendency of your influence you must pardon 
 me, my friend perhaps my own great anxiety with 
 respect to the subject led me to fear, possibly, your 
 influence might not be exerted on the side of temper 
 ance and reform ; but now my doubts are dispelled, 
 and I shall leave you with a lighter heart." 
 
 "Do you think you could aid me in this important 
 contest, Mr. Gum ?" Popper inquired eagerly. 
 
 "I should be glad to do it, sir. The assurance 
 you have given makes me feel as if I ought to do it, 
 Mr. Popper, and yet I must not be unfaithful to my 
 party, sir. No, no, Mr. Popper, I must be loyal to it. 
 But I am quite sure you have the opportunity to do the 
 cause a power of good." 
 
 "But, my dear Gum, your party cannot elect a 
 man to the place, would it not be wisdom, therefore, 
 to concentrate your votes on me would it not be far
 
 48 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 better, indeed, than to fritter them away on one who 
 stands no possible chance of success ?" 
 
 "Well, well, that is a question that is a question, 
 Mr. Popper, for one s conscience and judgment to de 
 termine," replied Gum, meditatively. "I do not know 
 - I have sometimes thought it would and and at 
 other times that it would not ; really the question puz 
 zles me." 
 
 "How strong is your party in Cranberry, Mr. 
 Gum? said Popper, softly, as if while putting the 
 question he was ransacking his own mind for some 
 expeditious method of ridding the world of tippling 
 houses, and thus bringing about a social millennium. 
 "How many votes can it poll ?" 
 
 "The vote varies considerably," replied Gum slow 
 ly, as if making a careful estimate ; when no great 
 effort is made to bring it out, the vote is small, but 
 when the party is thoroughly aroused the votes will 
 number three hundred. I think this year the full 
 strength of the party will be polled. I should say 
 three hundred, sir, at least." 
 
 "How many of them," said Popper still endeavor 
 ing to solve the great moral problem uppermost in his 
 mind, and regarding his question as immaterial to the 
 main issue, "how many of these votes could you throw 
 for me if you saw it was your duty as a temperance 
 man to do so if you really felt you would be giving 
 your principles practical assistance, sir? How many, 
 Mr. Gum?" 
 
 "I should say, at a rough estimate, two hundred 
 and seventy-five no, I fear this would be putting it 
 too high. Two hundred and fifty would be nearer the 
 figure. Mr. Popper, providing I was authorized to as 
 sure them on my honor that they might rely on you.
 
 EBENEZER GUM 49 
 
 I would not even entertain the proposition to do it 
 otherwise. A man s honor is a sacred thing, Mr. Pop 
 per, and must not be lightly pledged; still I have 
 little heart for the task, for it would require a heap 
 of labor." 
 
 "But what better thing could you do ? You know 
 there s no hope for any candidate you might put in the 
 field. You know exactly where I stand. Now as an 
 honest man, desirous of doing what you can for re 
 form, and the promotion of temperance, what better 
 can you do ?" 
 
 "Your argument seems sound and you put it forc 
 ibly, Mr. Popper, very forcibly, I must confess," said 
 Gum as if almost convinced that duty required him to 
 yield; "but then, my friend, the labor of seeing all 
 these voters privately, and arguing the question with 
 them, and putting them in the field to work is 
 no light task, and would be attended with more or less 
 expense. You are aware, sir, that I am a poor man 
 and have little time and less money to spare in an 
 enterprise that will profit me nothing." 
 
 "But is it not a religious duty, Mr. Gum, is it not 
 a duty binding on your conscience?" 
 
 "It looks like it; I fear I must say it is. Yes, 
 it is impossible to escape the force of your logic, Mr. 
 Popper, and whatever it may be possible for a man 
 of my means and opportunities to accomplish, shall be 
 done. I promise you that, but I shall not be able to 
 devote my whole time to the work; and yet I would 
 be glad to do so, for when I take hold of a thing I like 
 to do it with all my might ; still you may rely on me 
 to do what I can what a man who depends for a 
 livelihood on his daily labor, can reasonably do."
 
 50 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "But I should like you to see all the members 
 of your party," said Popper eagerly ; to impress upon 
 them the necessity of working and voting for me." 
 
 "That would be impossible to one situated as I 
 am," replied Gum, decisively ; "utterly out of the ques 
 tion. My family would starve while I was doing it, 
 and I should be compelled to beg my way from house 
 to house." 
 
 "But how much would it cost to do the work in 
 this thorough way, Mr. Gum how much?" 
 
 "It never occurred to me to make the estimate, 
 Mr. Popper. It is too far beyond my own means to 
 render it worth my while to count up the exact cost." 
 
 "Could it be done for a hundred dollars?" 
 
 "Not for three times that sum, sir; I think it safe 
 to say not for four times that amount, sir. You travel 
 ten miles to see a man, and find he is not at home ; you 
 call again, he may be there and may not, but if he is 
 you talk the matter over for an hour, possibly for a 
 whole afternoon, for such things must be discreetly 
 done, not hastily. There are three hundred of these 
 men; you can estimate yourself the time required to 
 see them all, and how much the expense of such a 
 work is likely to foot up. I should say five hundred 
 dollars would not pay the cost." 
 
 "That s a large sum," said Popper firmly. 
 
 "Too large, too large for one man to lose or an 
 other to pay," replied Gum heartily. "It was for this 
 reason I regarded your suggestion as impracticable." 
 
 "But, don t you think, Mr. Gum, if I were to give 
 you three hundred dollars you could undertake the 
 work and do it thoroughly ?" 
 
 "I should say it would take five at the very least; 
 still I would willingly pinch myself and submit to
 
 EBENEZEK GUM 51 
 
 many sacrifices in order to discharge a duty. If you 
 will make it four hundred I will undertake the work. 
 I fear five will not cover the outlay required ; still I 
 am not the man to stand on a few dollars when a mat 
 ter of principle is at stake. I ll undertake it for four." 
 
 The candidate quit his seat and walked the floor 
 meditatively for five minutes, then turning to Eben- 
 ezer thanked him for the generous offer and paid over 
 the money. He did not desire to part with so much, 
 but he did want to be elected, and after he had con 
 cluded to strike a bargain he was wise enough to know 
 it was best to do it cheerfully, as if he were receiving 
 instead of conferring a favor. An intimation that the 
 sum asked was exorbitant might have irritated his vis 
 itor and rendered him an indifferent worker, if not a 
 secret enemy. 
 
 In the gray of the next morning Brother Ebenezer 
 ate his breakfast at Mr. Popper s hospitable board, and 
 charged by the fair Mrs. Popper with good wishes and 
 pleasant messages for Mrs. Gum, mounted his plump 
 mouse-colored mare and started northward just four 
 hundred dollars richer than he was the day before. It 
 was not far beyond the middle of the afternoon when, 
 having passed beyond the town and then turning east 
 ward and then southward he trotted into Cranberry 
 from the north, without any of his fellow townsmen 
 having even the remotest suspicion that he had been 
 visiting Mr. Travis competitor for congressional 
 honors. 
 
 After a brief interview with Mr. Travis a few days 
 later, in which the alarming condition of the country 
 was discussed with great plainness, and in utter for- 
 getfulness of the eternal principles to which Brother 
 Ebenezer professed allegiance, the latter gentleman
 
 52 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 began to prepare for inexpensive rides into the coun 
 try. To do this it was only necessary to make out a 
 list of personal acquaintances at whose houses he might 
 stop and be quite certain to secure good dinners and 
 comfortable lodgings without cost. It is not by any 
 means an undesirable thing to be the recognized leader 
 of a political party, even if it be a small one, for such 
 a man not only has opportunities to elevate the stand 
 ard of public morals, but to turn an honest penny from 
 the candidate s pocket to his own.
 
 GINGER 
 
 WHILE the two leading political parties were ad 
 justing their lines for the approaching conflict, 
 Mr. Dundren was actively endeavoring to find 
 a purchaser for his land and live stock ; but money was 
 by no means abundant, and those who had the little 
 there was, knew good mortgage notes bearing the cur 
 rent rate of interest would in the end prove more profit 
 able than the most productive farm ; and so no atten 
 tion was given to his proposition to sell at much less 
 than he considered- the property worth. 
 
 On the first day of the August term the attorney 
 to whom Mr. Travis had entrusted the Sked claim, 
 asked permission of the court to have judgment entered 
 for the amount. The case was thereupon called, and 
 as no one appeared to make objection, the clerk was 
 directed to prepare the entry usual in similar cases. 
 The action of the court made Sked s claim a first lien 
 on the real estate, but in obedience to the order of the 
 plaintiff s attorney, the sheriff rode out to Cherry farm 
 in the evening, and levied on the personal property. 
 He had. under the law, sixty days in which to make 
 return of his writ of execution, and- having now dis 
 charged his duty to the creditor fully, he was inclined 
 to be as lenient as possible to the debtor. But Mr. 
 Dundren had ceased to regard time as important to 
 him. He had diligently sought a purchaser, and failed 
 to find one, and had no reason to suppose delay would 
 
 (53)
 
 54 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 result otherwise than to increase the claim against him 
 by additional interest and costs. He, therefore, re 
 quested the sheriff to have appraisers selected and the 
 property brought to sale as soon as possible. 
 
 The wishes of the debtor in these particulars were 
 complied with. The appraisers estimated the land at 
 one hundred thousand dollars, and the personal prop 
 erty, embracing live stock and farming utensils at forty 
 thousand ; two-thirds of the former sum would be 
 sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars ; 
 if the personalty sold proportionately well, the pro 
 ceeds of both would pay the debt, and leave Dundren 
 ten thousand dollars with which to begin life anew. 
 The occupants of Cherry farm were therefore, greatly 
 encouraged, and Mr. Dundren, himself, felt almost 
 happy over the prospect of getting rid of an oppressive 
 burden, with enough left to keep him out of the poor- 
 house. 
 
 The latter part of August came, and with it the 
 day appointed for the sale. The people who attended 
 it were mostly farmers, and there was a great collec 
 tion of buggies and other vehicles in the road near 
 Dundren s house. The live stock and farm implements 
 were to be sold unconditionally, but the land must 
 bring two-thirds of its appraised value, if it sold at all. 
 As the morning wore on the sheriff ascended a horse 
 block, so that every body could see him, and announced 
 that the hour had come when the sale was advertised 
 to begin. After reading the notice required by law on 
 such occasions, he said he would offer the land first 
 because the man who had the good luck to get it might 
 want the live stock and farm implements, and for the 
 further reason that if the land brought what it was
 
 GINGER 55 
 
 worth it would not be necessary to put anything else 
 to sale. 
 
 Old Peter Sked was sitting on a bench some little 
 distance from the sheriff. He was angry. The land 
 had, in his opinion, been appraised at more than its 
 actual value. The scoundrelly appraisers had been 
 bribed ; they were in league with Dundren. This was 
 evident enough. He might pay sixty-six thousand for 
 the land, personal property and all, but to be required 
 to give that much for the land alone, and allow Dun 
 dren to get away with most of the live stock and farm 
 ing utensils was such a high handed outrage on an 
 honest money-lender as none but a parcel of dishonest 
 farmers would dare to perpetrate. Dod-blast it! he 
 would not be extorted from. If somebody else did not 
 bid enough to pay his claim he would allow the prop 
 erty to be advertised and offered again. In this way 
 Sked went on talking to Peter, his tender hearted part 
 ner, who, after being soundly rated for getting into the 
 difficulty, plucked up the courage to suggest that the 
 farm alone would be cheap at eighty-five thousand, 
 but Sked retorted, angrily : 
 
 "Tut, tut, man you re a fool. I can make more 
 off half the money." 
 
 "But, Sked," said Peter coaxingly, "this would be 
 an absolutely safe investment; the land would neither 
 burn nor run away." 
 
 "But the buildings might burn. I say, Peter, 
 you re a fool to think of giving eighty-five thousand. 
 Why, man, does that seem a trifling sum to you? A 
 sum to be thrown away? Eh? In a little over seven 
 years one hundred and seventy thousand, fourteen, 
 three hundred and forty thousand, twenty-one years 
 three months and twenty-eight days, six hundred and
 
 56 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 eighty thousand, in less than thirty-five years two mil 
 lion seven hundred and twenty thousand ; in a little 
 over forty-two years, five million, four hundred and 
 forty thousand ; in less than fifty years ten million 
 eight hundred and eighty thousand dollars. Why, 
 dod-blast it, Peter, you re crazy a raving lunatic ; 
 you might till this farm a thousand years and not 
 make half that amount. Ten per cent, beats the world, 
 Peter! No, no; I ll not buy." And as nobody else 
 did, the sheriff, marking on his writ, "No bidders for 
 the land," turned his attention to the personal property, 
 and proceeded to offer the horses, cattle and sheep. 
 
 Dundren stood well with the people of Cranberry 
 County, and to-day he was surrounded by sturdy farm 
 ers who thought if a man ever needed friends it was 
 when the roof which sheltered his family was being 
 exposed to sale by the sheriff. They were not able to 
 make so large a purchase, but had a stranger bought 
 the farm, they would have bid and bid lively on the 
 personal property with a view to putting it on him at 
 the highest possible price. As the land did not sell, 
 however, and as it would be comparatively valueless to 
 Dundren without the live stock and farm implements, 
 there were some whispered consultations, and subse 
 quently much pleasant talk and considerable chaffing 
 of the sheriff by those who knew he would take it 
 kindly ; but there were no bidders and no sales. Finally 
 the officer of the law, assuming an air of indignation, 
 which all recognized as transparent hypocrisy, said the 
 men before him w^ere a dull and empty lot of fellows, 
 on whom he had wasted too much of his valuable 
 time ; he should therefore, announce the sale closed and 
 bid them all get off the premises forthwith. 
 
 As Sked walked away in an angry mood, Peter
 
 GINGER 57 
 
 sought to console him somewhat with the suggestion 
 that there was property enough to pay the debt and 
 meantime it was drawing a fair rate of interest. But 
 Sked was so dissatisfied over the poor results of the 
 day that he traveled five miles without stopping, then 
 begged a cold lunch and went on his way. It was fully 
 ten o clock when he sought lodging in a pile of straw, 
 which, after passing through the threshing machine, 
 had been left in a field adjacent to the highway. It 
 was a pleasant night and the bed he found was soft 
 and dry, but what commended it most strongly to Sked 
 was the fact that it would cost him nothing. Peter 
 had frequently warned his co-partner that if he con 
 tinued to spend the nights in barns, stables and open 
 fields, he might take such a cold as \vould insure him 
 a permanent resting place under the sod, and now sug 
 gested the same thought again : but Sked sneered at 
 Peter s admonitions. 
 
 "Why, sir," he said, "don t you know warm, badly 
 ventilated rooms cause the death of millions, eh ? The 
 air becomes poisonous, the system becoming over 
 heated grows soft and liable to take on disease. Why, 
 you self indulgent fool ! Look at the cattle and horses, 
 the wild beasts ; they are flesh and blood like ourselves, 
 eh ? Do they get sick and send for the doctors to make 
 them sicker? Eh? Now do they? Not often. Peter, 
 not often. They have sense enough to live in the open 
 air, and not shut themselves up in heated and unwhole 
 some rooms." 
 
 "But, Sked," said Peter, "you have not, I hope, 
 forgotten the terrible cold and the pneumonia result 
 ing from it, which nearly killed you eight or more 
 years ago?" 
 
 "No, no ; I forget nothing, Peter. The day when
 
 58 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 I contracted that cold was raw and wet, and I got 
 soaked to the skin ; but since then I have secured this 
 umbrella, and am taking care of myself." 
 
 Sked now rose to a sitting posture, and taking the 
 faded umbrella from the ground, removed the string 
 which held it shut, and opening it, inspected it as care 
 fully as he could by the dim light of a declining half 
 moon. There were a few wires loose, a rent in the 
 muslin, and the spring of the handle had lost its elas 
 ticity ; but it was nevertheless an umbrella, and had 
 been for at least ten years. Sked evidently regarded 
 it with satisfaction, for when he laid it down he re 
 marked confidently: 
 
 "No danger now, Peter, no danger, man ; I shall 
 live as long as old Parr. What a fortune that man 
 would have accumulated if he had doubled up his 
 money every seven years of his life. Eh, Peter?" 
 
 "But Methusaleh would have beaten him/ replied 
 Peter jocosely. 
 
 "You are right, my man," responded Sked ; "sup 
 pose Methusaleh had started in life with ten thousand 
 dollars, and loaned at ten per cent., compounding an 
 nually, and doubling up every seven years or there 
 abouts, what would he have been worth at the day of 
 his death? Eh? How much? There s a sum for you." 
 
 "What good would it have done him after death?" 
 asked Peter softly. "What good, Sked? When you 
 answer that I ll figure out the sum." 
 
 "Think of life, Peter, not death ; let us choose to 
 be cheerful, my man, when the choice costs nothing." 
 
 "But we must sometime think of death," said 
 Peter solemnly. "Who will bury us when we die?" 
 
 "What matter, what matter, man," replied Sked
 
 GINGER 59 
 
 angrily ; "since we shall be unconscious and rest as 
 comfortably in the ditch as in the church yard." 
 
 "Sked, do you still mind the child the little 
 girl," said Peter in husky tones, "who died twenty 
 years ago ? She was of your own flesh and blood 
 your daughter, Sked. You denied her the food and 
 clothing needed to keep her healthful. You put her 
 in the care of a drunken, disreputable nurse you 
 killed your own child, man !" 
 
 There was a pause here in the soliloquy which, by 
 chance, was occupied by the solemn hooting of an owl, 
 and then Sked cried in angry tones : 
 
 "Peter, you lie like hell!" 
 
 "I tell the honest truth," returned Peter, with sob 
 bing voice ; "she lacked food, clothing and comfortable 
 shelter. She lacked the companionship of the young, 
 and a mother s care." 
 
 The tears were now streaming from the old man s 
 eyes ; the one soft spot in his hardened soul was 
 touched and bleeding, possibly, not the only one indeed, 
 for even the worst men have streaks of tenderness. 
 After a while he said in reply to his accusing con 
 science : 
 
 "I could not prevent the mother s death, Peter. 
 
 You are unjust when accusing me of depriving Mary 
 
 of a mother s care. I loved the child, and God knows 
 
 if there be a God to know how sincerely I wish 
 
 she were living now." 
 
 "Too late, too late," muttered Peter sadly. "The 
 time was when, if you had loved money less and the 
 child more, she would have been saved to you. She 
 would perhaps have been a mother now with her 
 bright-faced children to romp with you when you were 
 in the humor ; to greet you as grandfather always,
 
 60 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 then then your pinchings and hoardings would have 
 been to some purpose, Sked to some purpose." 
 
 The old man was awakened in the early morning 
 by a vigorous shake. Springing to his feet he flour 
 ished his umbrella threateningly at two young men 
 who stood near him, and cried : 
 
 "Stand back, don t come an inch nearer, or I ll 
 brain ye ! Keep off !" 
 
 The men laughed heartily at this exhibition of 
 temper and alarm, but finally one of them controlled 
 his merriment sufficiently to say in an authoritative 
 tone: 
 
 "Come, come, neighbor, we rise early at this tav 
 ern, and expect our guests to keep in a good humor." 
 
 "What d ye say?" shouted Sked, still keeping his 
 umbrella in position to repel any sudden attack; hey? 
 Do you own this straw pile, eh ?" 
 
 "It is common property, my venerable sir, but it 
 is the custom of those who lodge here not to lie abed 
 a-taking of their ease after sunrise. We simply desired 
 you to conform to the rules of the establishment. Come, 
 we shall have roast goose for breakfast ; join us." 
 
 The speaker now drew from its place of conceal 
 ment in the straw, a fowl which he had secured in the 
 darkness of the preceding night, and his companion, 
 taking from the ground a dirty bundle, the three men 
 proceeded to the road together, Sked was not disposed 
 to be social, but he was somewhat hungry, and when 
 the vagabonds by a few pleasant words had mollified 
 his anger and dissipated his suspicions, he assented 
 readily enough to accompany them to a wooded valley 
 through which a brook rippled, and there share their 
 morning meal. While the old man and one of the.
 
 GINGER 61 
 
 strangers were plucking the goose, the other kindled a 
 fire, and then preceding with considerable alacrity to 
 a neighboring cornfield, returned with an armful of 
 roasting ears, which he stripped of the husks and laid 
 on the coals. 
 
 "Goose/ said Sked s companion to him confiden 
 tially, "is the juiciest of domestic fowls; but when not 
 thoroughly cooked, somewhat difficult for a toothless 
 man to masticate. I trust, my reverend sir, your grind 
 ers are in good condition?" 
 
 "What d ye say, eh?" responded Sked, absently. 
 
 "Beg pardon," shouted the tramp, as if possibly 
 the old man s hearing was defective, "but your name 
 has escaped my memory, and yet I know it is an ancient 
 and honorable one a famous name in fact, but to 
 save my life I can t recall it on the instant." 
 
 "Sked," said the old man, curtly, "Sked is my 
 name." 
 
 "True enough." continued the man as he laid the 
 goose on the coals, "I should have known it very well, 
 but my memory is remarkable for forgetting names. 
 I have sometimes found it necessary to be introduced 
 to my most intimate friends several times gentlemen 
 with whom I have had transactions of a pecuniary na 
 ture, but I now recollect distinctly that your name is 
 Shed " 
 
 Sked, sir ; Sked." 
 
 " And if I am not exceedingly wide of the mark 
 your front name is Jeremiah ; am I not correct ?" 
 
 "You are not ; it is Peter." 
 
 "So it is, so it is," the tramp continued cheerfully, 
 "I got the Biblical characters for a moment mixed. 
 Peter Sked, a name elegant enough for the hero of a
 
 62 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 romance. Judge Mustard, be kind enough to stimu 
 late the fire." 
 
 The Judge, as he was called, raked the coals to 
 gether and laid a few dry sticks on them. 
 
 "We are highly honored to-day," resumed the man 
 who supervised the cooking, addressing the Judge, "by 
 the presence of our reverend friend, Bishop Peter 
 Sked, and we trust he will make himself at home with 
 us and partake heartily of the goose. If my intellect 
 is not wholly out of joint he is a gentleman who can 
 appreciate a nicely cooked fowl. Sked, Sked, Peter 
 Sked, I have seen that name in a society journal in 
 connection with a romantic episode an elopement 
 with another man s nay, I think it was a giddy and 
 wayward girl. Ah, Sked, you gay deceiver, how could 
 you do it? But the power of some men over the fair 
 sex is wonderful ! Judge Mustard, would you have 
 thought that of Bishop Peter Sked ? Look at him and 
 decide under the solemnities of your official oath !" 
 
 Mind the goose, Ginger, and give your imagin 
 ation a rest," said the Judge sharply. 
 
 "Well, well," resumed Ginger in a regretful tone, 
 "I shall never more have faith in solemn visaged men, 
 never. I am not easily astonished by freaks of human 
 nature, but I must confess it was a surprise to me to 
 hear that the Reverend Bishop Sked had dashed down 
 on Saratoga I believe, by gad, it was Newport, in 
 the height of the season, eloped with the reigning belle, 
 and though hotly pursued by two fond parents and a 
 dozen rivals, succeeded in marrying the girl, and secur 
 ing a million or two invested in government sixes. My 
 reverend sir, while as a gentleman of standing and the 
 prospective father of a family, I cannot approve of 
 vour conduct on that occasion, I nevertheless welcome
 
 GINGER 63 
 
 you to these halls, and am proud to give you hospitable 
 entertainment. Judge Mustard, look up a flat, smooth 
 surfaced stone to lay the goose on." 
 
 The Judge found the article desired in the shallow 
 waters of the little creek, brought it to the fire and laid 
 it on the ground beside Ginger. The goose being put 
 upon it, was divided into three nearly equal parts, two 
 of which Ginger presented to his companions on the 
 point of his knife, and the other retained for himself. 
 It may be there is more palatable food for hungry men 
 than a well cooked goose, supplemented by nicely 
 roasted corn ; but if so, Sked and his entertainers had 
 never met it. This feast was simply delicious to them. 
 
 The goose," said Mr. Ginger, with the air and 
 deliberation of a philosopher who proposed to discuss 
 the subject in an unimpassioned way, "is mysterious in 
 its origin, useful in life for its annual supply of feath 
 ers, and invaluable in death as food for hungry men. 
 Tell me, Bishop Peter Sked, how do you account for 
 the existence of the goose?" 
 
 The Bishop was too much engaged to give the 
 subject the consideration it deserved; but he recog 
 nized the importance of it by observing briefly : 
 
 "The egg, sir. The fowl comes from the egg." 
 
 Ginger stared at the Bishop in astonishment, then 
 looking at the Judge with the air of one to whom an 
 important secret had been revealed, said : 
 
 "True as the gospel, my reverend sir. Now tell 
 me my learned father whence cometh the egg?" 
 
 It was not a time for the Bishop to go into details, 
 and so he replied : 
 
 "From the goose." 
 
 "Sir, your knowledge on this subject is marvelous 
 the egg from the goose and the goose from the egg !
 
 64 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 But tell me, my reverend sir, which existed first, the 
 goose or the egg? I refer now to that remote period 
 when the first goose and the first egg appeared on the 
 face of the earth ; which is the elder which came 
 first?" 
 
 "I don t know !" gruffly replied Sked. 
 
 "My dear Bishop, you re too modest. I think you 
 could enlighten me on this point if you would ; still I 
 shall not urge you further, and yet the question is one 
 over which I have pondered seriously for many years, 
 and I cannot at this time avoid the painful reflection 
 that we should possibly have gone without a breakfast 
 if that first, original egg had become addled or broken, 
 or the first goose perished in infancy. Thus it is, we 
 of the present find ourselves indebted for the food we 
 eat to the pre-historic past, to that far off period \vhen 
 the first goose was a fragile gosling. Sir, do you real 
 ize fully the narrowness of our escape from starvation? 
 But to change the topic somewhat, tell me, my good 
 Bishop, upon what theory do men claim to own geese, 
 and forbid others to appropriate them for food or 
 feathers ? 
 
 Sked s last mouthful was so nearly disposed of that 
 he was prepared to answer at some length. 
 
 "On the theory, sir, that men should own and con 
 trol what they make what they care for and preserve 
 what would not exist but for their watchfulness and 
 foresight, eh? v 
 
 "My reverend sir, your theory has nothing to stand 
 on it is legless. Did man create either egg or 
 goose ? No ; he lacks the power to make a living thing. 
 Did man preserve the egg or goose? Impossible, for 
 both antedated him. How can it be said then that what 
 existed and multiplied before man came, exists now
 
 GINGER 65 
 
 only because of his watchfulness and foresight? Sir, 
 a goose is common property, and so is land, and water 
 and air. My reverend friend, you and I, and all other 
 men are joint owners and equal partners ; we own the 
 world ! When by hook or crook another gets more 
 than his equal share he becomes a thief, and when I 
 take from him what is needed to satisfy my wants I 
 seize what nature intended for my special use." 
 
 The old man having finished his breakfast, now 
 rose to his feet, and answered angrily : 
 
 "Then if I am industrious, watchful, painstaking, 
 and sow and reap, eh ? I have no special claim to what 
 I gather to what I save to the corn and wheat 
 which would not have grown but for my labor, patience 
 and skill. You are an ass, sir !" 
 
 Ginger laughing at this display of temper, replied : 
 
 "Thank you, my reverend sir, for your courteous 
 and gentle language, but who asked you to either sow 
 or reap? By what right do you inclose a thousand 
 acres of our common property, destroy its forests, and 
 dig up its soil, when ten would be sufficient for all 
 your natural wants? The people whom we succeed 
 held these lands in common, and lived as happily, for 
 aught you know, as men do now. The forests sup 
 plied them with fruit, and flesh for food, and skins for 
 clothing, and the valleys gave them corn and what lit 
 tle else they needed. Now men are not satisfied to 
 simply provide for their own wants, but grasp and 
 hoard and hold while other and better men freeze and 
 starve and die. This is a monstrous wrong, sir. The 
 man who holds a thousand acres and needs but ten to 
 keep him, and the man who hides away millions while
 
 66 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 others are suffering for food, are robbers robbers, 
 my good sir." 
 
 "Well, well, have it your own way it may be as 
 you say. Good morning." 
 
 "Don t be in haste, my reverend sir," cried Ginger, 
 as the old man was walking off, "a little argument will 
 help digestion." 
 
 "Thank you, I must get on ; I have far to go. Good 
 day." 
 
 "Call again," shouted Ginger, "we keep open 
 house." 
 
 Sked made no reply, but when he reached the road 
 he muttered to himself : 
 
 "Open and wide and airy, but I think I prefer to 
 be alone, for if these young men found I had money 
 with me they might conclude two-thirds of it belonged 
 to them, and when the two-thirds were gone they 
 would probably decide to take two-thirds of the one- 
 third, and so continue to make divisions until neither 
 they nor I had a penny left."
 
 VI 
 
 A STATESMAN 
 
 THE vagabonds had more time just now at their 
 disposal than they needed. After idling away 
 an hour or two of the morning in the grateful shadow 
 of the trees, Mustard, who appeared to be the more 
 practical and energetic member of the firm, extricated 
 from his bundle a number of tiny glass phials such as 
 druggists use to contain liquid medicines, and going to 
 the creek filled them with water, corked them nicely, 
 and then pasted on each a printed label bearing the 
 words "Great American Ache Annihilator ;" when this 
 work was completed to his satisfaction, and his bundle 
 rearranged, he notified the now recumbent and drowsy 
 Ginger it was time to be moving, and without giving 
 further attention to his companion, walked away. 
 
 Ginger rising, stretched himself and after a pre 
 liminary yawn, and a three minute speech on the folly 
 of haste, and the wisdom of husbanding one s re 
 sources, started to follow his disappearing comrade. 
 
 It was perhaps three o clock in the afternoon when 
 the tramps entered Bearwood, a village of two thou 
 sand souls and a county seat. Horses attached to farm 
 wagons and lighter vehicles were standing to hitching 
 posts in front of stores and shops, and the sidewalks 
 were filled with country people who had come to town 
 to sell products of the farm and buy weekly supplies 
 of merchandise. Many of these were clad in rough 
 working clothes, and some of them not so well dressed 
 
 (67)
 
 68 
 
 even as Ginger and Mustard. The two latter, there 
 fore, were not at all likely to attract special attention 
 to themselves by the shabbiness of their attire. 
 
 The vagabonds now separated, Mustard going to 
 the opposite side of the street, walked slowly so that 
 his companion might get well in advance of him. On 
 reaching the center of the village Ginger stopped, 
 drew an empty store-box to the curbstone, laid the 
 phials which Mustard had filled at the creek upon it, 
 and began to sing in a good, round pleasant voice. In 
 less than five minutes half the unoccupied people of 
 the tow r n gathered about him, then he told amusing 
 stories and finally entered upon ^ lively and eloquent 
 eulogy of the great American Ache Annihilator, which 
 he now offered for sale. 
 
 If the statements which Dr. Ginger made with 
 respect to the curative powers of this medicine can 
 be relied upon, it was the most valuable compound 
 ever concocted by medical scientists. Thousands to 
 whom life had become a burden had been rendered 
 happy by the use of it. 
 
 "What is life," cried Ginger, to one \vho has an 
 aching ear, a throbbing tooth, or a griping stomach? 
 He may be worth millions, and yet be miserable ; he 
 may have a pleasant home, a lovely wife, and an inter 
 esting family, and still wish he had never been born. 
 All nature appears to his disturbed vision as if clad in 
 the habiliments of woe." 
 
 "Come, now," he continued, "give me an oppor 
 tunity to prove the remedy is all I represent it to be. 
 If I fail to cure the most obstinate case, I shall 
 throw my medicine away, and acknowledge myself a 
 cheat." 
 
 Dr. Ginger s exhortation was here interrupted ; a
 
 A STATESMAN 69 
 
 man whose face was partially concealed with a band 
 age, pushing through the crowd, presented himself as 
 a subject for medical attention. 
 
 "Hello!" shouted Ginger, "what is your jaw tied 
 up for? It is the custom in this blessed country to let 
 the jaw loose to give it full play. Allow me to 
 remove the bandage there. Now, what s your name,, 
 my man?" 
 
 "Pigstaff, Jacob Pigstaff. sir." 
 
 "Ah, you come of a prolific family, Pigstaff, you 
 are born in droves when young, pig ; later the prop 
 of your parents, hence, staff. Now Pigstaff open your 
 mouth and let me see what you had for dinner a 
 little wider, Pigstaff never fear, I shall not crawl in. 
 Ah ! an ulcerated grinder, a quack w.ould pull it ; I 
 shall not. It took nature twenty years to make it, and 
 was intended to last through life. Is it of the jumping 
 kind, Pigstaff?" 
 
 "Very jumpin , sir." 
 
 "I thought so; the cheek is swollen. It is as well 
 developed as a politician s, Pigstaff. I have known 
 cases of cheek no worse than this to carry men to 
 Congress. But never fear. Pigstaff. I shall save you. 
 Now let me put just one drop of the great American 
 Ache Annihilator on your tongue. It will not do to 
 waste the medicine, for it is precious. Hold the liquid 
 in your mouth and allow it to mingle with the saliva. 
 Fellow citizens, the teeth of thousands of people young 
 and old have been saved by the timely application of 
 this remedy. It not only quiets the nerve, soothes the 
 irritation, but hardens the bone and in time gives to 
 it the whiteness of ivory. No cure, no pay. is my mot 
 to. I despise a humbug and abhor a quack. Swallow 
 the fluid Picrstaff and tell us how vou feel."
 
 70 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "Well," responded the patient. 
 
 Does the tooth ache at all are there any throb- 
 bings at the root any sensations of pain whatever? 
 
 Not as I feels, sir/ 
 
 "Not as PigstafT feels, gentlemen. If there were 
 any, Pigstaft" would be more likely to feel them than 
 anybody else. Are you satisfied, Pigstaff?" 
 
 "I am, sir." 
 
 "Well, then, depart in peace. Now, gentlemen 
 and ladies, if you desire to buy, do so at once, or I 
 shall discontinue the sale. I have already spent time 
 enough to sell a hundred bottles thank you two 
 bottles for one dollar; will you take twor That s 
 right that s sensible. They will last your family for 
 years, and save the expenditure of a hundred dollars 
 to dentists." And thus Dr. Ginger continued until he 
 had disposed of all the phials filled by Mustard at the 
 creek. 
 
 At eight o clock in the evening Dr. Ginger deliv 
 ered an eloquent and amusing speech from the balcony 
 of the village hotel in support of the issues presented 
 by the Greenback party, and at ten o clock was so hope 
 lessly and helplessly intoxicated that Mustard found it 
 necessary to obtain assistance to carry him to a bed. 
 
 Mr. Travis had been sitting in the office of the 
 Bearwood hotel enjoying an after dinner cigar, while 
 Dr. Ginger was delivering his eloquent appeal in favor 
 of the unlimited issue of paper money, and it occurred 
 to him that the orator could be made useful in the 
 Cranberry district. The Greenback party was neither 
 a large nor compact body, but in almost every voting 
 precinct a few members of it could be found, enough.
 
 A STATESMAN 71 
 
 in brief, to render their action of considerable import 
 ance in a close election. 
 
 Not desiring to negotiate with Ginger directly, 
 Mr. Travis authorized a professional friend whom he 
 had been assisting in a law case, to attend to the mat 
 ter, and himself departed for home on the midnight 
 train. 
 
 When this friend sought Dr. Ginger the next 
 morning, he found him duly sober and ready to en 
 gage in the work proposed providing Mustard were 
 employed also. As the condition suggested had not 
 been anticipated by Mr. Travis, a telegram was sent 
 to that gentleman and negotiations suspended until he 
 should be heard from. 
 
 Whatever there may be to be said against Dr. 
 Ginger, it must at least be admitted that he was loyal 
 to his friend. The tie uniting the two men it would 
 probably be difficult to ascertain. The one was edu 
 cated, bright and full of humor ; the other dull, reticent 
 and at times morose. It may have been this diversity of 
 talent and temperament which rendered association 
 mutually agreeable ; possibly the less versatile Mustard 
 possessed the steadier nerve and cooler judgment 
 which in all practical affairs made him the better and 
 safer man. It is possible, also, that Ginger had been 
 frequently indebted to his equally idle, but more pru 
 dent companion, for acts of rough personal kindness. 
 It may be reasonably conjectured also, that by using 
 Ginger when he was sober and caring for him when 
 drunk, Mustard was enabled to obtain the money 
 needed to keep body and soul together more easily 
 than he could otherwise have done by any such indi 
 vidual effort as he was at all inclined to put forth. 
 But let all this be as it mav, the two men were firm
 
 72 UNCLE PETEE SKED 
 
 in their determination to remain together, and Mr. 
 Travis, finding he could not secure the services of one 
 without retaining the other, reluctantly concluded to 
 employ both. 
 
 After the terms had been fully agreed upon, the 
 tramps were supplied with respectable but not ex 
 pensive apparel, and sent to Mr. Travis town. 
 
 On the morning succeeding their arrival in Cran 
 berry, those, prompted by curiosity or otherwise, to 
 inspect the register of the village hotel, found in 
 scribed thereon in the flowing and legible hand of Dr. 
 Ginger the names of Colonel Arthur Albright and Mr. 
 Charles Winship. Ginger was simply the professional 
 appellation of the former, and Mustard and Pigstaff 
 two of numerous aliases under which the latter had 
 been cured a hundred times for the glorification of the 
 ache annihilator, and the profit of its vendors. 
 
 Before the bell rang for supper half the people of 
 the village had ascertained that two gentlemen of great 
 distinction were domiciled at the Cranberry hotel, 
 and before the evening was far spent it was noised 
 abroad that they had come to work in the interest of 
 the Greenback party, and that one of them, namely 
 Colonel Arthur Albright, was especially severe in his 
 denunciations of corporations, bond-holders, and what 
 he termed the money power. 
 
 While the Colonel did not hesitate to affirm that 
 both the old parties had been false to their promises, 
 and unmindful of the people, he felt called upon as an 
 honest citizen, to condemn with emphatic bitterness that 
 party of organized robbers and confederated tyrants 
 which had placed the detestable Alexander Hamilton 
 Popper in nomination for Congress. What the coun 
 try needed above all things in this period of business
 
 A STATESMAN 73 
 
 depression, was more money. How in the name of 
 common sense could the affairs of a great nation be 
 carried on successfully upon the present volume of 
 currency? Did anybody ever have too much money? 
 No, the idea that there could be too much was pre 
 posterous. Congress should authorize the issue of a 
 thousand million at its next session, and keep issuing. 
 Then factories would start ; furnaces would blaze ; 
 farm products would command reasonable prices. Then 
 money shavers would not be gathering in ten per cent. 
 Merchants would not be forced into bankruptcy ; hon 
 est farmers would not be sold out by the sheriff; the 
 rich would not be getting richer, and the poor poorer. 
 But if men like Popper were elected, times would grow 
 harder, wages lower and lower, until the wolf would 
 be at every laboring man s door, and the wealth of the 
 whole country seized by purse proud aristocrats. Are 
 the people ready for this? // not, vote against Popper. 
 
 The Colonel did not assume to know anything 
 definitely about Mr. Travis ; he had been told, however, 
 that he was an able lawyer and an honest man, and 
 that he favored an expansion of the currency. If all 
 this were true, he was infinitely preferable to Popper, 
 who held that money might become too abundant. Too 
 abundant ! Are any of you afraid of getting too 
 much? Have any of you got too much? If so, divide 
 with your neighbor; pay off the mortgage on some 
 poor man s house. Give some laboring man a holiday. 
 Nonsense ! There can not be too much money. 
 
 Colonel Albright s short exhortation in the office 
 of the hotel was pretty generally approved by those 
 who heard it. Mr. Calhoun Jones, growing enthusi 
 astic, declared with profane emphasis that the argu 
 ment was unanswerable. Our venerable friend, Dea-
 
 74 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 con Gum, however, derived no pleasure from either 
 the Colonel s speech or presence. He felt that he 
 could not maintain himself creditably in a discussion 
 with so ready and eloquent an opponent, and yet to 
 sit quietly by and allow the utterances of a Green- 
 backer to go unchallenged might subject him to the 
 charge of cowardice. His reputation as a leader de 
 manded that he should at least demonstrate his ca 
 pacity for leadership on this occasion by making prom 
 inent the principles of his own party. When intro 
 duced to the Colonel by the officious Jones, he there 
 fore said : 
 
 "I am glad to make your acquaintance, sir, and 
 hope to know you better. I trust you w 7 ill pardon me 
 for suggesting that in your discourse you have over 
 looked the most important issue, and the only one at all 
 worthy of the consideration of a Christian people. I 
 trust you will pardon me if I tell you 
 
 "Certainly, certainly. Deacon Gum," said the Col 
 onel interrupting him, "certainly, my dear Deacon. 
 This is a free country, sir, the land of free speech and 
 free men." Thrusting his thumbs in the arm holes 
 of his waist coat, the Colonel continued in a tone which 
 utterly overwhelmed Ebenezer s piping voice. "Sir, I 
 am pleased to meet a gentleman w r ho stands up for 
 his own convictions until by argument he is con 
 vinced they are unfounded. No, no, Brother Gum, 
 satisfy me you are right and I shall follow you. I am 
 neither too proud nor too obstinate to listen to the 
 truth and be guided by it. I conclude, my dear sir, 
 that you are a supporter of the detestable Popper, that 
 you would contract the currency ; that you would make 
 it impossible for a poor man to live. Sir, I take it you 
 believe in protecting corporations, bondholders, capital-
 
 A STATESMAN 75 
 
 ists the strong. Fellow citizens, it is the poor and 
 weak who need protection. My dear Deacon, of all 
 the parties on this green earth the one to which you 
 belong " 
 
 "Hold on, sir," screamed Ebenezer in desperation. 
 
 is the most corrupt. It has its viselike and 
 
 cruel clutch on the throat of the poor. It is sweeping 
 
 American vessels from the high seas. It is paralyzing 
 
 all the diversified industries of a free people. It is 
 
 "I am not a Republican," shouted Gum at the top 
 of his voice. 
 
 "Pardon me, Brother Gum," Albright continued 
 in a still higher tone, "I am rejoiced to hear you say 
 so. It affords me great satisfaction to know that if 
 not an honest Greenbacker you are at least an intelli 
 gent Democrat, and I therefore, extend to you the 
 
 right hand of " 
 
 "I am not, I am not," screamed Gum, "I am 
 not 
 
 Ah ! my dear friend," continued the Colonel with 
 swelling voice, I see, I see ; you belong to Victoria 
 Woodhull s party. There s much in it ; she is a great 
 and good woman and a born leader. I can understand 
 and appreciate, my worthy sir, the knightly sentiment 
 which prompts you to rally to her standard. Your ac 
 tion does credit to your heart, though it may, in the 
 judgment of the great mass, be disparaging to your 
 intellect : but if the heart be right it matters little if 
 the head be wrong. The motive is the test by which 
 men should be judged. Ah ! that lovely woman ; she 
 is the Joan D Arc of politics. Sir, at any other crisis 
 in the affairs of the Republic, I should join you and 
 follow her, but until the country is supplied with a 
 currency adequate to the demands of trade and poor
 
 76 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 men s rights are recognized. I shall stand by the green 
 back party, and yet I confess, my dear sir, the tempta 
 tion to enlist under the banner of Victoria is almost ir 
 resistible." 
 
 Gum was intellectually overwhelmed ; the Col 
 onel roared at him with the lungs of Stentor. Neigh 
 bors were laughing heartily at his discomfiture. He 
 stood no more chance of making himself heard than a 
 penny whistle amid the clamor of a foghorn. Unable 
 to endure his humiliation longer, he turned on his heel 
 abruptly and left the room. Then the Colonel s ad 
 mirers sent up a loud shout of victory, and the next 
 day it was known all over the town of Cranberry that 
 the Deacon had been completely pulverized in argu 
 ment by the gallant Colonel. Thus it happened that 
 within forty-eight hours after Albright s arrival, his 
 name was on everybody s tongue, and many people 
 were of the opinion that he was a greater statesman 
 even than Mr. Travis.
 
 VII 
 
 LILIAN MOORE 
 
 WHILE the young men of Cranberry gave Col 
 onel Albright credit for great ability, and were 
 pleased to associate with him, or receive even a nod 
 in way of recognition as they passed him on the street, 
 the young ladies of the town were looking modestly 
 out of the corners of their bright eyes to catch a 
 glimpse of the distinguished young statesman, and 
 speculating as to whether he were still uncaptured, and 
 hence a lawful prize for any one of them to seize upon 
 and appropriate to domestic uses. When, therefore, on 
 the pleasant Sabbath which succeeded his arrival, he 
 lighted a cigar and left the hotel for a morning walk, 
 it was generally known that he was abroad and many 
 curtains were cautiously drawn aside by fair hands to 
 enable marriageable heads to observe him as he passed, 
 and form a hasty estimate of his true value as a lover 
 and a family man. There were, doubtless, some 
 sparkling eyes and fluttering hearts, for Colonel Al 
 bright was a straight stout handsome fellow whose 
 head was in the air, and stride easy and graceful. 
 
 Turning to the right at the first crossing he pro 
 ceeded leisurely along an avenue flanked on eithe^r 
 hand by tasteful cottages until he reached the bridge 
 which spans a little river ; here he stopped and, leaning 
 against the wooden railing, looked down upon the 
 rippling current apparently absorbed in his own reflec 
 tions. Tt is possible he was thinking soberly of wasted 
 
 (77)
 
 78 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 opportunities and resolving that he would make an 
 other effort for a better life. Xo persons so think and 
 resolve oftener than those whose thinking leads to no 
 good results, and whose resolutions melt away under 
 the fire of the first temptation. 
 
 Whatever the tendency of the Colonel s medita 
 tions may have been at first, it is quite certain they 
 soon became quite cheerful, for he whistled the air of a 
 lively song and then sang the words of it. The river 
 marked the eastern boundary of the village, and be 
 yond it was a narrow strip of bottom land on which 
 sheep were grazing; still further away in the same 
 direction were the higher grounds, with here and 
 there a farm house visible. The Colonel finally turned 
 to resume his walk and as he did so, found himself 
 face to face with a young girl who carried a hymn 
 book, and was evidently on her way to attend morning 
 service. It may have been the quick blush mantling 
 her face, or the cluster of fragrant rose buds at her 
 throat, or the bright ribbons of her bonnet, or the deli 
 cate texture and tasteful fashion of her dress, which 
 smote the Colonel s heart, confused his intellect, and 
 made him forget his song, and for a moment, his sur 
 roundings, and even himself. It is quite certain, at any 
 rate, that some one of these things, or all combined, 
 had flashed upon him like a revelation and temporarily 
 disturbed his mental equipoise. When the girl had 
 passed quickly on toward the town and he finally re 
 covered his five senses or so many of them as had been 
 for the time lost or paralyzed, he reconsidered his reso 
 lution to explore the country beyond the river, and 
 turning, followed her back to the village. 
 
 As they approached the church the throng of 
 people all going in the same direction, became greater,
 
 LILIAN MORE 79 
 
 and taking advantage of this he was enabled to get 
 quite near her, so near indeed, that they entered the 
 vestibule together ; but here she left him, and turning 
 to the right ascended the stairway leading to the gal 
 lery of the choir. 
 
 For the first time in many years the Colonel found 
 himself inside a house of worship. Taking a seat well 
 forward and next to the wall, he sat quite erect with 
 his face to the front for a few minutes, then turning 
 suddenly to the gallery he saw the eyes of the woman 
 of his heart fall quickly on the book before her, as if 
 having permitted her thoughts to wander for a mo 
 ment from her religious duties, she sought to get back 
 to them as soon as possible. She was a lovely girl and 
 the Colonel s active brain was busy building castles of 
 which she either was or was to be the sole female 
 tenant, or perhaps it would be safer to say the chief 
 one. for it would be an inconsiderable castle, indeed, 
 where ladies maids, housekeepers and cooks could not 
 be introduced to badger the mistress, and keep her 
 duly alive to the fact that there was a better world 
 for which she should not fail to make timely prep 
 aration. 
 
 The church was filling rapidly. Two well dressed 
 young ladies and an elderly gentleman entered the 
 pew, which the Colonel in part occupied, with so little 
 ceremony as to suggest that it was intended for their 
 exclusive use. A few minutes later a large ruddy- 
 faced farmer stopped at the door of the seat imme 
 diately in front, while the members of his family filed 
 into it in proper order. This was our friend Dundren 
 with his wife and children and Gertrude Frazier. The 
 Dundren pew being too small to accommodate com 
 fortably all who sought admission to it, the elderly
 
 80 UNCLE PETEK BKED 
 
 gentleman invited the farmer to accept a seat with 
 him, and this necessitated a shifting of the two young 
 ladies to the right and so completely filled the space 
 that the Colonel found it impossible to turn sufficiently 
 to continue his observations of the gallery. 
 
 When the congregation rose to sing, the lady who 
 stood by the Colonel s side, kindly offered him the 
 use of one-half of her hymn book, a courtesy politely 
 recognized and accepted. 
 
 The Colonel s character, as has been suggested, 
 had its defects, but his voice had none. It was full of 
 power, majesty and sweetness, and could rise and 
 swell and ring out like the chimes of a cathedral, and 
 then fall and soften and die away to the whispering 
 murmurs of a harp. The choir might have sung that 
 day as sweetly as it ever did before, but there was but 
 one voice recognized, and when, at the conclusion of 
 the service, the congregation filed out of the church, 
 there was but one mentioned approvingly, and that was 
 the voice of Colonel Albright, the great leader of the 
 Greenback party. 
 
 The Colonel was in no haste to abandon the scene, 
 of his triumph, and therefore lingered until the aisles 
 ceased to be crowded by the outgoing congregation. 
 When he left the church the people were in groups on 
 the lawn exchanging friendly greetings, and as he was 
 proceeding leisurely to the street, Mr. Travis called to 
 him. 
 
 "Colonel Albright," said the lawyer, "allow me to 
 introduce you to Mr. Dundren." 
 
 The two gentlemen shook hands, but before they 
 had time to engage in conversation, Mrs. Dundren and 
 the girl whom the Colonel had met at the bridge came 
 up and were presented to him.
 
 LILIAN MORE 81 
 
 Mr. Travis had attached himself to Dundren on 
 this occasion for the purpose of getting an opportunity 
 to pay his respects to Gertrude Frazier. During the 
 past two or three weeks he had been too much occupied 
 by his political engagements to give proper attention 
 to his social duties, and he now desired to assure her 
 of this fact. He had perhaps no good reason for think 
 ing she cared particularly whether he were present or 
 absent ; still she was an unmarried woman of good 
 estate, who was not at all likely to go through life 
 alone, and he knew of no one within the circle of their 
 acquaintance who, in respect to wealth and distinction, 
 was more likely to be acceptable to. her than himself. 
 Indeed, there were, so far as he could ascertain, no 
 rivals in the field against him. Women at Gertrude s 
 age are never demonstrative ; they have the good sense 
 to deport themselves like rational beings until a pro 
 position is made, and then accept it without any ridic 
 ulous display of emotion. Passion is riotous, solicitous 
 and indelicate ; but love dignified, retiring, serene and 
 reticent. He could not doubt that she would have the 
 good sense to accept him, and he had concluded there 
 would be no better time to make the offer than on the 
 day succeeding his election. In the meantime she must 
 not be permitted to attribute his prolonged absence 
 during the campaign to any diminution of his regard 
 for her. 
 
 He knew of Gertrude s engagement to Robert 
 Brett, but that was an affair of ten years ago, and 
 might be attributed to the indiscretion of youth. She 
 had probably forgotten her old lover. He had cer 
 tainly not been heard from since his departure, and 
 would probably never be again. People of the neigh- 
 
 6
 
 82 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 borhood in which he once lived had about ceased to 
 speak of him. His sudden disappearance was, in Mr. 
 Travis opinion, very fortunate for Gertrude. She had 
 probably long since made this discovery herself, and 
 would doubtless now be pleased to form an alliance 
 with one of equal wealth and congenial tastes. 
 
 The courtships of those advanced beyond the first 
 strong impulses of youth are generally conducted with 
 great deliberation. The boy of twenty and girl of sev 
 enteen reach a conclusion in six months, which the 
 older couple may not arrive at in six years, and possi 
 bly not in sixteen. The latter have lived long enough 
 to know that happiness does not always follow wedlock 
 and they are therefore in no special haste. 
 
 Colonel Albright, through Mr. Travis introduc 
 tion, ascertained that the name of the red cheeked 
 maiden whom he had met at the bridge was Lilian 
 More, and subsequently learned that her widowed 
 mother owned the handsome farm which lay just be- 
 vond the river. As he returned leisurely to the hotel 
 it occurred to him that he had an interest in widow 
 More s farm, and should at least make an effort to 
 perfect his title to it. He was now on confidential re 
 lations with the candidate for Congress, on speaking 
 terms with half the voters of the village, and known 
 by reputation to all of them. It would therefore, be 
 strange indeed if he should not be able to reach through 
 this young girl s heart one of those soft places in life, 
 which, according to his theory, belonged as rightfully 
 to him as to anybody. 
 
 Strangers seen in the company of reputable peo 
 ple are, in villages and country neighborhoods at least, 
 usually considered worthy of all confidence, and hence 
 find little difficulty in obtaining admission to almost any
 
 LILIAN MOKE 83 
 
 household. While Albright could probably not have 
 gone alone to widow More s and secured an interview 
 with the daughter, it was nevertheless easy enough on 
 this pleasant Sunday to induce Mr. Calhoun Jones to 
 join him in an after dinner stroll, and \vhen they had 
 crossed the river and ascended the hill beyond, to ask 
 if he knew who lived in the handsome cottage they 
 were approaching. Mr. Jones, of course, was well ac 
 quainted with the family, and would be pleased to call 
 and introduce the Colonel, an act which any respecta 
 ble villager might feel free to do, at any seasonable 
 hour, for rural communities are not restrained in this 
 regard by any formal and rigid code. 
 
 With true country cordiality the widow invited 
 the young men to seats under a spreading maple, and 
 requested Lilian to obtain a plate of apples for their 
 refreshment. 
 
 "Lilly," she called out as the daughter was hurry 
 ing away, "be sure and get golden pippins, for they are 
 mello\ver now than any others and Lilly, the mother 
 continued, as a new thought occurred to her, "fetch a 
 bottle of cider, my dear, and then run to the cupboard 
 and get a few doughnuts. The gentlemen must be 
 hungry after their long walk." 
 
 "Xot at all : not in the least, madam ; don t put 
 yourself or your daughter to any trouble, I beg of 
 you," said the Colonel. "It is a delightful walk from 
 the village to your place, madam. Yon have the ad 
 vantage of both country and town ; you are admirably 
 situated." 
 
 Lilian soon re-appeared bearing a basket from 
 which she took apples, cider and a tray heaped with 
 twisted brown cakes, and placed them on a bench be 
 side the visitors.
 
 84 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "I think you ll find the cider very good," said the 
 widow, as she proceeded to fill the two glasses Lilian 
 had been thoughtful enough to bring, "I got the recipe 
 for preserving it from Massachusetts. My husband 
 used to say it was the best in the whole country. Help 
 yourselves, gentlemen. Here, Mr. Jones, you must try 
 the cider, and Colonel, I want your opinion of it." 
 
 "It is excellent, madam," exclaimed the Colonel, 
 when he had put it to his lips, "I never tasted better in 
 my life. Rich, creamy, and such a splendid flavor. I 
 rarely take champaign, but I certainly never partook 
 of any so agreeable to my taste as this. Mr. Jones, 
 don t you call it very good ?" 
 
 "I do/ replied Jones ; "Mrs. More is famous 
 throughout Cranberry County for the excellence of her 
 cider. There can be no better." 
 
 "Doughnuts and cider go well together ; take a 
 doughnut, Colonel. Mr. Jones help yourself," said the 
 widow, "I know you must be hungry. Lilly is always 
 hungry as a wolf when she walks home from town." 
 
 "I don t wonder in the least," said the Colonel, 
 
 looking up at the blushing girl ; "I should be both hun- 
 
 .gry and thirsty so long as these cakes and this cider 
 
 were within reach. I fear I should be eating and 
 
 drinking all the time, madam." 
 
 Lilian s cheeks were glowing. Here was the dis 
 tinguished and handsome gentleman who had almost 
 run over her at the bridge ; who had followed her to 
 church, who had sung so delightfully, who had been 
 introduced to her by the great Mr. Travis, and who 
 was evidently the Prince for whose coming she had 
 secretly looked and longed. Her little heart thumped 
 wildly, her eyelashes were drooping, and she trembled 
 slightly. The thought came into her young head that
 
 LILIAN MOKE 85 
 
 doughnuts, cider and rough country entertainment 
 might not be quite good enough for his royal highness, 
 still she hoped from the bottom of her heart he would 
 so far condescend as to enjoy them. What might he 
 think of her? What a pity it was she had not on the 
 nice lace collar and lovely brooch her mother had given 
 her on her seventeenth birthday, not yet a month gone, 
 lie would surely think her awkward, and may be her 
 hair was in disorder and she looking like a fright; but 
 bow easy and self-possessed he was ! 
 
 In less than fifteen minutes the Colonel was as 
 well acquainted with the simple-hearted widow as if 
 he had known her always. In half an hour he was ad 
 dressing the handsome daughter as Lilian, and they 
 were singing a hymn together much to the delight of 
 the mother, and the apparent satisfaction of Mr. Jones. 
 In less than an hour after his arrival he had obtained 
 permission to escort the daughter to church in the 
 evening. 
 
 Ah ! what an elegant and accomplished gentleman 
 he was, and how much superior to Jack Wharton, who 
 would come sauntering down the road on summer 
 afternoons casting sheep s eyes over the fence at Lilian, 
 but too bashful to speak out plnmply and tell what he 
 meant by such foolishness. Jack would be dazed when 
 he saw her going to church in the gray of the evening 
 leaning confidingly on the arm of the Prince. But she 
 could not help it ; Jack might be a good fellow enough 
 in his way, but he lacked blood and culture. In brief, 
 he was not a prince. He was simply the over-grown, 
 awkward son of a well to do farmer who would be 
 pleased to have the line fence between the Wharton 
 and More farms abolished by the marriage of Jack and 
 Lilian, so the youngsters might have the run of six
 
 86 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 hundred and forty acres together instead of being re 
 stricted to three hundred and twenty each. But now 
 that the Prince had come the division fence was not 
 only likely to be renewed many times but to be built 
 several rails higher than it had ever been, and then 
 staked and ridered, so a two-year old colt could not 
 touch the top of it with his nose. 
 
 It may seem incredible to some few persons of 
 antiquated ways and exclusive dispositions, that the 
 Colonel should have succeeded in his purpose thus far 
 so easily, but it is nevertheless true. There are few if 
 any guards thrown about young girls in country and 
 village or even city. Their own inclinations are, as a 
 rule, their only guide. Fathers and mothers rarely stop 
 to scrutinize closely a well dressed young man who 
 comes to them in fairly good company. If the father 
 were buying a horse he would be careful to ascertain 
 its pedigree and to know the animal was neither vicious 
 in temper nor defective in limb. If the mother were 
 selecting cloth for a garment, she would inquire par 
 ticularly as to the reliability of its color and durability 
 of its fibre ; but when a young man comes to bear the 
 daughter company in her own home, or in her walks 
 and drives, no care is exercised and no advice given. 
 In the selection of a husband she is allowed greater 
 freedom than would be accorded to her in the purchase 
 of a dress, or in the transaction of any other business, 
 however trivial and unimportant.
 
 VIII 
 
 SQUIRE JABEZ WHARTON 
 
 LATE in the afternoon of this pleasant Sabbath, a 
 tall, awkward country bred youth, attired in his 
 Sunday clothes, was standing on the bridge with 
 his back against its railing, and his head bowed in deep 
 meditation. It \vas Jack Wharton. He thought pos 
 sibly Lilian would venture out to the evening service 
 alone, and that he might join her at this point. He had 
 known her from childhood and at one time felt easy and 
 unembarrassed in her presence ; but within the past 
 year or two she had taken on very quickly the appear 
 ance and manners of a handsome young lady, and was 
 in fact so bewitching, and seemed so absolutely per 
 fect that Jack was puzzled to account for the sudden 
 change, and fearful she had grown altogether beyond 
 his reach. He did not dare to go boldly to her mother s 
 house, for this* would have disclosed the bashful fel 
 low s purpose, and might have been met by a rebuff 
 humiliating to him and the subject of amusement to 
 others. To avoid the dangers incident to a direct at 
 tack, he had therefore, concluded if possible to meet 
 Lilian as if by accident, and in the conversation which 
 would naturally follow, endeavor as cunningly as pos 
 sible to draw 7 from her in words or hints, permission 
 to attend her to church, and then escort her home. 
 While Jack was thinking the matter over and watching 
 eagerly for a silver gray dress trimmed with bright 
 ribbons to appear on the brow of the hill to the east 
 
 (87)
 
 88 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 of him, he heard the steps of one coming from the op 
 posite direction, and turning his head saw a gentleman 
 approaching who was evidently satisfied with himself 
 and fairly content with the world at large. 
 
 "Hello, my man," the stranger exclaimed when 
 he reached the bridge, "I can guess your thoughts; 
 your face is like an open book to me." 
 
 "Sir?" stammered Jack, blushing to the roots of 
 his hair. 
 
 "My good fellow," continued the stranger as he 
 paused for a moment to look down on the river, "you 
 have been reminded by the running water, of the 
 stream of life which never ceases in its flow. Now 
 creeping on amid mud and moss and quicksands, now 
 dashing against rocks, now leaping over precipices, 
 then broadening and deepening and pouring out its 
 waters into the boundless and fathomless sea. Such 
 reflections will do you no harm, sir. Good evening." 
 
 "Good evening, sir," responded Jack respectfully. 
 
 His eyes followed the stranger up the hill, and 
 when he saw him enter Mrs. More s gate he would 
 have given a fine Durham calf to know who the elo 
 quent gentleman was, and just why he called at the 
 home of Lilian. Had a new preacher come to town? 
 He talked very much like a clergyman ; his voice was 
 strong and solemn, and his theme a sober one. Jack 
 had heard the stream of life touched upon before, and 
 never, he thought, more impressively. Had Mrs. More 
 any rich kinfolks that might come to visit her? Not 
 that Jack knew of. He had lived neighbor to the 
 Mores all his life for twenty years, in fact, and 
 never heard them speak of rich relations, a matter peo 
 ple rarely fail to mention if they can do so truthfully. 
 
 While Jack was puzzling his brain over this
 
 SQUIRE JABEZ WHARTON 89 
 
 stranger, and his mysterious mission to widow More s, 
 he saw him and Lilian descending the hill together, 
 and then the young man s heart quaked and his knees 
 trembled, for he knew at once the gentleman was from 
 some far city, and had found out how beautiful Lilian 
 was, and had come perhaps a thousand miles to marry 
 her. Jack did not care what personal misfortunes be 
 fell hyn now. If the war were not ended, he would go 
 into the army to-morrow, and if possible get killed in 
 the first battle. Perhaps after he was dead she would 
 think of the boy with whom she used to romp as if she 
 were the commonest kind of a girl and not at all proud 
 and thoughtful of her looks, but well, he must get 
 away for they were now crossing the little stretch of 
 bottom ground which lay between the hill and river. 
 Going hastily to the village end of the bridge he 
 jumped from it to the pebbly margin below and walked 
 down the stream until it turned westward round a point 
 of elevated ground where as he could not be seen from 
 the road, he threw himself on the green sward to con 
 sider further whether he might not just as well be dead 
 as alive. 
 
 It required a longer time to discuss this question 
 than might be supposed by those who have never given 
 it special attention, and before the controversy ended 
 the crimson faded from the western sky ; one by one 
 the stars came out ; the sound of the rippling water 
 became more distinct ; the scattered trees in the fields 
 and on the river bank grew to be shadows. Then the 
 east began to brighten, and the moon pushed a silvery 
 thread above the horizon which grew until a burnished 
 shield seemed to stand upright on the land. Then as 
 full rounded it crept slowly up the sky, the stars waxed 
 dim around it ; a soft light fell on the fields and bright-
 
 90 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 ened the little river, and mingled with shadows of tree 
 and shrub. Jack finally awoke to this more cheerful 
 change in the scene around him, and began to have 
 some dim perception of the vastness of the universe, 
 and the grandeur and beauty of it, and of the littleness 
 of himself, and the insignificance of his own griefs. 
 Springing to his feet he said, solemnly, he would be a 
 man henceforth, and not nurse his troubles. There 
 were as good fish in the sea as any that had been 
 caught, and with this homely and wholesome maxim 
 stirring in his brain, but a heaviness still pressing on 
 his heart, he followed the winding river back to the 
 bridge, and was about to climb up into the roadway 
 when his ear caught the sound of voices. Still not 
 wishing to be seen by Lilian and the stranger, and quite 
 sure the voices he heard were theirs, he stepped into 
 the shadow of a stone abutment to remain until they 
 should pass by. 
 
 Lilian s companion was in no haste. Under the 
 mellow light of a full moon, widow More s bottom 
 land, sloping fields and cottage, further up, looked like 
 a paradise, while Lilian herself was an houri, or what 
 ever else it is which men deem a fit occupant of such 
 a place. He therefore, stopped when he reached the 
 center of the bridge to enjoy the beauty of the moon 
 lit scene, and possibly to spend a half hour in delicious 
 communion with the girl herself whose innocence and 
 beauty had by this time won upon him almost as much 
 as the broadness and value of her mother s acres, and 
 the comfort and unostentatious elegance of her house. 
 
 "My dearest Lilian Jack heard the stranger 
 say in tender tones. 
 
 "You must not speak to me any more in that
 
 SQUIRE JABEZ WHARTON 91 
 
 way," said the girl quickly, with tremulous voice ; "we 
 have known each other but a day. Let us walk on." 
 
 Lilian was trembling with excitement, yet feeling 
 greatly flattered by the Colonel s avowal of his love. 
 There was, however, something in his manner and 
 plainness of speech which seemed to her unnatural and 
 indelicate, if not wholly wrong. The instincts of true 
 womanhood were strong within her, and the tender 
 words which had fallen on her ears so frequently to 
 night, though sincere enough perhaps, were not in 
 harmony with her notions of propriety. There might 
 be such a thing as love at first sight indeed of this 
 there could be no question, but it seemed to her this 
 love all love in fact was shy, silent and retiring ; 
 feeling its way modestly with looks, half words, hints, 
 whisperings, and inferences, and not obtrusively, with 
 bold strides and high sounding sentences. And yet he 
 must be right certainly more likely to be right than 
 an inexperienced girl, for was not he a wise and hand- 
 some gentleman who had, doubtless, moved in the best 
 society, and therefore, familiar with all its habits, and 
 observant of them? 
 
 "Dearest," the Colonel replied, as he took the 
 girl s hand in his own, "it is not late; let us not be in 
 haste. There never was a more beautiful night than 
 this, and never a lovelier woman to look upon it than 
 you. This is one of the precious and delightful mo 
 ments which come so rarely in life we can not afford 
 to turn our backs upon them. To do so would be shut 
 ting our eyes to the glories of nature and flying from 
 the good things created for our enjoyment. Indeed it 
 would be rejecting the overflowing goblet presented to 
 our lips by heaven itself. No, no, my darling, let us
 
 92 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 not be ungrateful. Let us accept nature s choicest 
 offerings with thanks and be happy while we may." 
 
 Her hands were lying passively in his ; her heart 
 throbbing as if it would break away, and her face 
 flushed to the color of a red rose. She tried to spe#k, 
 then staggered^forward as if resolved to go on in spite 
 of him, but some impulse drew her back and looking 
 up into his face she managed to articulate brokenly : 
 
 "It is still a long way ; let us go on." 
 
 "Only a step, my darling if it were twenty 
 miles, the distance would seem short. I trust you have 
 not grown weary of " 
 
 There was a heavy footfall on the village end of 
 the bridge now. The girl turned her face hurriedly in 
 that direction with an expression of relief upon it. The 
 next moment a rough voice called out : 
 
 "Good evenin ; a nice night ;" and then as the man 
 came nearer he exclaimed : 
 
 "Hey! Lilly, is t you, gal?" 
 
 "Colonel Albright, Squire Jabez Wharton," said 
 Lilian excitedly. 
 
 "Right glad to know ye, sir," said the Squire 
 heartily, as he reached out his big, hard right hand and 
 grasped the Colonel s. "Howdy-do, sir. How s all 
 your folks, sir?" 
 
 "Well, quite well, thank you," responded the Col 
 onel coolly. 
 
 "That s good ; nothing like health, sir. Stranger 
 in these parts, I reckon ; where d ye come from, sir. if 
 I may make so bold as to ast ?" 
 
 The Squire, a tall, gaunt, bony man, stood facing 
 the Colonel. The girl had fallen back a step and lean 
 ing against the railing of the bridge was apparently 
 looking at some distant object down the river.
 
 93 
 
 "I have been here but a few days," the Colonel 
 said abstractedly, endeavoring to devise some pretext 
 for getting rid of the Squire, who acted as if he in 
 tended, in neighborly fashion, to walk the remainder 
 of the way to Mrs. More s with them. "I trust I shall 
 see you again, my dear sir, and have an opportunity 
 to give you all the details of my personal history. At 
 this late hour it would be cruel to detain you from 
 your family for such a purpose. I wish you a pleas 
 ant good night, sir." 
 
 The Colonel bowed as if he were taking leave of 
 the Squire, but the latter not profiting by the hint, 
 drew a plug of tobacco from his pocket and biting off 
 a chew, said : 
 
 "If ye r goin on to Widder More s, I ll keep ye 
 company. It!s on my way ; I live at the house be 
 yond. Air ye a sellm of lightning rods in these parts, 
 sir? The men as sells em air generally smart, dressy 
 fellers, with a flowin gift of gab." 
 
 "No," replied the Colonel stiffly, but without mov 
 ing forward, "and if I were, I should not try to sell a 
 rod to you. 
 
 "Well now, that s kinder funny," said the Squire, 
 with a puzzled look ; most of them lightnin rod 
 fellers strike me fust. An ye would n t sell me one? 
 Why not, if I may make bold to ast?" 
 
 The Colonel now a little angry replied, with some 
 show of feeling : 
 
 My good sir, lightning will never hurt you. Your 
 head is as invulnerable as a cannon ball. You need 
 have no fear of lightning. Good-night, sir." 
 
 : Tis a good night," said the Squire, looking 
 about him observantly, "mighty nice. It s a dry moon,
 
 94 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 Colonel ; leastwise it was when new accordin to the 
 Injun sign, which I reckon is as good as any." 
 
 Lilian possessed a thorough understanding of 
 Squire Jabez Wharton s adhesive qualities, and possi 
 bly was not altogether displeased with the prospect of 
 having his company for the remainder of the way. 
 The Colonel had advanced with astonishing celerity to 
 a point ordinarily requiring years to reach. She feared 
 if again alone with him under the stimulating influence 
 of the moonlight, questions might be asked which she 
 was not at this time fully prepared to answer, and 
 pledges required which she was certainly on this night 
 not ready to give, and so she said as calmly as she 
 could : 
 
 "Colonel Albright, let us w>alk on with Squire 
 Wharton. I fear it may be getting late. 
 
 "Certainly, certainly. Miss More/ said the Col 
 onel, offering her his arm, "but I think it is still early. 
 Squire Wharton, my honored sir, let us move forward. 
 You are quite correct in affirming this is a lovely night. 
 1 conclude from your appreciation of it and your ap 
 pearance, sir. that you are of an ethereal and poetic 
 nature, and if called upon could sing a sentimental 
 song with such sweetness as to make the very dogs 
 howl with joy." 
 
 "No, I don t sing," said the Squire, as they 
 walked on together. "I could a larnt, but it peared to 
 me kind of triflin business fer a man, sort er wimens 
 work like, an I never tried. Ye r fine langwidge, 
 Colonel, minds me of a book agent air ye a book 
 agent, sir?" 
 
 "No, I have not yet attained to that honor. I may 
 by great industry reach it in time, but as yet I am 
 pursuing an humbler walk in life."
 
 SQUIRE JABEZ WHARTON 95 
 
 "Well, as I was bout to say. This book agent 
 come to my house a year ago last grass, with a uni- 
 varsial history. He was a pious chap, an talked pur- 
 ty, an tole me how valerable the book was, an how 
 useful in a family, an how we ought to have a uni- 
 varsial history so as whenever a furrin country was 
 spoke of we mought turn to it an see what sort of 
 people lived there, an what they d done an all that; 
 an he said as how the book d be valerable to Jack 
 who was growin up into a man, and mought be Presi 
 dent of these United States, may be, if we d give the 
 boy a fair shake; and so fer Jack s sake in part, an 
 to help a pious an worthy book agent in part, I 
 bought the book and paid him fer it, an put it on the 
 sittin room table, an give the man his dinner. Well 
 now ye ll be surprised to know that that air chap was 
 a blamed fraud a doggoned cheat. The next year 
 not morn a month ago, he come round agin, drat 
 him ! sellin of a book titled the Treasury of Historical 
 Facts, an as he was sort of a ole acquaintance, an 
 as I d got in the way of buyin books, havin bought 
 one already, an as he seemed to be a likely sort of a 
 man an ast a blessin at dinner, an talked about the 
 power of knowledge, an how much more valerable it 
 was than money, an how boys had got to be rich an 
 famous by knowin things, why I up an bought the 
 Treasury of Historical Facts, an paid him fer it, an 
 laid it on the sittin room table side of the Univarsial 
 History, an I ll be blowed if when Jack come home an 
 looked at the new book he didn t laugh fit to kill him 
 self. Thinkin that Jack was tickled because I bought 
 him a new book, an feelin purty good myself over 
 doin a good thing fer Jack, I says, says I, Jack, what 
 air ye laughing at, my boy? An says he, Because
 
 96 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 you ve been ail-firedly took in father, says he ; and 
 says I, growin purty hot, What s yer meanin? says 
 I. An says he, the old book an the new one is just 
 the same, says he, ceptin the title page, says he, The 
 Univarsal History and the Treasury of Historical 
 Facts is the same book, says Jack ; an then I says to 
 Jack, says I, that air book agent must be a durned, 
 doggoned fraud, says I. Well, sir, yer flowery lang- 
 widge an perlite ways made me think of him. an I 
 didn t know at fust but ye was the same individgel. 
 
 " Squire \Vharton, you are a flatterer. If I were 
 in the least vain you would spoil me ; but I am not. 
 Accept my thanks for this interesting incident of your 
 personal history, and be assured, sir, that I am proud 
 10 know a gentleman who has thus laid the founda 
 tion of an extensive and valuable library." 
 
 "I ll never buy a nuther book, never," said the 
 Squire emphatically. "But speaking of the book man 
 makes me think of a nuther durned rascal what come 
 tei my house not more n two months ago an wanted 
 me to sarve as gineral agent fer a patent hoss rake. 
 The rake, cordin to his tell \vould a most go itself 
 into the field, rake up the hay and carry it to the 
 stack. All t needed was a hoss an a small boy to go 
 long of it to see the work was done punctual an 
 regular. There was five dollars clean profit in a sellin 
 of each rake ; an the man calkerlated that at a low 
 calkerlation I could sell fifty if I was right lively at 
 the business, which he knowed by my gineral reputa 
 tion I would be. Well, the clean profit on fifty at a 
 gain of five dollars a piece would be two hundred an 
 fifty dollars you see, an I knowed sich a rake ud 
 go off like hot cakes of a cold mornin , an as I hadn t 
 to pay fer em till they was sold an the money cur-
 
 SQUIRE JABEZ WHARTON 97 
 
 lected, I took the gineral agency, an signed an order 
 on the head shop where the rakes was made. Now 
 what d ye think ? Guess if you can what sort of a dog- 
 goned trick that air blasted slick tongued chap played 
 onto me." 
 
 "My dear Squire, I cannot. The very sugges 
 tion that there was a trick in a transaction so open 
 and apparently fair has paralyzed my intellect; but if 
 in my enfeebled condition I were compelled to 
 answer your very pertinent inquiry, I should say 
 the fifty hoss rakes came marching up to your resi 
 dence in platoons, headed by a drum major and a brass 
 band, and you welcomed them with a speech, and 
 tapped a barrel of apple jack in honor of their arrival, 
 and then they all became exceedingly merry, and began 
 to kick around over the pasture fields and rake in the 
 horses, cows and sheep. Have I hit the mark?" 
 
 "Not by a long shot !" replied the Squire, em 
 phatically ; "that doggoned chap by some hocus pocus 
 changed the order fer fifty hoss rakes into a note fer 
 five hundred dollars, an then sold the note, an that air 
 note is over to the Cranberry Bank for curlection, but 
 I won t pay it. They re a passel of cheats. I ll see 
 the hull caboodle of em bank an all, in Halifax 
 fust." 
 
 Squire, Squire, this is strong language for a 
 Sabbath night." 
 
 "Ast ye r pardon, but it was a durnation swindle. 
 I only agreed to sarve as gineral agent for the hoss 
 rakes " 
 
 "You would have made them an able representa 
 tive, Squire. They would have had good reason to 
 be proud of you, my worthy sir."
 
 98 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "D ye think they can hold me on that air note ?" 
 
 "The hoss rakes?" 
 
 "No. them bank folks." 
 
 "If they felt as I do, sir, they would let you go 
 they would certainly not seek to hold \< u for an in 
 stant ; they would say, go my friend in peace." 
 
 "Well. I b lieve they ll have to when they know 
 the facts. But atween book agents, and lightnin rod 
 men, and sewin machine peddlers, and sellers of hoss 
 rakes, and Hebrew Jews with packs, an root and yarb 
 doctors, there s no more livin in this world w r ith any 
 satisfaction. It wasn t so when I was a boy ; people 
 was honest then. Ye never heard of swindlin in 
 them times. Ye didn t have to lock yer houses an 
 barns and cribs. But it ain t so any more. The hull 
 country is full of scamps. It was only yesterday week 
 that a durnation, slick-tongued yarb doctor come to my 
 house when I was ter work in the pertater patch, an 
 made Xancy Ann, my wife, b lieve a common bile 
 which she had on to the back of her neck was a can 
 cer an she paid him four dollars fer medicine to draw 
 it out by the roots. What s the durned country a 
 comin to any how? Ye can t tell who to trust; the 
 slickest and piousest fellers air the biggest scamps. 
 Xow. there was that air doggoned Hebrew Jew, from 
 Jerusalem " 
 
 They had by this time reached the brow of the hill, 
 and as the Colonel and Lilian were about to turn 
 from the road to enter Mrs. More s gate, the former, 
 stopping, shook hands cordially with Squire Whar- 
 ton. expressed the pleasure he felt at having made his 
 acquaintance, and bade him good-bye. 
 
 But the Squire was in no haste : he had not yet 
 fairly begun the story about the Hebrew Jew from
 
 SQUIKE JABEZ WHARTON 99 
 
 Jerusalem, and while he undoubtedly appreciated the 
 self-denying spirit of the Colonel which could consent 
 cheerfully to relinquish a great pleasure rather than 
 weary a friend at this late hour of the evening, he 
 did not propose to take advantage of it. And so walk 
 ing with him to the gate, he said : 
 
 "Go into the house, Lilly; the night air, if ye 
 stand in it is cold an mought give ye a cough, gal. I 
 want to tell the gentleman how that doggoned Hebrew 
 Jew from Jerusalem " 
 
 Lilian had not only heard the story many times, 
 but she was quite sure from her knowledge of the 
 Squire s staying qualities that he would not leave so 
 long as the Colonel remained ; she therefore, gladly 
 enough perhaps, turned to the latter, gave him her 
 hand for an instant, bade him good-night, and hurried 
 into the house. 
 
 "This Hebrew Jew, as I was goin to tell ye 
 bout," said the Squire, deliberately, as he leaned 
 against the fence and took a fresh chew of tobacco, 
 "this here durned Hebrew Jew 
 
 "Damn the Hebrew Jew," exclaimed the Colonel, 
 angrily, as the door closed behind Lilian. "Sir, do you 
 know have you the slightest conception of what a 
 bore is?" 
 
 "I hev the finest boar in Cranberry County, sir," 
 returned the Squire proudly, "a full blood Chester 
 white ; air ye interested in fine hogs ?" 
 
 "No damn fine hogs all hogs ; they annoy 
 me." 
 
 "The Chesters air gentle, but some breeds air 
 cross. Now there s Neighbor Jones black 
 
 "Squire Wharton, in bidding you a friendly 
 good-night, allow me to congratulate you, sir, on
 
 100 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 being a gentleman of greater boring capacity than 
 any other man it has ever been my good fortune to 
 meet. Your powers of adhesion and penetration are 
 simply marvelous. You should have been a pump- 
 maker, sir; you carry an adjustable augur which may 
 be used to drive a hole of any size and length desired. 
 Did you ever try your hand at pump-making, sir?" 
 
 No, but I ve often thought I could hev found 
 a easier business than farming; somethin that ud a 
 took less hard liftin an more head work ; but as I was 
 bout tellin of ye when ye ast, bout the hogs, that air 
 Hebrew Jew from Jerusalem 
 
 "May go to Jericho," said the Colonel, turning on 
 his heel and walking rapidly away. 
 
 The Squire with his back against the fence and 
 his hands in his pockets, stood watching the Colonel s 
 lessening figure until it reached the bottom of the 
 hill ; then with a feeling of surprise that any sensible 
 man should voluntarily turn away from so interesting 
 a story as he had to tell about the Jew, he started for 
 his own home.
 
 IX 
 
 BEN HOOD 
 
 IT was now the middle of September. The election 
 would occur on the second Tuesday of October ; 
 there was less than a month left in which to make 
 preparation for the final struggle at the polK Travis 
 and Popper were exceedingly busy and their respec 
 tive committees no less active. Political documents 
 were being distributed freely. Men were going from 
 house to house to ascertain the names of voters and 
 their party preferences. Lists of the doubtful and 
 undecided were being prepared with a view to bring 
 ing proper or improper influences to bear on them. 
 Mass meetings were held at the county seats, and 
 young lawyers who had few opportunities to display 
 their eloquence in the line of their profession were 
 driving to remote townships with the hope of winning 
 fame for themselves and votes for their candidates, by 
 addressing little audiences in school-houses. 
 
 The most active man, apparently, at this stage of 
 the canvass, was our esteemed fellow citizen, Deacon 
 Ebenezer Gum. He and his sleek, mouse-colored 
 mare were on the road almost constantly. The gen 
 eral public believed he was industriously engaged in 
 getting the moral and religious element in battle array 
 with a view 7 to making a tremendous assault upon the 
 strongholds of the ungodly. Mr. Travis thought he 
 was endeavoring to convince the Prohibitionists that 
 inasmuch as there was no possibility of electing a man 
 
 (101)
 
 102 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 of their own selection, it would be well to cast their 
 ballots for the Democratic candidate. Air. Popper, on 
 the other hand, had confidential assurances that the 
 reformers were pleased with his sober habits, and 
 temperate inclinations, and would give him their 
 hearty support. Deacon Gum s mouse-colored mare 
 knew as much with respect to the acts and intentions 
 of her master as either Travis, Popper, or the public. 
 Ebenezer did not care a copper farthing how the elec 
 tion resulted. It was his business to play between the 
 two candidates and if possible satisfy both. In doing 
 this, however, he must not neglect to cultivate the 
 members of his own party, and obtain dinners, horse 
 feeds, and lodgings without cost. In order to sub 
 serve the important ends suggested, the Deacon took 
 frequent counsel with brothers and sisters in respect 
 to the wickedness of the world and the measures re 
 quisite for its speedy regeneration. 
 
 To-day he was on the war-path, and the tail of 
 his sleek mare was turned toward Cranberry town. 
 After riding for an hour or two at a good round trot, 
 he entered a forest whose overshadowing lines stretch 
 ed for some distance along the road. It may be the 
 Deacon suspected his foes had prepared an ambus 
 cade for him in this secluded spot, and it may be he 
 thought there were wild beasts in the wood of which 
 a prudent man should be wary ; but as to the opera 
 tions of his mind and the motives controlling his ac 
 tion on this occasion we can only indulge in vague and 
 unprofitable speculation. What he did outwardly and 
 in the flesh, however, may be recorded with the utmost 
 accuracy. He brought the mare to a full stop, then 
 turned as a vigilant sentinel might do in an enemy s 
 country to see that nobody was following him. Ascer-
 
 BEN HOOD 103 
 
 taining thus that he was alone and unobserved, his 
 right hand unconsciously sought an inside pocket, 
 drew therefrom a flat bottle and applied it to his lips. 
 For the space of a minute there was a gurgling sound 
 such as might emanate from the human throat when 
 being thoroughly irrigated. This strange maneuvre 
 fully completed, and the flask carefully replaced in the 
 recesses of the under garment, Ebenezer seemed to 
 adopt a more cheerful view of life, and to be ready 
 for any stratagem or secret and damnable plot which 
 his adversaries might have prepared for his reception. 
 Indeed so reckless of his own personal safety did he 
 become, that he abandoned all thought of precaution 
 ary measures, urged his mare to a gallop ; and, boldly 
 lifting up his voice, sang a negro melody which he had 
 learned in the days of his youth when he was an ap 
 prentice at the bench of the village shoemaker, and still* 
 wedded to the beggarly elements of the world. 
 
 After passing the strip of woodland, he entered 
 upon a broad area of open rolling country, having well 
 cultivated fields and all the indications of an old set 
 tlement and a thrifty people. Here, abandoning the 
 uegro melody, he relapsed into silence and possibly be 
 came absorbed in serious meditation, for he assumed 
 immediately that more orderly and dignified bearing 
 which to the popular mind is indicative of personal 
 sanctity. 
 
 The sun had by this time reached the meridian, 
 and as the Deacon was approaching and passing farm 
 houses, he looked about him sharply as if in quest of 
 something or somebody he was eager to find. Pretty 
 soon he saw a farmer just ahead of him near a com 
 fortable residence, with two horses in his charge which 
 were drinking at a stone trough by the road side. In-
 
 104 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 creasing the speed of the mare somewhat, in order to 
 reach the place before the farmer should leave it, the 
 Deacon, when quite near, called out in the cordial 
 tones of an intimate friend : 
 
 "Good morning, Carter. How are you?" 
 
 "Tolerable well," the young farmer replied, look 
 ing up as if surprised by the salutation and interro 
 gatory. "You hev the advantage of me, sir." 
 
 "Gum Deacon Ebenezer Gum, of Cranberry." 
 
 "O yes, I ve heerd tell of you; how s all yer 
 folks. Deacon?" 
 
 "Well, right well, thank you. Anything new or 
 strange in the neighborhood?" 
 
 "Nothin partic lar; bout the same ole story. 
 What s going on in Cranberry, Deacon ? You folks as 
 live in town an near the telegraph oughter know most 
 everything." 
 
 "Everybody is thinking about the election," re 
 plied Gum, throwing the bridle rein on the mare s neck 
 so she could get her nose to the water trough. "It s 
 getting pretty hot. Travis is going night and day, 
 and Popper is close on his heels maybe he s ahead ; 
 nobody can tell exactly, for it s a tight race, nip and 
 tuck, I think ; but if I had my way, Carter, I d beat 
 them both. The old parties are getting too corrupt 
 no honesty in them, not a bit. They re a godless set, 
 and haven t a principle to brag about. Carter, as sure 
 as you live not one." 
 
 " Cordin to your say they hevn t, Deacon," re 
 plied the young man firmly, "but no man can hev all 
 the say in this country, an I think my party s a purty 
 good one ; leastwise I m goin to stand up for it all 
 the time. My dad an ole grandad an the Carter 
 fambly hev allers been great for Gineral Jackson, an
 
 BEN HOOD 105 
 
 we ain t goin back on his principles now. We don t 
 turn our coats like some folks. We re stickers, sir, 
 that s what the Carters is stickers. I ve hearn tell 
 how ole grandad uster say he d stick to Gineral Jack 
 son an his principles ontil there wasn t nary button 
 onto his coat, an I m a chip of the old block, Deacon. 
 We re stickers and allers vote the straight ticket, rain 
 or shine." 
 
 "Well, I must confess," the Deacon said softly as 
 he threw his left leg over the neck of the mare, "I 
 admire your spunk, Carter, and your consistency. The 
 Carters were always spunky and consistent. No man 
 could ever budge them an inch. When they put a foot 
 down, there it staid. You always knew exactly where 
 to find them always. If they said they d vote for a 
 man a hurricane couldn t keep them away from the 
 polls. I like that sort of metal in men. It s the true 
 grit. They may get wrong now and then, but they re 
 always honest, consistent, reliable, and generally right . 
 I knew your father, Squire Jonas Carter, very well. 
 He was a sensible, clever man mighty hospitable 
 and clever 
 
 "That he was that he was, Deacon," broke in 
 the farmer, "there was no better man in this here sec 
 tion than dad, if I do say it myself." 
 
 "Not one, sir not one better in all Cranberry 
 county, than Squire Jonas Carter. I have taken many 
 a good dinner in his house in the old house which 
 stood where that one does. We didn t agree in poli 
 tics, but were always the best of friends. Politics s 
 one thing, friendship s another. I never mix them ; 
 Squire Carter didn t. Many s the time when as I 
 came riding by on my way to Rudd s Corners the 
 Squire would call out in his frank cordial way, Hey,
 
 106 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Gum, are you going by without stopping to swap lies 
 with a fellow? and then I d have to get off, put my 
 horse in the stable, and stay to dinner. That s the kind 
 of man your sainted father was, Carter. I always 
 feel like shedding tears when I think of his hospitable 
 ways, and remember that he s gone. I know it s weak 
 and foolish, but I can t help it; we was such inti 
 mate friends, and Ah ! he s gone to that bourne, as the 
 Psalmist says " 
 
 "Deacon, git right off en the mare and let me lead 
 her to the stable. It s about dinner time; I just come 
 in from ploughin a field of oat stubble to git dinner 
 myself. Here, I ll take the mare; you push along 
 into the house an make yerself to home. We don t 
 put on no style to our house, neither do we put on any 
 mortgages that s one of dad s savin s, but we allers 
 hev enough to eat, sich as it is, an our friends is 
 welcome." 
 
 "I didn t think of stopping to dinner," protested 
 the Deacon, as he dismounted, "I expected to reach the 
 corners " 
 
 "You go right to the house, Deacon, I ll tend to 
 the mare long of my horses." 
 
 Carter put the rein of the mare s bridle over his 
 arm, and started with the three horses to the barn. 
 Then as a new thought occurred to him, he called back : 
 
 "Corn or oats, Deacon?" 
 
 "Six quarts of oats." 
 
 The dinner to which the wife of an American 
 farmer invites her guests, whether their presence be 
 premeditated or accidental, is with respect to the num 
 ber and character of the dishes one of the marvels of 
 the age. Certainly no table in any other section of the 
 world presents in abundance such an endless variety
 
 BEN HOOD 107 
 
 of edibles, and probably few hard working statesmen 
 ever sat down to a good dinner with less reluctance 
 than Brother Gum, or ate with a greater desire to do 
 justice to the hospitality of the host. 
 
 The young wife with her cheeks flushed at the 
 kitchen fire, and the young husband with his face all 
 aglow with the sunshine of the fields, felt that the Dea 
 con s brief but solemn blessing at the beginning of the 
 meal in some way purified and enriched their home, 
 by bringing it in direct communication with the good 
 Father of all to whom they were so much indebted and 
 perhaps ungrateful. Good words, let them come whence 
 they may, sink deep into soft, honest hearts, suggest 
 ing nobler thoughts, strengthening good resolutions, 
 and encouraging men to live better lives. The thief s 
 money in the hands of one who believes it was come 
 by honestly, is as good as any ; so of the hypocrite s 
 prayers and blessings, they are to the innocent, trust 
 ing, reverential hearer, pure gold with the impress of 
 God upon them. 
 
 After the dinner was over the young mother took 
 her first born from the cradle where it had been sleep 
 ing, and held it up proudly for the Deacon s admira 
 tion. 
 
 "Is it going to be a voter?" he asked, chucking 
 the babe under the fat, dimpled chin? 
 
 "Oh, yes, yes," she answered with a laugh. 
 
 "He s goin to vote the ole ticket, Deacon," said 
 the father, stretching out his arms to take the babe ; 
 "he s a sticker, an ll vote straight ; there ll be no non 
 sense about this chap ; not any !" 
 
 "Hope he ll be for temperance, Carter, and vote 
 the Prohibition ticket, and against the rum sellers. It
 
 108 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 would be a pity to have so fine a boy go wrong; it 
 would indeed." 
 
 "Yes, he must be temperate he will be, 1 said the 
 mother, quickly, as if alarmed by the Deacon s sug 
 gestion. 
 
 "He ll be all right, said the father, trotting the 
 , boy gently on his knee ; "if he don t drink no more nor 
 his clad and grandad. Whiskey never hurt our fam- 
 bly, Deacon. It s the idle, shiftless fellers as gits hurt 
 by whiskey, an they re bound to git hurt some how. 
 Dad uster say there was more roads nor one to go to 
 the bad, and if you fence one on em up they ll take a 
 nuther. A jumpin hoss don t stay in the field because 
 one gap is shet ; he s bound to git out any how 7 , an the 
 higher you build the fence the higher he ll jump. It s 
 in the critter. Deacon." 
 
 "But if there w r as no temptation on the outside the 
 horse wouldn t jump ; abolish the temptation, Carter, 
 shut up the rum shops. The Lord said lead us not 
 into temptation, but deliver us from evil. He was 
 wiser than man." 
 
 This silenced Carter. He took it for granted the 
 Lord meant precisely what Deacon Gufh meant ; and 
 although not a professing Christian he nevertheless 
 believed in the Lord and the truths of the Bible, and 
 would not argue against what Deacon Gum seemed to 
 think was the Divine will ; and yet it still appeared to 
 him that the fault was in the critter that the critter 
 did not stop to consider before jumping whether the 
 grass was long or short on the outside, but jumped to 
 gratify a spirit of restlessness, the outgrowth possibly 
 of early indulgence, bad example, lack of discipline, or 
 an innate tendency to evil. 
 
 Bidding the Carters good-day. Deacon Gum re-
 
 BEN HOOD 109 
 
 sumed his journey, and had trotted along for an hour 
 or more on his way to Rudd s corners, when the light 
 clouds of the morning grew suddenly dark, and threat 
 ened to let down a plentiful shower. Soon large drops 
 falling here and there on the dusty road, admonished 
 him that if he would escape a thorough drenching, he 
 must seek shelter in the first house he came to. Urg 
 ing the mare now to a gallop he went dashing along in 
 fine style until he reached a private avenue leading up 
 a gentle slope between two rows of maples to an old- 
 fashioned but substantial farm house. Wheeling to 
 the right he gave the mare another stroke of the whip 
 to remind her there was no time to lose, and she fairly 
 flew up the lane, past the house, and to the cattle sheds 
 which adjoined the barns and stables in the rear. It 
 was a narrow escape. Before the Deacon had time to 
 dismount the rain fell in torrents and the noise of it 
 on the roofs about him was like the roar of the sea. 
 
 The Deacon would not, under ordinary circum 
 stances, have sought shelter here. The man who 
 owned the place, though hospitable always, and gentle 
 enough at times, frequently made himself exceedingly 
 disagreeable in the discussion of political subjects. He 
 was known throughout Cranberry County, and even 
 beyond its boundaries as an off ox, who took delight 
 in pulling against the team. This was especially true 
 of him in periods of great political excitement ; he then 
 lost apparently all discretion and gave expression to 
 sentiments which the great majority of his neighbors 
 heartily condemned. He was at this very time impru 
 dent enough to affirm that Travis, the Democratic 
 leader, was a scoundrel ; Popper, the Republican candi 
 date, a cowardly trimmer ; Gum, the leader of the Pro 
 hibitionists, a shallow hypocrite, and John Rudd, the
 
 110 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 local champion of the Greenbackers, a common thief 
 who sought to pay his debts in rags. 
 
 Forty years ago when Ben Hood, the father, was 
 alive, the large brick with its porches and leantos, 
 where Ben Hood, the son now lived, and in whose 
 ample cattle shed Deacon Gum found shelter, was 
 known far and wide as a station of the under ground 
 railroad. Just how many fleeing fugitives had been 
 secretly harbored in the cellars, garrets and closets of 
 the old house nobody now living knew exactly. But 
 many and many a man of Cranberry County had heard 
 his father denounce Ben Hood the elder, for sheltering 
 runaway negroes, and helping them on their way to 
 Canada. Indeed, there had been in the old time myste 
 rious covered wagons going up the lane and coming 
 out of it, at all hours of the night and in all kinds of 
 weather. It was even said that the elder Hood kept 
 a posse of slave hunters, who pounced down upon his 
 house after midnight, at bay for two solid hours, and 
 when the fight was over and a half dozen heads 
 bruised, justified his action by the pretense that he mis 
 took them for robbers. After they had ransacked* the 
 premises and found nothing, he invited them to the 
 dining room, gave them a royal lunch, and laughed 
 and joked as if he regarded their coming as a great 
 compliment to his personal worth. Before he would 
 let them go, he even ordered in a big bellied brown jug, 
 bade them help themselves, and, with the crown of his 
 head six feet four inches above the soles of his boots, 
 he lifted his glass still higher, and cried : 
 
 "Here s good luck and long life to the poor devil 
 you re after." 
 
 By this time it was three o clock in the morning, 
 and Ben Hood, the son, a lively boy of his age.
 
 BEN HOOD 111 
 
 mounted on a stout horse, with a negro behind him, 
 was twenty miles further north than he had been three 
 hours before when the slave hunters began to rattle at 
 his father s door. 
 
 The present Ben Hood, nearly six feet five inches 
 in height, broad shouldered and full chested, was a 
 chip of the old block, or rather a duplication of it. He 
 had been among the first to enlist as a private soldier 
 in 6 1 ; had gone through Bull Run and several of the 
 earlier battles of the war without a scratch; but sub 
 sequently, losing an arm at Gettysburg, he was con 
 sidered unfit for further service and sent home. So 
 long as the war continued he was enthusiastic in sup 
 port of it, and during this time enjoyed some degree 
 of popular favor. But after the war closed and slavery 
 was abolished, he gradually lost all interest in existing 
 parties, and finally absented himself from the polls en 
 tirely, assigning as a reason therefor that elections pre 
 sented nothing but an opportunity to choose between 
 evils. 
 
 To Deacon Gum, who knew Hood well, his habit 
 of direct and emphatic speech was particularly annoy 
 ing; and yet he thought it better to run the risk of 
 being subjected to it, than to receive a thorough wet 
 ting. When he shot past the house to the stables he 
 was not unobserved. After the first fury of the storm 
 had passed, Hood put on a rubber coat, and taking an 
 umbrella, went out to invite him to more comfortable 
 quarters. The Deacon was in the act of reviving his 
 drooping spirits by a vigorous pull at the flat bottle 
 when Hood, coming suddenly round the corner of the 
 shed, saluted him in lusty tones : 
 
 "Hello, Deacon, I should suppose there was water
 
 112 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 enough to-day to make it unnecessary to resort to other 
 fluids. How are you, my venerable fraud?" 
 
 Ebenezer s face became very red ; hastily corking 
 the flask and slipping it into his pocket, he answered : 
 
 "Not well, Mr. Hood, not at all well. In fact, 
 I ve been miserable for weeks. The doctor tells me 
 it is some derangement of the bowels, and gave me a 
 remedy for it. You found me taking a dose." 
 
 "Stick to the truth, Deacon," replied Hood laugh 
 ing, "you never were in better health in your life. 
 Men don t ride a race when they re sick, but do drink 
 whiskey and lie about it when they re well. Come, go 
 to the house, the rain may not stop for an hour or two, 
 and in the meantime you may as well sit comfortably 
 in an arm shair." 
 
 "Thank you," said the Deacon humbly, "but in 
 coming here I did not intend to put you to any trouble." 
 
 "Don t talk of trouble, man," said the farmer 
 
 heartily. "If I did not want you, I would not ask you 
 
 here, take the bit out of the mare s mouth while I 
 
 get a sheaf of oats for her to nibble at, and then she 
 
 will be as comfortable as ourselves." 
 
 Unbuckling the throat latch the Deacon slipped 
 the bridle to the mare s neck so it would answer the 
 purpose of a halter, and Hood, going through a door 
 opening into the barn, soon reappeared with a bundle 
 of unthreshed oats which he unbound and laid before 
 her. This done, he raised the umbrella and escorted 
 the Deacon to the house. 
 
 It was a comfortable place, this home of Ben 
 Hood. There was nothing in it of elegance and fash 
 ion, but much that was old, plain and solid. The 
 Hoods never bought an ornament ; whatever they ob 
 tained in the way of furniture was for use ; to be useful
 
 BEN HOOD 113 
 
 it must be strong ; being strong it lasted, and so long 
 as it lasted it was not set aside for newer and more 
 tasteful things. When Deacon Gum took the chair to 
 which he was invited, his feet rested on the skin of a 
 bear old Grandfather Hood had killed fifty years or 
 more ago. The rug w r as still soft, though considera 
 bly worn. The antlers on the wall were from a buck 
 brought down by the old man s rifle at a time when the 
 only flesh obtainable for food was that of wild beasts. 
 Here and there about the room were other mementoes 
 of that early time of hard work, privation and peril. 
 Ben Hood s father had left his mark there in many 
 ways, but notably in one. Over the wide mantel was 
 a picture of William Lloyd Garrison, not done in 
 the highest style of art, and by no means ornamental, 
 but still suggestive of the father s political bias. As a 
 companion piece to this, Ben Hood, the son, had hung 
 beside it a likeness of Wendell Phillips, engraved more 
 recently than the other, and with greater skill. 
 
 "It was a sorry day for us," said Hood, in con 
 tinuation of a conversation \vhich I have thus far 
 omitted, "when we opened our arms and our ballot 
 boxes to the hordes of aliens who bear down upon us 
 from every quarter of the globe ; people so fixed in old 
 world customs and so filled with old world ideas that 
 instead of accepting the country as they find it, and as 
 its founders designed it to be, begin the work of politi 
 cal and social revolution at once. Their distaste for 
 their own governments has bred in them a hatred of 
 all lav;. Their political depression there has been fol 
 lowed by a rebound here. Liberty seems to them a 
 restraint and license an inalienable right. Taking ad 
 vantage of our generosity in receiving them and in 
 8
 
 114 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 according to them the privileges of citizenship, they 
 press clamorously to the front demanding to hold the 
 offices and make the laws, and so the sacred right of 
 suffrage, instead of being reserved exclusively for the 
 native born and home educated, is given over without 
 restriction to all the various populations weeded from 
 the crowded cities of the old world and thrown like 
 refuse matter upon our shores." Here Hood s single 
 sledge hammer fist struck the table before him vio 
 lently, and springing to his feet as if he were about to 
 pulverize the gentle Ebenezer for bringing all these 
 evils upon an innocent country, he continued : 
 
 "The vile pauper from the slums of London, the 
 ignorant, besotted and hardened reprobate from the 
 cess pools of Dublin, the drunken and vicious vaga 
 bond from the dives of Vienna, the licentious and rot 
 ten profligate from the cellars of Paris, the escaped 
 criminals from every section of Europe come crowd 
 ing in upon us to become in a year or two voters and 
 may be legislators of the great American Republic !" 
 
 "But many good men come, also," brother Gurn 
 suggested, timidly. 
 
 "True, man, true," replied Ben Hood, softening 
 somewhat, "but it is impossible by law to distinguish 
 between the two to accept the good and reject the 
 bad ; we should therefore deny to all the right to vote, 
 and limit suffrage to those born upon the soil. Surely 
 the people of the United States do not realize how 
 much they are losing by the advent of these foreigners, 
 nor how much they are still likely to lose by encourag 
 ing others to come. By our tariff laws we are pro 
 tected against the pauper labor of Europe, but not 
 against that worse infliction, pauper laborers. These 
 are being shipped over by the hundred thousands be-
 
 BEN HOOD 115 
 
 cause it is cheaper to dump them down on our shores 
 than to maintain them in the poor houses at home, 
 and so they are coming," shouted Hood, as he walked 
 excitedly to and fro, "by the million faster a hun 
 dred fold than we can mold them over in our schools 
 and assimilate them to the American standard ! Com 
 ing with their vicious habits and inherent vices with 
 their crude notions of free government, without any 
 intelligent idea of our constitution, our history, or our 
 politics to take place, almost at once, in the great body 
 of electors. Coming to compete with the native born 
 American laborer, to revolutionize our habits ; to en 
 graft upon us the vicious customs from which our 
 fathers fled in terror : coming to fill our workshops and 
 mines with strikers ; our cities with communists, beer 
 shops, gin shops and vile Sunday theatres 
 
 "So they are, so they are." 
 
 " Coming to hasten the day when idleness shall 
 lay down the law to honest industry, when mobs shall 
 dictate to capital : when banks, and stores, and fac 
 tories shall be gutted by irresponsible men, or, in obe 
 dience to laws passed by cringing demagogues at their 
 dictation !" Swinging his single hand above his head 
 as if he were waving the banner of the future, his voice 
 rose to a battle cry, as he continued : "Is it not time 
 to lift up the standard of the native born, and inscribe 
 thereon in letters of blood, if need be Americans 
 shall rule America, and ask all who love liberty, vir 
 tue, and honor ; who love the God of our fathers, and 
 the memory of their mothers, to rally round it and 
 stand by it to the end? Let us make this the home of 
 an honest, manly, temperate, educated people ; not an 
 asylum for imbeciles ; not a penal colony for old world 
 criminal? ; not a place for the propagation of vice ; not
 
 116 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 a land where immorality and irreligion shall be omnip 
 otent, but one in which truth, justice, sobriety, cleanli 
 ness and thrift shall bear gentle and wholesome sway.! 
 
 The speaker at this point grew considerably 
 calmer, his tone less violent, and his manner more 
 agreeable. "I would keep no one out ; I should invite 
 no one in ; I should extend a hospitable hand to all 
 who come bearing evidence of honesty and good in 
 tentions ; but I should say the right to vote and hold 
 office here belongs exclusively to those born on the 
 soil. Like Moses and his followers, you may look 
 into the political Canaan, if you will, but only your 
 children shall be permitted to enter and possess. We 
 put none but Americans on guard!" 
 
 The rain had by this time ceased, and Ebenezer, 
 rising, announced that he had an important matter of 
 business to attend to, which required his presence at 
 Rudd s corners before the night set in. He therefore 
 took leave of Hood and resumed his journey.
 
 X 
 
 JOHN RUDD 
 
 THE distance from Hood s house to Rudd s Corners 
 was a little over four miles. The heavy rain 
 fall had made the clay road muddy, and filled the ruts 
 and low places with water. As Ebenezer had neither 
 a change of outer nor under garments with him he 
 deemed it best to proceed slowly, and with circumspec 
 tion. He had suggested to Hood that he had import 
 ant business before him which demanded immediate 
 attention, but this was a harmless fiction. His anxiety 
 to resume his journey arose in part from the fact that 
 he could not tell at what moment that erratic and em 
 phatic gentleman might be diverted by some unaccount 
 able whimsey from the subject he was discussing to 
 that of political prohibition, and the Deacon had no 
 desire to engage in a controversy with him on this 
 topic. There was, however, still another motive prompt 
 ing him to get away from Hood as soon as possible. 
 After he had been detected in the act of taking medi 
 cine from a mysterious and most ungodly looking bot 
 tle, and had in explanation of it professed to be in an 
 enfeebled condition physically, he felt that consistency 
 required him, while in Hood s presence, to have fre 
 quent pangs of the stomach, and to exhibit all the out 
 ward signs of inward distress. He was therefore 
 anxious to escape in order to re-assume the comfort 
 able and easy bearing of a man of robust health and 
 cheerful spirits. 
 
 (117)
 
 118 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 When he had ridden perhaps two miles, he heard 
 the voices of men, the footfalls of horses, and the 
 splash of wheels behind him ; pretty soon unseemly 
 songs, profanity and laughter smote his ears. Turn 
 ing in the saddle, he saw a carriage coming toward 
 him, and noticed that the horses attached to it were 
 being urged to their utmost speed. Then, a moment 
 later, a voice which might, for volume, have equalled 
 Stentor s, called out not at all amiably : 
 
 "Git outer the way, there, you gol blasted ole 
 fool, or we ll run over you." 
 
 The occupants of the carriage appeared to have no 
 regard for Ebenezer s safety, and would have driven 
 over him if they could. Indeed they might just as well 
 have done so, for they dashed down so swiftly on him 
 and with such flourishings of the whip and terrifying 
 yells, that the mouse-colored mare, becoming alarmed, 
 shyed suddenly to the left, and thereupon the good 
 Deacon involuntarily quit his saddle and dropped with 
 a great splash into a convenient puddle. Then there 
 were roars of delight from the men in the carriage, 
 and a craning of necks out of the sides of it to con 
 gratulate Gum on the alacrity with which he had dis 
 mounted, and the good judgment displayed in the se 
 lection of a place to light. Indeed, they were exceed 
 ingly merry and kept up a constant fusilade of taunt 
 and sarcasm, until they got so far away their voices 
 could be no longer heard. 
 
 For a brief space of time the reverend Ebenezer 
 forgot his mission in life, and expressed his feelings 
 so much after the fashion of the unholy that the at 
 mosphere about him became lurid, and seemed to 
 have in it a taint of brimstone. He mentioned the 
 occupants of the carriage by name in connection with
 
 JOHN RUDD 119 
 
 an exceedingly hot place where he hoped they would 
 in due time be forked over with red hot forks, grilled, 
 baked, fried, and then turned over and toasted on the 
 other side ; and he hoped there would be no scarcity 
 of fuel there, and no lack of industrious forkers to 
 fork, for it was the Deacon s earnest desire that the 
 gentlemen in the carriage should not be underdone 
 for want of cooking. After he had expressed his sen 
 timents on this subject as fully and vigorously as the 
 limited number and amiable character of the words in 
 the English language would allow, he turned to the 
 mouse-colored mare and found much to his chagrin 
 that this sagacious animal was disinclined to recognize 
 him. The Deacon, however, finally succeeded in lay 
 ing his hands on her bridle rein, and in remounting; 
 but when he pressed the saddle the water oozed from 
 beneath him and trickled down his limbs in discolored 
 rivulets, making his flesh creep and his blood run cold. 
 Then it occurred to him that if there ever was a time 
 when a human being needed something to counteract 
 the effect of dampness, it was the present, and so he 
 had recourse again to the mysterious flask which he 
 carried in an inside picket, where it could not attract 
 the attention of the worldly, and become a stumbling 
 block to the foolish. Having discharged this duty to 
 his physical structure, Brother Ebenezer gave the mare 
 two lively prods in the ribs with his heels and trotted 
 along towards Rudd s Corners, wholly indifferent as 
 to whether his apparel received a speck more or less 
 of the mud flying from her hoofs. 
 
 The carriage which had just passed was occu 
 pied by Colonel Albright, the great Greenback orator, 
 and three impecunious and irresponsible gentlemen of 
 Cranberry. The latter had achieved some measure of
 
 120 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 local distinction by giving their neighbors much un 
 solicited information respecting the management of na 
 tional affairs. It has always been difficult for men 
 of ordinary capacity to understand just how gentle 
 men whose mental grasp is insufficient to take in the 
 details of the business of a peanut vender should with 
 out special study become thoroughly conversant with 
 the financial operations of the United States. But the 
 fact, inexplicable as it seems, must be recognized. 
 
 There was to be a Greenback rally at Rudd s. The 
 gentlemen in the carriage were going to it. Placards 
 announced that the distinguished and eloquent Colonel 
 Albright would address the meeting and discuss the 
 issues of the day in a fair, candid and statesmanlike 
 manner. When Deacon Gum reached the Corners in 
 the dusk of the evening, he saw many people standing 
 in the road near Rudd s store, and conspicuous among 
 them was the ponderous figure of the ruddy faced John 
 Rudd. This gentleman was giving his friends much 
 valuable information as to the amount of money there 
 was per capita, and the amount there should be to 
 make the wheels of commerce move easily, and enable 
 farmers and laboring men to live comfortably and lay 
 up something for a rainy day. 
 
 John Rudd had inherited a broad farm, but soon 
 concluded there were easier ways of making money 
 than by digging it out of the soil, and so engaged in 
 the business of buying his neighbors cattle and ship 
 ping them to eastern markets ; then he opened a store 
 and subsequently started an ashery, and thus in time 
 became farmer, shipper, merchant and manufacturer. 
 With his attention and energies divided between so 
 many pursuits it followed that no one of them was 
 ever prosecuted successfully. In a little while the
 
 JOHN KUDD 121 
 
 farm became unproductive for want of proper cultiva 
 tion ; the shipping ventures unprofitable for lack of 
 attention to market reports and freight rates. The 
 store a losing concern for lack of skill in purchasing 
 and care in the keeping of accounts, and the ashery a 
 failure for want of intelligent personal supervision. 
 
 The fact is John Rudd had neither the money to 
 carry on his various enterprises nor the skill to manage 
 them. He was compelled to borrow, then to meet old 
 liabilities by contracting new ones, until finally he saw 
 but one way to escape from his pecuniary troubles. If 
 the Government were to double the currency by a 
 further issue of greenbacks, it would depreciate the 
 legal tender dollar and enable him to get more of 
 them for his property than he could now obtain. He 
 was, therefore, in favor of flooding the country with 
 irredeemable paper money and making it as nearly 
 worthless as possible. If his scheme were sanctioned 
 by Congress his creditors would be forced to accept 
 in liquidation of their claims one-half the value of 
 what they gave, and the other half would remain in 
 his possession. 
 
 Ginger s communistic theory of the common own 
 ership of property is better founded and more defensi 
 ble than Rudd s inflation scheme. The communist rec 
 ognizes no man s title superior to his own, and bases 
 his claim to an* equal share with all others, upon an 
 original and indefeasible right. The inflationist con 
 cedes the right of special ownership, but would deprive 
 men of their property by a shabby legislative trick, and 
 appropriate it to his own individual use. 
 
 Brother Ebenezer having reached the end of his 
 journey, dismounted at the gate of Ezekiel Pitkin, a 
 member of the Society of Friends, a thrifty farmer,
 
 122 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 and as honest a man as ever trod shoe-leather. The 
 Deacon proposes to honor Friend Pitkin by accepting 
 his hospitality for the night, and after he has been gen 
 erously entertained he will endeavor to obtain the 
 trifling sum of fifty dollars from his worthy host as 
 a contribution to the campaign fund of the Prohibi 
 tion party. To accomplish this stroke of business he 
 will have much to say of the growing sentiment in 
 favor of political prohibition : of the many ways in 
 which money may be honestly and advantageously 
 used to promote the cause ; of temperance tracts to be 
 printed and distributed ; of meetings to be held and 
 speakers to be obtained ; of much quiet but effective 
 work to be done, all of which no one person can afford 
 to do wholly at his own expense. In short, the appeal 
 for money will be so adroitly and touchingly made, 
 that the honest Quake* will finally exclaim : 
 
 "God bless thee. Friend Ebenezer ! Thee shall 
 not bear the burden alone. Thee has already done 
 more than thy share, and must allow me to help in 
 the great work nay, nay. Ebenezer. thee must not 
 decline my humble offering perhaps it should be 
 more, but it shall at least be this much now." 
 
 The people who had gathered about John Rudd s 
 store in the early evening were now assembled in the 
 little school-house to hear Colonel A4bright. There 
 were, perhaps, fifty persons in the room, counting men 
 and boys. John Rudd was selected to preside, and 
 without preliminary remarks, introduced the speaker 
 to the audience. The Colonel s first attempt to rise 
 was only partially successful. His legs seemed dis 
 inclined to assume and maintain a perpendicular atti 
 tude and were apparently disposed to double up or
 
 JOHN KUDD 123 
 
 dodge off and precipitate him onto the chairman. 
 Their eccentric behavior prompted the small boys in 
 the audience to titter, nudge each other, and indulge 
 in mischievous winks. In their innocency and ignor 
 ance these young gentlemen concluded the Colonel had 
 been imbibing too frequently, and that there would be, 
 therefore, rare fun before the meeting ended. But 
 lads know little of the unreliability of mature legs, and 
 can have no conception of the multitude of instances 
 in which their preverse and unstable conduct have put 
 the reputations of respectable men in jeopardy men 
 noted for their piety, men of family, men conspicuous 
 in field and forum. Men who would not for the world 
 have set a bad example to the young. SMALL BOY, BE 
 JUST ! Bear in mind that after legs mature they often 
 become difficult to control, and sometimes wholly un 
 manageable. 
 
 The Colonel finally succeeded in getting some 
 slight advantage of his nether extremities, by clutch 
 ing with both hands the back of the presiding officer s 
 chair, and addressing the audience over John Rudd s 
 head. His opening, however, was a surprise to his 
 hearers. It consisted of a brief but eloquent summary 
 of the virtues of the great American Ache Annihilator. 
 This medicine had never failed to effect a cure. It had 
 given relief to thousands. Health was man s greatest 
 blessing. Vanderbilt with all his millions could not be 
 happy with a jumping toothache. Nature had provided 
 a cheap and simple remedy. He had it with him 
 
 At this point the Colonel s legs weakened so sud 
 denly that he disappeared behind John Rudd s bulky 
 form. Thinking he had gone down for the remedy, 
 the boys whistled and laughed, and seemed about to 
 jump out of their young skins. But they were mis-
 
 124 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 taken. The Colonel did not have the medicine with 
 him. When he came up John Rudd rose and turning 
 his back to the audience, confronted the orator in a 
 v.ery angry and dictatorial manner, and for a time 
 seemed disposed to assist the Colonel s legs in their ef 
 forts to overthrow him. The action of the chairman, 
 however, instead of disconcerting the speaker, simply 
 reminded him of the question he was expected to dis 
 cuss, and he at once proceeded with his discourse. 
 
 The great remedy for all the aches and ills of 
 
 the commonwealth is greenbacks, more money, good 
 money money that will be a first lien on the real 
 estate, live stock, brains and muscle of the country. 
 Money that will bear upon its face the image of the 
 American eagle a bird that can fly higher, screech 
 louder and fight harder than any other bird on the 
 face of the earth (applause). Fellow citizens, that 
 bird s tail brushes the snow-clad peaks of Alaska ; his 
 beak touches the tepid waters of the Gulf of Mexico, 
 while his outstretched wings cover a continent and dip 
 in the waters of two oceans (tremendous applause). 
 This is the kind of money for a free people to have. 
 It is the best money the sun ever shone on ; far better 
 than gold, and it may be made as abundant as the 
 leaves of the forest. We have now but a beggarly 
 thousand million of money of all sorts. What would 
 be the effect on business if another thousand million 
 were issued ? It would double the price of your farms ; 
 it would enable you to obtain two hundred dollars for 
 a horse which now sells for one hundred. A sheep 
 which fetches four dollars would then bring eight. A 
 bushel of wheat that now r sells for one dollar would 
 then be valued at tw r o. Can anybody say the farmers 
 would not be benefited by an increase of the currency ?
 
 JOHN EUDD 125 
 
 ("No, no," and cheers.) Such an assertion would be 
 absurd. How is it with the laboring man the hard- 
 fisted son of toil? His wages would be increased a 
 hundred per cent. He would get two dollars a day 
 instead of oiie. Will anybody claim two dollars are 
 not better than one? (Applause.) Come, now, let 
 us reason together like sensible men. Why not double 
 every man s wealth by doubling the money of the 
 country? Why not? Do you say the money wouldn t 
 be good ? Ah, no, you couldn t say that, for you know 
 everybody would be eager to get as much of it as pos 
 sible ("that s so" and cheers) ; you must admit, there 
 fore, that it would be good. Xow, if by adding a 
 thousand million to the present volume of currency we 
 can double our wealth ; by the addition of still another 
 thousand million we can treble it (applause), you see, 
 therefore, how easy it is for Congress to make every 
 body rich and happy. A heifer which now sells for 
 fifty dollars would then sell for one hundred and fifty. 
 The Thanksgiving turkey which now goes in the mar 
 ket for the beggarly sum of a dollar would then fetch 
 three. Every farmer s wife, therefore, should favor 
 an increase of paper money (applause). It would 
 treble the price of her domestic fowls, and a common 
 hen s egg would then be worthy of her special care, for 
 from the egg would come a chicken, and for the 
 chicken would come a greenback dollar, as much al 
 most as a farm hand now obtains for a hard day s work 
 (cheers). Fellow citizens, the Greenbackers have no 
 candidate and will have none unless they conclude to 
 nominate John Rudd, our most worthy chairman (tu 
 multuous applause). If they were to put him in the 
 field your speaker would stand by him to the end 
 (cheers). But in case no nomination is made by the
 
 126 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Greenbackers, there will still be something at the polls 
 for Greenbackers to do. There is a choice for them 
 to make between two evils. The Democrats are bad 
 enough. Heaven knows, but the Republicans are in 
 finitely worse ; so bad, in fact, that if they were to suc 
 ceed in this election the money kings of the country 
 would be omnipotent ( that s so") ; the poor, trampled 
 in the dust; the currency contracted, business par 
 alyzed, and the nation bankrupted. ("True, true.") 
 The party which goes part way in the right direction 
 should always be preferred to one bound to continue 
 altogether in the wrong, and so in this contest the in 
 terest of the Greenbacker and patriot is with Andrew 
 Jackson Travis. (Applause.) 
 
 As Colonel Albright proceeded with his two hours 
 discourse, his mind seemed not only to gradually ex 
 pand, and to operate with increasing freedom, but his 
 articulation grew clearer and more musical, and when 
 the meeting adjourned it was John Rudd s deliberate 
 judgment that notwithstanding the Colonel s peculiar 
 and apparently irrelevant opening he had made the 
 ablest and most eloquent speech ever delivered in Cran 
 berry County. The argument was absolutely incon 
 trovertible and overwhelming.
 
 XI 
 
 ROBERT BRETT 
 
 LEAVING the good people of Cranberry County 
 for a while in charge of Brother Ebenezer and 
 Colonel Albright, the reader will be asked to ascend 
 the Great Lakes as far as Duluth, then follow the line 
 of the Northern Pacific railway through forests and 
 swamps until it enters upon an undulating prairie, and 
 then on by construction trains, until schools, churches, 
 homes, and all the marks of civilization, except the 
 iron track over which he travels are left hundreds of 
 miles behind. When at last he reaches the end of the 
 railway, he will find spread out before him a canvass 
 city which last week was five miles east of its present 
 site and next week will probably be five miles west. 
 It is known as Hell-on-wheels, and its population, in 
 cluding those lodged and fed in rough boarding house 
 cars, consists of some thousands of workingmen, en 
 gaged in building a railway across the continent. 
 
 Among the stalwart laborers gathered here is one 
 with whose name the reader is not wholly unfamiliar. 
 He has been employed in one capacity and another on 
 the line of the road ever since its construction began. 
 For months while in the timber region he swung an axe 
 and drew an axeman s wages, lost in the great army 
 of working men around him. In time it was observed 
 by the leader of the gang to which he belonged, that 
 he always responded to his name at the morning roll- 
 call ; then, that he could be trusted in the management 
 
 (127)
 
 128 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 of small affairs ; then, that in the rough encounters 
 which frequently occur among men of different nation 
 alities he was a dangerous antagonist to meet. Being 
 one of the oldest residents of Hell-on-wheels, he was 
 occasionally referred to as authority respecting certain 
 matters connected with the earlier history of the enter 
 prise, and thus he was brought in contact with the 
 leading men of the construction company, who, find 
 ing him quiet, thoughtful, and fairly educated, finally 
 ventured to sublet portions of their work to him as 
 they did to others. After completing one contract sat 
 isfactorily to his employers, he obtained other and 
 larger ones, and so for three years he had been making 
 money rapidly and investing it in the seven per cent. 
 land grant bonds of the railway company. He could 
 now count up over one hundred thousand dollars in 
 these securities as the reward of his labor, skill and 
 privation. 
 
 Had he enough? Would it be well for him to 
 remain longer in Hell-on-wheels? Could he not find 
 a better life elsewhere? He had labored diligently, 
 should he not rest while pleasure could still be found 
 in resting? In five or ten years more, youth would be 
 gone, the meridian of life at hand, and thereafter the 
 descent to the grave rapid ; should he take his vaca 
 tion now, or then? Was there anything in the mere 
 accumulation of money to afford him pleasure ? Money 
 unused was no whit better than money unpossessed. 
 A hundred thousand was a round sum ; it was seven 
 thousand a year. Another three or four years of labor 
 might double the principal, but w r ould the larger 
 amount pay for the sacrifice required to obtain it? 
 What good can come from being able to draw a check 
 for a million if one never has occasion to do it? Monev
 
 ROBERT BRETT 129 
 
 is valueless except for use, and then only valuable 
 when used for a good purpose. 
 
 There, for instance, is old Grinderscoop, oi St. 
 Paul. He has two millions, but neither chick nor child. 
 He has been robbing his neighbors in a polite and law 
 ful way for forty years. The interest of his money for 
 one month would supply all his natural wants for the 
 remainder of his life. How is he benefited by the 
 ownership of two millions? Suppose the money were 
 lost and he should never know it, would he not con 
 tinue just as happy as he is now? A month of youth 
 with all its capacities for enjoyment would be worth 
 more to him than a hundred millions. Nobody wants 
 a thousand umbrellas when it rains, one only can be 
 used. Enough is sufficient, and more than enough, 
 too much. 
 
 Entering into Robert Brett s discussion with him 
 self on this occasion, was his recollection of Gertrude 
 Frazier. She had told him to go, and he thought at 
 the time if her love for him had been as strong as his 
 for her, she would not have been so ready nay, eager 
 to have him leave. It may be, indeed, she had never 
 cared for him at all, but had accepted him as the best 
 of those around her, none of whom was exactly to her 
 liking. It was seven years ago that he left Cranberry. 
 Gertrude was a young girl then ; she may have mar 
 ried since. Many men are eager enough to win such 
 a woman ; she was probably married. But then she 
 was not the only woman in the world, and there were 
 also many pleasant objects in it besides women. A 
 man who has lived in Hell-on-wheels for five years 
 could probably enjoy himself pretty well any place 
 outside of it. It would be pleasant at any rate to visit
 
 130 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 the scenes of his boyhood ; to drop a line for bass, and 
 get a whiff of the lake air again. 
 
 At the conclusion of his meditations, Brett 
 whistled for his servant. 
 
 "John, tell Craig to come over if he has leisure." 
 
 "Ef he hab what, sah?" 
 
 "Tell Craig I want to see him." 
 
 "Yas, sah." 
 
 When John withdrew, Brett took a book from a 
 drawer of the table before which he sat, turned the 
 leaves of it, until he found the page on which a debit 
 and credit account was kept with outfit ; running up 
 the two columns of figures he ascertained this fic 
 titious personage was indebted to him a little over ten 
 thousand dollars. By the time this was done and the 
 calculation verified by a review of the additions and 
 subtractions, the man he had sent for entered the tent. 
 
 "Craig," said Brett, handing him the book, "look 
 over that account. The articles on hand are in fair 
 condition." 
 
 The man ran his eyes down the list of items slow 
 ly. It embraced horses, mules, wagons, scrapers, 
 plows, shovels, picks and supplies of beef, pork, flour, 
 etc. Such articles, in brief, as railway contractors 
 must have to prosecute their work. 
 
 "A little over ten thousand," he said, looking up. 
 
 "Yes," replied Brett. "Now I have this proposi 
 tion to make. Give me your check for six thousand, 
 take the property, and I ll not bid against you on to 
 morrow s letting." 
 
 "Are you going away?" 
 
 "If you accept, I shall leave for St. Paul to-mor 
 row."
 
 ROBERT BRETT 131 
 
 "Make out the bill of sale. Have you a blank on 
 the First Minneapolis?" 
 
 "I keep my account in St. Paul." 
 
 "While you are writing the bill of sale, I ll go to 
 my tent and fill out a check." 
 
 The next morning Brett left for St. Paul ; two 
 days subsequently he drew enough money from his 
 bank for current wants, obtained drafts on Jay Cooke 
 and Company, New York, for fifteen thousand dollars, 
 and started on the evening train for the east. 
 
 At Chicago he stopped off intending to remain 
 long enough to supply himself with such articles of 
 clothing as he needed. Proceeding to the Sherman 
 House he took a bath and dined, and then left the hotel 
 for a stroll about the city. He had been sauntering 
 along the streets for two hours or more, pausing here 
 and there to look into the windows of jeweler, book 
 seller and merchant, when he observed men hurrying 
 past him with an expression of great anxiety, if not of 
 terror on their faces. Going into the Palmer House 
 he found the lobby filled with excited men ; not desir 
 ing to become involved in such an assemblage, he 
 turned to retrace his steps to the Sherman, and had 
 proceeded but a short distance when the cry of a news 
 boy took the very blood from his face, for it told him 
 a great misfortune had befallen the country, and one 
 which would press with special severity upon himself. 
 He bought a paper and as he walked along the crowded 
 avenue, ran his eyes over the telgraphic column. Jay 
 Cooke and Company had failed, and business houses 
 from the Atlantic to the Pacific were being swept down 
 by the financial cyclone like rotten reeds before a tem 
 pest. His drafts were probably worthless ; his bonds 
 certainlv of but little value and utterlv unsalable. All
 
 132 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 he had upon which he could rely with any confidence 
 were the few banknotes in his pocket. These were 
 good because the Government of the United States 
 stood behind them. 
 
 Hastening to his hotel he ascertained the first train 
 for St. Paul would depart in an hour. He paid his 
 bill and ordering a cab proceeded to the depot. He 
 was anxious to get off and might as well pass an 
 idle hour at the station waiting for the departure of the 
 train as to spend it elsewhere. To Brett the time 
 seemed to move with exceeding slowness, as it always 
 does to those eager to set out upon a journey of either 
 business or pleasure. A few persons having no vis 
 ible means of support were loitering about apparently 
 indifferent whether the hands of the depot clock went 
 forward or stood still. Their heads being as empty as 
 their pockets, they took the world easily and were ad 
 mirably prepared to withstand the pecuniary whirl 
 wind which was now sweeping the country. Brett 
 would probably have regarded them with envy if he 
 had thought about them at all, but his attention was 
 just then again attracted by the newsboy s cry : "Fail 
 ure of Jay Cooke & Co. ; all about the panic." Buy 
 ing a second paper he glanced hurriedly over the head 
 lines as he walked impatiently about the platform and 
 skimmed through the telegraphic column, but as the 
 first reports were simply confirmed and reinforced by 
 others equally alarming, he cast the sheet aside. 
 
 The people were gathering now ; a man stood at 
 the gateway ready when time was up to open it and ad 
 mit the outgoing travelers to the train. Brett paused 
 for a moment, looked up at the clock and saw there 
 were still five minutes to wait. Turning to resume his 
 walk he was confronted by a familiar face. It was
 
 ROBERT BRETT 133 
 
 that of Archie Frazier. The recognition was mutual, 
 and the recollection of the old quarrel quickened the 
 blood of the two men, and perhaps prompted them 
 to clinch their fists, and make ready for battle ; but the 
 belligerent impulse passed from Brett s heart instantly, 
 and a moment later Frazier extending his hand, said : 
 "Forgive me ; let us meet as friends." 
 Accepting the proffered hand, Brett asked : 
 "Do you come from home from Cranberry ?" 
 "No not recently; I have been away over six 
 years." 
 
 "Have you heard from your from there lately?" 
 "Not a word. Have you?" 
 "No." 
 
 The gate was thrown open now and the two men 
 passed through it together, but separated a moment 
 later ; they were going in different directions. 
 
 The thoughts suggested by this accidental meeting 
 took possession of Brett, but after a while his mind 
 reverted to his pecuniary troubles, and continued to 
 pursue them until late at night. If he had never had 
 the money it is probable he w r ould never have felt the 
 need of it. Certainly he would never have imagined 
 such a loss could affect him keenly. It was perhaps 
 not the money now of which he thought most, but the 
 impossibility which the loss entailed of entering upon 
 the line of life for which he longed. After a time, and 
 before he dropped off to sleep, he was able to think 
 over the matter more calmly and clearly. It occurred 
 to him that much might still be saved from the wreck. 
 The bank from which he obtained the drafts, if unable 
 to stand up against the first fury of the storm, might 
 soon resume and make good its obligations. Even the 
 bonds might ultimately be worth something. These
 
 134 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 were a first lien on certain sections of land through 
 which the road was built. But then again, if the road 
 were never completed to the Pacific, it might not pay 
 running expenses, and hence cease to be operated alto 
 gether. In this event the lands on either side of it 
 would be inaccessible to settlers and therefore value 
 less. Still Jay Cooke and Company, having had so 
 much, must now have something left, and this would 
 go part way, at least, toward the payment of their 
 debts. At any rate it would do no good to worry 
 over the matter to-night, or to speculate farther as to 
 results. When he reached St. Paul he would probably 
 obtain some definite information upon which to base 
 calculations as to the probable outcome of it all. 
 
 The bank from which Brett obtained his drafts 
 had suspended. It was the St. Paul correspondent of 
 Jay Cooke and Company, and had made large advances 
 on Northern Pacific bonds. There was now no mar 
 ket for these securities, and so far as men could tell 
 no value to them. Work on the railroad had ceased; 
 workmen were making angry demands for their 
 wages : contractors and traders were besieging banks 
 and money-lenders for accommodations, but the cur 
 rency of the country had wholly disappeared. Even 
 a Government six per cent, could now hardly find a 
 purchaser. A million of productive property could not 
 tempt a thousand dollars in currency from the strong 
 box. There was nothing in the estimation of the pub 
 lic so precious as spot cash, and everybody began to 
 clutch and hoard. Business men, theretofore in high 
 credit, acknowledged with shamed faces their inability 
 to meet maturing obligations. Men lost confidence in 
 each other. Fear of bankruptcy and ruin dominated 
 every thought and controlled every action. The cur-
 
 ROBERT BRETT 135 
 
 rent of business was as suddenly congealed as a 
 stream might be which ventured into the frigid tem 
 perature of an Arctic winter. And yet, strange to say, 
 not a dollar not a penny had been lost from the 
 wealth of the country. The volume of currency had 
 not been diminished to the extent of a single mill. Ac 
 tual property had in no way been destroyed or lessened. 
 There were lands enough and houses enough; mer 
 chandise, manufactures, and food enough. The only 
 thing lost was confidence in the integrity and capacity 
 of men. 
 
 The thing called credit had been stricken down. 
 Every man, therefore, held what he had, seized what 
 he could and felt that he was surrounded by robbers. 
 Strong men wept and spent sleepless nights, not over 
 the loss of fortunes, but the loss of what they regarded 
 as infinitely more valuable, commercial honor. Gen 
 erous men in their eagerness to maintain their rep 
 utation for punctuality in business affairs, were 
 guilty of outrageous oppression. Men who had gone 
 into the bloodiest battles of the war with confidence and 
 cheerfulness, now went to their offices with trembling 
 limbs, opened their doors with quaking hearts, then 
 stood in an agony of suspense, well knowing that at 
 any moment a claim might be presented which would 
 wring from them a humiliating confession of inability 
 to pay. 
 
 The officers of the bank with which Brett had 
 kept his account assured him his special deposit of 
 bonds would be returned to him at any hour, but for 
 the amounts of the drafts he would have to wait until 
 an improvement in the condition of monetary affairs 
 made payment possible. With no prospect of finding 
 immediate employment, and with barely sufficient
 
 136 . UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 ready money to support him through the coming win 
 ter, he turned away from the bank determined like a 
 good soldier to keep his eyes to the front. No amount 
 of worrying could add to the value of either his bonds 
 or drafts, but energy 7 , perseverance and skill could 
 contribute much to his future happiness. 
 
 The financial storm of 1873, though more violent 
 than any which preceded it, occasioned no permanent 
 damage to the business of the country ; on the con 
 trary it simply precipitated a settlement, which under 
 existing circumstances, could not have been long post 
 poned, and accomplished in a few months what other 
 wise would only have been effected by years of inac 
 tivity and dullness. 
 
 The reaction in business set in very soon. Those 
 who found they had not been hurt grew suddenly bold ; 
 those who discovered they had been more scared than 
 hurt insisted that they had not been frightened at all. 
 There was, however, for the three years following, 
 little or no demand for improved farms in the older 
 sections of the country. Real estate, generally the last 
 thing to be depressed in its market value by a panic, 
 is the last to be favorably affected by a revival. By 
 76 and 77. however, the panic of 73 was in a great 
 degree forgotten. The professional kite-flyers were 
 by that time all out ready to catch the wind, when it 
 should shift to suit them. It had not come yet with all 
 the power and steadiness desired, but it was coming, 
 and when, it did come, the old boys adepts in the 
 business were very active, and put up kites which 
 certainly looked well and soared high and ultimately 
 brought much profit to those who held the string. 
 
 There, for instance, were the great railroad build 
 ers. Fraud. Ripper and Grab. They had several hand-
 
 ROBERT BRETT 137 
 
 some and profitable kites afloat. They were the orig 
 inators and constructors of the All-Steal railway, a 
 road extending from Jacktown to the Lake. The 
 bonds of this Company, executed with great artistic 
 skill, promised a fair rate of interest, and were 
 represented by Mr. Grab, the financial man of the con 
 cern, to be peculiarly adapted to the wants of widows 
 and orphans, and of old gentlemen who had retired 
 from active business, and did not, therefore, desire to 
 be troubled with the frequent investment of money. 
 The bonds issued represented about three times the 
 value of the property bonded. Thirty-three per cent, 
 of the money derived from their sale was used to con 
 struct the road, and the other sixty-seven went into 
 the pockets of Fraud, Ripper and Grab. But these 
 honest gentlemen, not satisfied with so small a profit, 
 issued twice as much stock as there were bonds, put it 
 on the New York Stock Exchange, and then began 
 to deal in it themselves. Fraud through an agent 
 would sell a thousand shares to Ripper, then Ripper 
 would sell a thousand shares at an advance to Grab, 
 and by this time Fraud would become furious to buy 
 back again, and so according to the reports of the 
 Stock Exchange there was wonderful activity in All- 
 Steal stock. The price of it was rapidly going up. 
 
 Soon, little paragraphs appeared in the news 
 papers commending the All-Steal railway, and assur 
 ing investors that it was certain to pay a dividend. 
 Then Fraud gave a half dozen brokers one hundred 
 dollars each to reward them for sending out "pointers" 
 to their customers suggestions that it would be well 
 to try a little All-Steal, as it was the most active stock 
 in the market. And so while Fraud was selling to 
 Ripper, and Ripper to Grab, and a large business being
 
 138 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 done, apparently, the newspapers announced the sales 
 to an eager public, and the stock climbed higher until 
 finally honest men who held trust funds, bought with a 
 view to pocketing the profits if they could sell at an 
 advance, and turning the stock over to the widows and 
 orphans if they could not. Rural speculators, also, 
 began to dip in eagerly, fearful if they did not strike 
 soon and boldly, the stock would get beyond theii 
 reach ; and so the circle of buyers extended until finally 
 Fraud & Co. suddenly let go and unloaded the whole 
 batch of worthless stuff on to outsiders. 
 
 Fraud, Ripper and Grab are worth a million each. 
 The holders of All-Steal stock and bonds, however, 
 are just now in straightened circumstances, and some 
 what depressed in spirits. Mrs. Grab has gone to 
 Europe ; Mrs. Green, who bought bonds, has not 
 Mrs. Ripper enjoys the summer at Newport; Mrs. 
 Folly, whose husband invested in All-Steal stock, 
 spends the heated term at home. The elegant Mrs. 
 Fraud entertains handsomely at her new house on 
 Madison Square, and is very generous in her donations 
 to the heathen. Mrs* Pigeon, whose thousands went 
 to pay for Mrs. Fraud s house, is now keeping board 
 ers, and seldom has anything to drop into the contri 
 bution box. Of course it is all right. If it were not, 
 the law would take cognizance of it; respectable peo 
 ple would denounce it, and the churches would call 
 attention to it. Fraud & Co. are simply remarkable 
 geniuses, great financiers, enterprising gentlemen, and 
 therefore, worthy of the admiration and respect of 
 everybody. Their scheme won ; they deserved their 
 good fortune. Let the tongue of envy wag if it will 
 No fair man can blame Mr. and Mrs. Ripper and their 
 co-partners, male and female, for looking out for
 
 ROBERT BRETT 139 
 
 themselves. The transaction was strictly lawful. 
 Everybody should have known what the road was, 
 what the stock was worth, and what security there 
 was for the payment of the bonds. 
 
 The time for good kite flying was rapidly ap 
 proaching, but not at hand, when the affairs of the 
 Northern Pacific Railway Company were reorganized. 
 One of the features of the scheme proposed by the new 
 managers of the enterprise was the payment of the 
 bonds of the road with the lands granted by Congress 
 to aid in its construction. 
 
 While patiently awaiting a revival of business, 
 Robert Brett had not only succeeded in supporting 
 himself comfortably, but in laying aside a little money 
 from his earnings. His bank having resumed, the 
 drafts on Jay Cooke and Company were credited back 
 to his account, and the amount was now subject to his 
 order. He knew the character of every section of land 
 through which the Northern Pacific road passed ; the 
 depth and fertility of its soil, and its proximity to 
 water were matters to which the successful prosecu 
 tion of his work as a contractor required him to give 
 special attention. When, therefore, the opportunity 
 to convert the bonds of the road into the lands of the 
 Company was presented, he at once exchanged his 
 one hundred thousand dollars in bonds at their par 
 value, with the interest accrued thereon, for choice 
 sections of the great wheat belt of the Northwest. 
 
 It was a broad, handsome domain he thus became 
 the possessor of, embracing little lakes, patches of 
 wooded land, and great stretches of rolling prairie. 
 At first his nearest neighbor was ten miles away, and 
 some ten miles farther off a few rougJi houses of a 
 prospective city had been built. Here and there along
 
 140 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 the line of railway, settlers had within the past few 
 years broken the soil and put in their first crops at a 
 venture. The situation would have been a lonely one 
 to most men, but Brett s own thoughts were excellent 
 company for him, and the long days of summer were 
 even too short for all the work his busy hands found 
 to do. 
 
 There was a comfortable house to be erected on 
 the wooded shores of Lake Gertrude. There were 
 shelters to be constructed for the cattle and horses re 
 quired to enable him to break up a hundred acres for 
 the next spring s seeding. There was the wild grass 
 to be cut and cured for the subsistence of his live stock 
 during the winter. There were plows, harrows and 
 grain drills to buy and then to be cared for. There 
 were barns to be built for the storage of next season s 
 crops. There were men to be employed to aid in all 
 this, and they must be fed and housed. Almost before 
 he was aware of it, therefore, the summer had gone 
 and the winter come. Good books do much to shorten 
 and enliven the longest and dullest months, and of 
 these Robert Brett had brought with him a well 
 selected stock. When spring arrived, the ground, 
 broken the summer and fall before, was harrowed over 
 and then seeded to wheat. Pretty soon a hundred acres 
 were green with their first crop of growing grain ; and 
 a little later the yellow and drooping blades were ready 
 to be harvested. What a grand crop it was, and how 
 suggestive of the fertility and value of the wild land 
 about it ! 
 
 The railway officials had consented to make a 
 stopping place for trains on Brett s land, and near his 
 residence if he would erect, for the accommodation of 
 the traveling public, a modest station house. This he
 
 KOBEKT BRETT 141 
 
 did between the time of seeding and that of harvesting, 
 and now, almost every day, men seeking land either for 
 speculation or for settlement would obtain a glimpse 
 of Brett s magnificent field of ripening grain, stop off 
 to look the country over, and while doing so, find en 
 tertainment at his cabin. 
 
 The soil and climate of the locality were especially 
 favorable for the growing of wheat. During the suc 
 ceeding twelve months, settlers came pouring in so 
 rapidly that Brett was encouraged to lay out a town 
 and offer the lots at public sale to the highest bidder. 
 There was no lack of buyers, and the competition 
 among them was quite spirited. Thirty days later 
 there were some houses occupied, others ready for oc 
 cupancy, and many more in process of construction. 
 The impression became widespread that the town was 
 destined to be an important city, and that no more 
 profitable use could be made of money than in purchas 
 ing lots in it and lands about it. 
 
 Brett s estimate of the value of his property was 
 so moderate he found no difficulty in disposing easily 
 and rapidly of such portions as he desired to part with. 
 From the proceeds of his sales he was soon able to 
 invest over two hundred thousand dollars in Gov 
 ernment Fours. This was a comfortable sum and it 
 left him free to take the world leisurely if it were his 
 choice to do so. ; 
 
 He had never been able to decide that it would 
 be well to pass the remainder of his life amid the rough 
 scenes of a pioneer settlement. No amount of money, 
 he thought, would compensate him for such a sacrifice. 
 But what should he do where seek the better life 
 for which he longed? This, in his leisure moments, 
 was the constantly recurring question.
 
 142 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 While sitting in his cabin door on a pleasant even 
 ing in September, with the moonlit lake spread like a 
 sheet of rippling silver before him, the tender strains 
 of a flute, wafted from the village by a favorable wind, 
 fell on his ear, and diverted the current of his thought 
 from lots and lands and bonds to the half forgotten 
 incidents of his childhood. To the mother who had 
 now been under the sod for over twenty years ; to the 
 school house where his first lessons were learned ; to 
 the creeks where he had fished, and the marshes where 
 he had hunted ; to his old playmates ; to his father, and 
 finally to Gertrude Frazier. Where is she now ? It 
 is a little over ten years since they parted. Ten years ! 
 A long period when filled with disappointment and 
 suspense, and those who live through it often become 
 old, worn and broken. He was poor ten years ago. A 
 marriage with Gertrude then would have been alto 
 gether to his advantage ; but she did not seem to think 
 so ; possibly she did, but apparently she did not. Was 
 :t consideration for his own safety, which prompted her 
 to bid him depart, or did she in that moment realize 
 that her love for her own kin was stronger than her 
 regard for him? Possibly he should not have obeyed 
 her last command so literally ; perhaps he should have 
 communicated with her since. But could he, as an 
 honorable man, seek to hold her to a compact which 
 brought everything to him, and gave nothing to her? 
 The bargain, if it may be called such, was, as he now 
 regarded it, an unequal one. Were he to insist upon 
 its consummation there would at least be ground for a 
 suspicion that he was looking to her fortune, rather 
 than to herself. This view of the matter had been 
 suggested by her brothers. To wed for such a purpose 
 would be robbery ; to be suspected of entertaining such
 
 EGBERT BRETT 143 
 
 a thought was extremely humiliating. The resolution 
 not to return until he could meet her on equal terms 
 with respect to wealth, had now governed him for 
 years. It had required a long time to reach the point 
 toward which he had been struggling ; so long, indeed, 
 that Gertrude had possibly ceased to think of him, and 
 probably had formed new ties, which would be a per 
 petual barrier between them ; and yet, even in his most 
 despondent moments, he never cast aside the license 
 authorizing them to marry. It was the spur which 
 had urged him on to fortune. Still there had been 
 many times when, perplexed with doubts and fears, 
 he impatiently and angrily declared he would not 
 trouble himself more about her ; she had not treated 
 him well, and would have married him in spite of op 
 position if she had loved him half as earnestly as he 
 did her. But notwithstanding all these murmurings, 
 his heart, like the needle of a compass, always pointed, 
 when at rest, in the one direction. 
 
 The incidents of their first acquaintance while at 
 tending school ; the slow approaches to intimacy ; the 
 first look, word and act which suggested love ; the 
 avowal and acceptance ; the subsequent hostility of her 
 father and brothers, and his final determination to 
 settle the matter in spite of their opposition, and her 
 timidity, were gone over a thousand times. Indeed, 
 the thought of Gertrude was never absent from his 
 mind for many hours together, even when his business 
 was most urgent and perplexing.
 
 XII 
 
 RICHARD DUNDREN 
 
 DUNDREN S farm was put up at public sale 
 for the second time the latter part of Sep 
 tember, and the sheriff had again endorsed 
 on his writ of execution, "Not sold for want of bid 
 ders. Thereupon a new appraisement had been 
 ordered, and the sheriff was now giving the legal 
 notice that the property would be offered for the third 
 time on the twenty-eighth of October. There was 
 nothing either of the realty or personalty exempt from 
 execution, and hence nothing Dundren could dispose 
 of at private sale; but he was no less thoughtful and 
 painstaking in his work of gathering in the crops and 
 caring for the live stock, than if his labor were certain 
 to net him a handsome rew r ard. The money due Peter 
 Sked must be paid. Dundren was not the man to go 
 through life shunning his creditors, or facing them 
 with brazen indifference. He felt himself bound, not 
 only by the law, but by his own honor, to pay what he 
 agreed to pay, and as he agreed to pay it. He could 
 not entertain the thought of leaving to his children the 
 reputation of an insolvent debtor. His father and 
 grandfather had paid their debts, and had been inclined 
 to mention it rather too frequently perhaps, as an hon 
 orable thing for men to do. In fact, they had some 
 times spoken in contemptuous terms of certain persons 
 who had been notoriously delinquent in this regard. 
 There for instance were the Blisters of whom Richard 
 
 (144)
 
 RICHARD DUNDREN 145 
 
 Dundren s father could not speak in gentleness. The 
 good Mrs. Blister was in early life an honest seams 
 tress, but her husband becoming rich by a fortunate 
 speculation, built her a hundred thousand dollar resi 
 dence, and then like a prudent man failed, and, though 
 living in affluence, was so extremely poor he gave no 
 attention whatever to the demands of his creditors. 
 Mrs. Blister was so impoverished, also, by her hus 
 band s failure that she even declined to refund to her 
 old serving woman the small savings of a lifetime 
 which had been deposited with Mr. Blister for safe 
 keeping, and so the broken-down old servant was 
 trundled off to the infirmary to be supported at the cost 
 of the County. 
 
 It is probable Dundren senior, in his criticism of 
 Mrs. Blister, did not take into consideration the fact 
 that a woman of her standing in society must neces 
 sarily drive to church in a carriage, and dress expen 
 sively. It is probable, also, that he failed to remember 
 that she had the poor Mr. Blister on her hands and 
 was in duty bound to provide well for him, and that 
 the income derived from the one hundred thousand 
 dollars invested in seven per cents which had been 
 turned over to her with the house, was but a meagre 
 allowance for so extensive an establishment as she 
 maintained. It may be true, therefore, that notwith 
 standing all the elder Dundren said to the contrary, 
 the courts were right in assuming that the masculine 
 Blister owed all the money and the feminine Blister 
 owned all the property. One can see very readily, at 
 any rate, that Mrs. Blister was a great blessing to Mr. 
 Blister, and that it would have been especially severe 
 on them if by hook or crook they had been compelled 
 
 10
 
 146 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 to refund to that wretch of a serving woman the money 
 due her, and in consequence been unable to spend the 
 summer months at Saratoga. 
 
 There is another man, also, to whom the elder 
 Dundren always referred in words of bitterness. This 
 is no less a personage than the pious brother Fleecer, 
 who carries on an extensive and profitable business in 
 the name of Fleecer, Agent. Brother Fleecer is the 
 agent of sister Fleecer, his \vife. The male Fleecer 
 some years ago suddenly failed, and the female Fleecer 
 as suddenly became rich. Just how sister Fleecer got 
 the advantage of brother Fleecer on the tilting board 
 of fortune, nobody but themselves can exactly tell ; 
 but that it was done fairly there need be no doubt ; at 
 least, brother Fleecer has never intimated to any one 
 that sister Fleecer did not play honestly with him. 
 One theory of the matter is that when the Fleecers 
 were joined in holy wedlock, some thirty or forty years 
 ago, sister Fleecer inherited a four posted bedstead, a 
 feather mattress, two home-made linen sheets, a yarn 
 coverlet, and a patch-work quilt, the whole being 
 worth, at a liberal estimate, fifty dollars. This of 
 course was sister Fleecer s separate estate, and it was 
 no more than right, therefore, that brother Fleecer 
 should pay her for the property like an honest man, 
 and this it is claimed he did. Fifty dollars at ten per 
 cent, compounded every sixty days according to bank 
 er s rules, would in say forty years amount to about 
 all brother Fleecer had in his possession ; and so he 
 liquidated the debt due sister Fleecer, and allowed his 
 other creditors to whistle for their pay. 
 
 There is still another gentleman of whom the elder 
 Dundren used to speak in scorn, namely, our venerable 
 society friend, the Honorable Mr. Gouger. No gen-
 
 RICHARD DUNDREN 147 
 
 tleman dresses better than Ivlr. Gouger, few live more 
 luxuriously, none have handsomer pictures, and rarer 
 books. He is polite, suave, easy, eminently respecta 
 ble, the friend and patron of everybody, and so honor 
 able that his favorite theme is honor. How does 
 Gouger obtain the money to supply himself with all 
 the good things of the world? By ste , no, no, 
 Gouger would not steal, for Gouger is an honorable 
 man ; but Gouger will borrow a thousand dollars, more 
 or less, promise to pay it back next week and never 
 think of it again until his attention is called to it by 
 the needy creditor. Then Gouger will regret exceed 
 ingly that he has been so negligent, agree to call around 
 the next day and arrange the matter, and treat his 
 creditor so courteously the poor victim is ashamed of 
 himself for having alluded to a subject so disagreeable, 
 and goes off feeling that Gouger is the best of fellows, 
 a perfect gentleman, and one whom it is an honor to 
 know. If Gouger looks for his creditor the next day 
 it is to avoid him. The idea of paying the debt did 
 not enter his head when he contracted it, has not since, 
 and will not hereafter. The material things of the 
 Gouger estate belong either to Mrs. Gouger or the 
 young Gougers. Gouger himself has nothing left but 
 honor, and he manages to make a good deal out of it 
 in the course of a year. 
 
 Father Dundren was wont to say honor and re 
 ligion were admirable qualities in men, and of more 
 value than diamonds ; but as God only could tell the 
 genuine from the spurious, it was unsafe to accept 
 what purported to be either as security for a loan. Men 
 who pledged their honor for the fulfillment of a prom 
 ise, did so generally because they regarded it as the 
 least valuable of their possessions.
 
 148 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 There had been no time during the last ten or fif 
 teen years when Mrs. Dundren could not have retired 
 from active life with at least fifty thousand dollars laid 
 by in good interest paying bonds if Richard, her hus 
 band, had discharged his obligation to her as fairly and 
 liberally as brother Fleecer paid his debt to sister 
 Fleecer, and if Dick Dundren had possessed Mr. Goug- 
 er s fine sense of honor Mrs. Dundren would long ago 
 have been the owner of Cherry Farm, and that precious 
 old rascal Peter Sked would have lost a round sum 
 and had little sympathy from the people who knew 
 him. But Dundren could not bear to have any one 
 think he was indebted to Peter Sked, or any other man. 
 for the clothes on his back and the flesh on his bones. 
 It did not lie in his mouth to say Sked s claim was not 
 an honest one. If there were any dispute on this score 
 the courts should settle it. He should stand up to his 
 contract like a man, not dodge out of it like a sneak 
 thief. As to this claim, however, there was no dispute. 
 The notes had affixed to them the name of Richard 
 Dundren ; this was not only proof conclusive that the 
 claim was just, but the end of controversy.
 
 XIII 
 
 A QUESTION OF IDENTITY 
 
 CRANBERRY County was at this time in convul 
 sions. The henchmen of Travis and Popper 
 were on the run night and day. Money was 
 being doled out by the candidates somewhat sparingly, 
 but promises were distributed with a reckless disregard 
 of economy. There were many desirable offices in 
 prospect post offices in the district, and clerkships 
 at Washington. At least a thousand men expected to 
 obtain place at the public crib if Travis were elected, 
 and as many if Popper should be successful. Nine 
 teen hundred and seventy-five of these enthusiastic 
 gentlemen were destined to be disappointed, but as 
 yet they had no suspicion of this and would have none 
 until their labors in the canvass were fully ended. 
 They were not at all likely, therefore, to relax their 
 efforts until the battle was either lost or won. 
 
 Brother Ebenezer and his mouse colored mare 
 were taking the world, bad as it was, with philosophic 
 cheerfulness. In their numerous expeditions against 
 the Prince of Darkness, they never lacked for forage 
 and shelter, and never paid for either. Indeed, the 
 Deacon could live abroad much cheaper than at home, 
 and always kept on the war path until due regard for 
 the condition of his under clothing compelled him to 
 return to his own domicile. 
 
 Colonel Albright had delivered several very elo 
 quent and effective speeches, but just now in the pinch 
 
 (149)
 
 150 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 ind critical hour of the battle, he was spending alto 
 gether too much precious time at widow More s cot 
 tage. Lilian s bright eyes and broad acres were more 
 attractive than even the applause of delighted audi 
 ences. The sun of popular favor was shining on him 
 and he must improve it to gather in the harvest. A 
 month later he might not have a penny in his pocket, 
 and possibly not a pocket to put a penny in. Mustard 
 had for some weeks succeeded in either keeping him 
 sober or concealing him when otherwise. The escapade 
 on the occasion of his visit to Rudd s Corners was 
 laughed over quietly but not spoken of to the injury 
 of his reputation. . So far as the people of Cranberry 
 knew he was all he seemed to be, a bright, active, rep 
 utable fellow, who was likely to make his mark in the 
 world. Lilian More had been alarmed by his behavior 
 on the night of the first day of their acquaintance, but 
 in thinking it all over and over again she had attributed 
 his strange conduct to the impulsiveness of a loving 
 heart, and this solution of the problem was not only 
 very flattering, but exceedingly gratifying to her. 
 
 The fact of his being an eloquent public speaker 
 was an interesting theme to many of her female asso 
 ciates in Cranberry. His bright sayings were often 
 quoted in her hearing. The comments on his personal 
 appearance and prospects were always favorable. The 
 possibilities of such a man were very great. It was 
 w r ith a timid, blushing, but rejoicing pride Lilian con 
 fessed to herself that all these grand possibilities might 
 be shared by her. What splendid visions of the future 
 they suggested ! What political triumphs for him, 
 and social triumphs for her! She had read of great 
 receptions in which the wives of prominent men cut 
 brilliant figures. Might not she look forward to some
 
 A QUESTION OF IDENTITY 151 
 
 such enviable distinction? But may be after all he 
 would not deem a simple country girl worthy to share 
 life with him ; and yet he seemed ready at any moment 
 to invite her to share it, and if he did what should be 
 her answer? 
 
 She had now met him five or six times in her 
 mother s house ; never wholly alone since the evening 
 when Squire Wharton overtook them on the bridge, 
 and delighted them with entertaining stories. She was 
 expecting him this afternoon. He had sent a note to 
 her saying he would call. Poor Jack Wharton had not 
 been thought of for weeks ; she had been contemplat 
 ing richer things than it was possible for Jack to give. 
 Let her acquaintance with the Colonel turn out as it 
 might, the line fence between the More land and the 
 Wharton s could now never be removed. 
 
 She took up a pen from the table before her and 
 wrote on a sheet of note paper, "Mrs. Colonel Al 
 bright;" "Mrs. Lilian Albright;" Mrs. Lilian More 
 Albright." Then tearing the paper into a hundred 
 shreds cast it out of the window. She now went to 
 the door and looked eagerly toward the village, but 
 there was no one in sight, and so she walked out to the 
 gate, then back to the house, and then around to the 
 kitchen where her mother was paring apples for the 
 next pie baking. Here she concluded to wait until 
 there should be a rap on the door to indicate that 
 somebody had come. The mother looking up from her 
 work, saw that her daughter was prepared to receive 
 company, and asked : 
 
 "Is the Colonel coming?" 
 
 "Yes, mother." 
 
 The flushing face told the mother more than the 
 girl s words, but she had suspected it before, and was
 
 152 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 perhaps pleased and flattered to find she had guessed 
 correctly. Lilian now felt quite certain her mother 
 understood the nature of her regard for Colonel Al 
 bright, and approved it. Much of all that occurs in the 
 family is fully known though never put in language. 
 A blush, a glance, a sigh, often tell a long story more 
 accurately than it could be written out in detail. Mrs. 
 More would be pleased to have so distinguished and 
 able a gentleman as Colonel Albright for a son-in-law, 
 and the revelation of this fact made the daughter very 
 happy. 
 
 There ! Her quick ear detected foot-falls on the 
 walk. The rap on the door would be made in a mo 
 ment. Xo! Well, gracious alive, is he coming round 
 to the kitchen? This is no place to receive him, and 
 no place for him to come. 
 
 The man you are thinking of, my girl, is not com 
 ing, but another is. It is old Peter Sked, Mrs. Dun- 
 dren s eccentric cousin, and a remote connection, by 
 blood or marriage, of widow More. 
 
 "Eh. Sally," said the old man. as he came forward, 
 "busy at work : always busy. That s right : that s 
 right." 
 
 "Uncle Peter," it was uncle simply by courtesy, 
 "you take me by surprise. Lilian, bring out a chair 
 for Uncle Peter." 
 
 Lilian, nodding respectfully to Peter, went into 
 the house for a chair. 
 
 "Too much finery on that girl, Sally that s not 
 the way to dress a farmer s daughter. Sheer waste of 
 money, eh?" 
 
 "Oh. I think not. Uncle Peter," replied Mrs. 
 More, laughing, "we are not poor, and besides, we have
 
 A QUESTION OF IDENTITY 153 
 
 rich relations. You ll leave Lilian at least half your 
 fortune, and that ll make her rich enough." 
 
 "May be I shall, may be I shall if she s a good 
 girl." 
 
 "Where s your sister Alice s son, Uncle Peter 
 the one who was going to marry Gertrude?" 
 
 "I don t know, Sally. I suspect he took after his 
 father and went to the bad. I haven t heard a word 
 about him for years ; not a word." 
 
 "Your sister Kitty who married the Scotchman 
 and moved from Cuvier to California, do you ever 
 hear from her?" 
 
 "Never ; not for twenty years Dod-blast the 
 Scotchman ! I never liked him, Sally, and was glad 
 they went away." 
 
 "Well, well, Uncle Peter, I hope Alice s boy is 
 alive and doing well, and that Kitty has children ; but 
 if not, you must remember Lilian. She and Helen 
 Dundren are about as near to you as any body except 
 the children of your own sisters." 
 
 "Dundren shall never have a dollar of my money, 
 Sally not a dollar !" 
 
 Lilian now returned with the chair. The old man 
 had hardly time to dispose of his umbrella and seat 
 himself when a rap on the front door called her away 
 to welcome and entertain a more interesting visitor. 
 
 It was Colonel Albright. On entering the room, 
 and ascertaining they were alone, he took her hand 
 and said : 
 
 "My dear Lilian, how well you look. How lovely 
 you always are !" 
 
 The girl s head hung like a rose overweighted by 
 dew and sunshine. 
 
 "Do you know, my dear, I dream of you by night
 
 154 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 and think of you by day? You are never out of my 
 thoughts, and never have been since I met you first on 
 that lucky Sunday morning." 
 
 Oh, Colonel !" exclaimed the blushing girl with 
 out daring to lift her eyes. "Is it true ? Can it be so ?" 
 
 The Colonel put his arm about her waist, and 
 drawing her to him said : 
 
 "It is ; and in proof of it I ask you to be my wife. 
 Xo man can offer stronger evidence of his love than 
 this." 
 
 The Colonel s statement was far from accurate, 
 but the simple girl did not know it. She was in a 
 tumult now ; her breath came short and quick, and tears 
 were in her eyes, but they were tears of joy. She had 
 won him and the future was full of splendor. How 
 very thankful she should be for all this happiness. 
 How suddenly it had come, and how differently from 
 what she had expected. Whether she walked or was 
 carried to the little lounge which occupied one corner 
 of the room, she never knew, but she found herself 
 sitting there with the Colonel s arm around her and 
 her head resting on his shoulder. Pretty soon she be 
 came aware that he was urging her to fix the day when 
 the marriage* ceremony should take place when he 
 should be the happiest of men ; when they would go 
 off together and see something of the great world. 
 There were many sights worth seeing in the large 
 cities. Theaters, museums, music halls, art galleries, 
 and elegant parks everything in short to delight the 
 eye and satisfy the soul ; but even these were as noth 
 ing to him he could forego them all and live hap 
 pily with her any where, in cabin or wilderness. 
 
 After much communing the day was fixed upon, 
 in so far as a dutiful daughter could do it without first
 
 A QUESTION OP IDENTITY 155 
 
 consulting her mother. It was to be ten days hence, 
 if possible. The girl had pleaded for further time to 
 make preparation, but the Colonel urged many good 
 reasons, apparently, for an early marriage. 
 
 The reader will say Lilian was weak. True 
 enough ; but it was the weakness of youth and inex 
 perience. She knew little of the world ; she was hon 
 est and sincere herself, and believed others to be the 
 same. She had in her the elements of a noble wife, 
 but she was fluttering now over the infernal pit, ready 
 to drop into such miseries as are only known to the 
 damned. Was it the young girl s fault that she oc 
 cupied this dangerous position, or the mother s fault, 
 or the fault of the recognized and accepted customs of 
 the country ? 
 
 After a while when all her doubts and fears had 
 passed away, and been succeeded by the courage which 
 comes of assured victory, Lilian asked the Colonel to 
 excuse her for a moment, and ran to tell her mother 
 what had occurred. She found old Peter Sked in the 
 dining room and her mother busily engaged setting the 
 table for the evening meal. Proceeding to the kitchen 
 she waited there until her mother came out, and then 
 told her hurriedly Colonel Albright had proposed ; that 
 she had accepted him, and if there were no objections 
 to it they would be married the coming week. The 
 Colonel had important business demanding his pres 
 ence in the East, and if his going were delayed it might 
 result in heavy loss, and yet he was resolved not to go 
 unless he could take Lilian with him. The mother 
 was somewhat startled, but she had sense enough to 
 know that great men always have important business, 
 and if Lilian were to marry the Colonel at all, it was 
 proper and right she should not for any trifling con-
 
 156 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 sideration require him to make sacrifices, especially 
 pecuniary sacrifices which she supposed in this case 
 they would probably be. 
 
 "Yes, yes. If the Colonel thinks it can not be 
 put off, let that day be fixed upon for the wedding; 
 but goodness gracious ! how sudden and unexpected 
 it is!" 
 
 "Mother, is Peter going to stay for supper?" 
 
 "Yes, child; you know he always does." 
 
 "I thought may be we ought to ask the Colonel 
 to sup with us." 
 
 "So we should ; why not?" 
 
 But Peter what ll he think if he finds Peter 
 here?" 
 
 The widow w r as in doubt for a moment, but finally 
 a happy thought occurred to her. 
 
 "I ll have Peter scrub himself, and put on one of 
 your poor father s coats. Tell the Colonel he s an odd 
 sort of a man, but rich and an old acquaintance of the 
 family, \vho, happening to come along, stopped for 
 supper." 
 
 It will be observed that Mrs. More was in some 
 respects a sensible woman. It was certain old Peter 
 would sometime die, and possibly he might remember 
 her in his will. She therefore proposed to treat him 
 well and make him, in outward appearance, at least, 
 a suitable person to be presented to her son-in-law 
 elect. 
 
 A half hour later, supper was announced by the 
 tinkling of a bell. The Colonel and Lilian entered the 
 dining room together. Peter was about to take a seat 
 at the table, when Lilian, with some slight embarrass 
 ment said : 
 
 "Uncle Peter Sked, this is is
 
 A QUESTION OF IDENTITY 157 
 
 "Ginger!" exclaimed Sked savagely. "He s a 
 tramp ! What s he doing here ? Eh ? Damn you, sir, 
 what business have you in a decent woman s house?" 
 
 Ginger was somewhat shaken ; but strong drink 
 was the only thing that could throw him entirely off 
 his balance, and being sober to-day, he replied with 
 apparent coolness : 
 
 "Sir, you are laboring under a grave mistake, and 
 are certainly neither courteous nor complimentary in 
 the matter and manner of your speech." 
 
 "Sally," said Sked, glaring fiercely at the Colonel, 
 but talking to the widow, "this man is a scoundrel, 
 and he s here for no good purpose. If you have silver 
 ware or money in the house send for a magistrate at 
 once. He s a tramp by profession, and a thief on prin 
 ciple." 
 
 "Peter Sked," exclaimed the widow, "you talk 
 like a wild man." 
 
 "Sally More," shouted Peter, "you re a fool. This 
 man s face, voice and manner are all familiar to me. 
 He s a common tramp a low vagabond. If he has 
 not ruined your daughter, he will do it if he can. If 
 he has not already robbed you he will do it unless you 
 call for help. He s here, I tell you, for no good pur 
 pose." 
 
 "My venerable friend," replied Ginger with dig 
 nity, "if your language proceeds from a disordered 
 intellect I should pity you. If from a malicious heart 
 I should if you were a younger man, chastise you. 
 Being in doubt, and in consideration of your gray 
 hairs, I propose that we act like gentlemen, discuss this 
 question of identity quietly, and permit the ladies to 
 decide between us. If your charges are true I am un-
 
 158 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 fit to be here ; if false, you are perhaps not a suitable 
 adviser for them." 
 
 This was a sensible speech, and went far to re-es 
 tablish Mrs. More s confidence in the Colonel. Lilian 
 had dropped into a chair, paralyzed by a terrible appre 
 hension that there might be some foundation of truth 
 for Peter Sked s charges, and yet hopeful, nay, trust 
 ful there was not, and that they were simply the vaga 
 ries of a broken minded and vicious old man. 
 
 "Yo u face it out well, eh," retorted Sked. "Now, 
 sir, I have no wish to do you harm, but I have some 
 interest in this family, and don t want the daughter 
 ruined and the mother robbed. The best thing for you 
 to do is to get out. You have no business here." 
 
 "Thank you, sir," replied Ginger softly, "I shall 
 go whenever Mrs. More and Miss Lilian request me to 
 do so. I am here as their guest, not yours. I know 
 them. I don t know you, and have no wish to make 
 your acquaintance. Possibly it would be well for you 
 to act upon the advice you have given me. and get out 
 yourself." 
 
 1 "Sally, said Peter, turning to the widow with 
 flashing eyes, "does this tramp rule here? Eh?" 
 
 Mrs. More stood silent. If Peter s charges were 
 false the man accused would be her son-in-law ; if true. 
 then God help her daughter. She was not ready witted 
 enough to decide on the spur of the moment what an 
 swer to make to Sked s question. He therefore turned 
 from her indignantly, and going to the kitchen picked 
 up his hat and umbrella, and left the house. 
 
 While the supper was in progress the Colonel ex 
 erted himself to the utmost to restore his entertainers 
 to cheerfulness, but found the task a difficult one. 
 Mrs. More was profuse in her excuses for Peter. He
 
 A QUESTION OF IDENTITY 159 
 
 was old and eccentric ; it was doubtful if he were 
 always in his right mind. He certainly talked like a 
 crazy man to-day. 
 
 The Colonel expressed the belief that Peter had 
 been sincere enough in his accusation. It was simply 
 another case of mistaken identity ; such errors were 
 occurring constantly ; some of them were exceedingly 
 amusing. He had himself been frequently accosted 
 by strangers who had mistaken him for an old friend, 
 and had, as often, slapped an unknown person famil 
 iarly on the back supposing him to be an intimate 
 acquaintance. 
 
 While the Colonel was on the alert, filling every 
 moment with agreeable speech, Lilian wondered why 
 he did not say something of his early life. She recol 
 lected now that he had not thus far mentioned the 
 place of his birth, nor made any reference to his fam 
 ily. Had the omission been accidental? When sup 
 per was over and they were again alone together in 
 the parlor, she would ask him about his parents, his 
 relatives and his home. Henceforth they would be 
 hers as well as his. She had not known him long, 
 and since their acquaintance began he had perhaps 
 been thinking too much of the present to talk of the 
 past. It was, she did not doubt, all right. If he were 
 a common tramp his appearance would indicate it. 
 Mr. Travis would know it ; all Cranberry, in fact, 
 would have found it out. Old Peter Sked s statement 
 must be a monstrous and cruel absurdity. 
 
 A rap was heard at the front door and Lilian rose 
 from the table to respond to the summons. The vis 
 itor was Squire Jabez Wharton. He had called to 
 have a little interchange of views with Colonel Al 
 bright on the political situation. Peter Sked had stop-
 
 160 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 ped at the Wharton homestead and dropped a few 
 words in the Squire s ear which filled him with the 
 liveliness of a cricket, and the energy of a lightning 
 rod man. Lilian s heart sank in despair when she in 
 vited him to enter, for she knew if the Colonel re 
 mained until midnight the Squire would stay with 
 him. Lilian was right; the Squire had come on pur 
 pose to remain, and no amount of shaking would suf 
 fice to shake him off. The line fence might come down 
 after all ; and the story about the Hebrew Jew would 
 be told if it took all night to tell it.
 
 XIV 
 
 AFTERMATH 
 
 AT this stage of the canvass in the Cranberry dis 
 trict the candidates may be likened to two men 
 who had run a race through a sewer. They were 
 bespattered from head to foot, dripping with dirty 
 water and reeking with uncleanness. There was not 
 an uncontaminated thread in their clothes, nor an hon 
 est and cleanly hair on their heads, nor a spot on their 
 bodies which was not the center of some infectious and 
 deadly poison. Travis was a monster and so was Pop 
 per ; both had grown rich by robbery ; both were liars, 
 thieves, and drunken debauchees, and both were now 
 seeking office solely to enlarge their opportunities for 
 the gratification of their vicious propensities. In short, 
 if the newspapers may be relied upon, both men were 
 better fitted for the penitentiary than for the United 
 States Congress. 
 
 It was a close shave between them, and until they 
 neared the end they seemed to be running neck and 
 neck ; but Mr. Travis had this advantage, finally, over 
 his competitor. He had had the forethought to obtain 
 a carefully prepared list of the "bummers," "dead 
 beats," and "gutter-snipes" of the district, and on the 
 day preceding the election he placed one thousand new 
 and crisp one dollar treasury notes in the hands of his 
 agents to be discreetly used on the morning of election 
 day to buy up voters who had the honor to be enrolled 
 among the purchasable. This shrewd, but honest, de- 
 ii (161)
 
 162 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 vice enabled him to reach the goal about a half length 
 ahead of the panting and eager Popper. It was a 
 magnificent triumph for the Democrats, and a striking 
 exhibition of the capacity of a free people for self 
 government. The pious Ebenezer congratulated Mr. 
 Travis in person, and then sent a letter of condolence 
 to Popper. The sympathetic chord in Ebenezer s 
 bosom was like the harp on the willow 7 , responsive to 
 the touch of every passing zephyr. He could rejoice 
 with those who rejoiced, and mourn with those who 
 mourned. He was also able to demonstrate that if 
 it had not been for his efforts Travis would have been 
 defeated ; and then again he was prepared to prove by 
 the same figures that if he had not ridden the county 
 night and day Popper s vote would have been some 
 hundreds smaller than it was ; and then again he was 
 able by the same statistics to satisfy his prohibition 
 friends that they were increasing in strength and use 
 fulness, and if they kept up the warfare against ungod 
 liness, the time would soon come when they would 
 hold the balance of power and dictate to the sinners 
 on all sides of them, whatever terms they pleased. 
 Figures never lie, but in this respect they bear no re 
 semblance whatever to Ebenezer. 
 
 On the day succeeding the election, Mr. Travis 
 was the great man of the Cranberry district. He had 
 been vindicated and thoroughly cleansed by victory, 
 and would soon be clothed with the honors of office 
 and be in receipt of its emoluments. People saw many 
 good traits in him now which they had never observed 
 before. He was an exceedingly generous man, but 
 modest, and hence dispensed his charity unostenta 
 tiously and generally to those who served him. This 
 after all was the proper method. Let not thy left hand
 
 AFTERMATH 163 
 
 know what thy right hand doeth. He was a broad 
 minded, liberal statesman. Some telling sentences 
 which he had cribbed from Jefferson to adorn his 
 campaign speeches, were conclusive proof of this. He 
 was a genial and courteous gentleman, not too proud 
 with all his honors glowing freshly on him, to shake 
 hands with his neighbors, and make kindly enquiries 
 about their families. 
 
 "The baby s doin finely, thank you, Mr. Travis, 
 an Matilda Jane is a takin of her panada regular, an 
 will be glad ter know you ast about her, sir." 
 
 Having emerged from the uncertainties of a polit 
 ical campaign and attained the goal of his ambition, 
 Mr. Travis, in the opinion of the people, was entirely 
 satisfied and happy. But this popular estimate of his 
 spiritual condition should not be accepted as wholly 
 accurate. Victories, whether political or military, are 
 often only a little less disastrous than defeats. In re 
 viewing the occurrences of the past three months there 
 \vere some things he could not contemplate with com 
 placency. He had resorted to many dishonest devices 
 in order to achieve success, but disreputable methods 
 had long since ceased to awaken in him sharp com 
 punctions of conscience or bitter feelings of regret. 
 What rendered him uncomfortable at present was the 
 enormous pecuniary cost of the struggle through which 
 he had passed. He had already expended treble the 
 sum covered by his original estimates, and there were 
 still outstanding a multitude of claims, the payment of 
 which it was impossible to avoid without incurring the 
 hostility of influential party leaders and subjecting 
 himself to the charge of meanness and ingratitude. 
 Committees were sending in bills for extraordinary 
 but, as they asserted, necessary expenditures made in
 
 164 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 his interest. Individuals were presenting claims for 
 special services, rendered in accordance with what they 
 assumed to be the candidate s directions, either ex 
 pressed or implied. Livery men were deluging him 
 with itemized statements of accounts for carriages sup 
 plied to speakers and confidential agents. Newspaper 
 proprietors were asking payment for what purported 
 to be editorials published either at his request or that 
 of his authorized managers. Humane people were 
 besieging him for subscriptions to church or charity. 
 Public spirited gentlemen insisted that he should now 
 join them in their favorite enterprises. "Dead beats" 
 thronged his office to remind him of their services and 
 demand a loan. In brief, he felt that he had been 
 elected to distribute what money he possessed and all 
 he could beg, borrow, or steal, and was expected to 
 do it without a moment of unnecessary delay. When 
 he thought of the great pile of unliquidated bills before 
 him and of the continuous stream of personal appli 
 cations for assistance, he wished from the bottom of 
 his heart his bitterest enemy had been the candidate 
 instead of himself. But what, under the circum 
 stances, could he do? They had all labored zealously 
 for his success. From some of them he could not 
 recollect how many, he had solicited help. To others 
 he had expressed a hope that he might have an oppor 
 tunity to reward them for their activity in his behalf. 
 They had, as they thought, made him a great man 
 who would soon be in receipt of a munificent salary. 
 In detail, their demands were comparatively small. He 
 could not, therefore, in the flush of victory with a good 
 grace decline to justify their high estimate of him, and 
 yet his fortune was wasting at a thousand spigots, and
 
 AFTERMATH 165 
 
 in the mental panic which for the time seized him, he 
 felt that he was going to bankruptcy on the run. 
 
 While in this unhappy frame of mind, he came so 
 near forgetting the dignity of his position as to seri 
 ously meditate the forcible ejection from his office of 
 two "gutter-snipes" who had called to boast of their 
 political influence and ask for small accommodations. 
 On further consideration, however, a better method of 
 relief occurred to him. Taking a light overcoat from 
 a closet and putting on his hat he told his visitors he 
 had important business to attend to, and hurriedly left 
 the room. When he reached the sidewalk he was un 
 decided as to the direction he should take, but this was 
 immaterial so it enabled him to avoid further annoy 
 ance. As he walked rapidly down the street the thought 
 occurred to him that it would be well to go to the 
 country. By doing this he would at least escape the 
 continuous chatter about the election and what people 
 had done to insure his success. Stopping, therefore, 
 at a livery stable he ordered a team, and while stand 
 ing at the door waiting for it, was accosted by one of 
 his political friends. 
 
 "How air yez. Misther Travis ; an it s glad I am 
 ye was elected, sor. I niver worricked in me loife as 
 I did that day fer ye r honor, sor. There were tin 
 min a boardin wid me at Widdy McGafferty s tin, 
 sor. an sez I, b ys let s be afther givin Misther Travis 
 a lift, an yez got ivery wote, ye r honor, ivery wote, 
 sor." 
 
 "Thank you, Tim ; I thought you d stand by me." 
 
 "An sure I wad, sor, tooth and toe nail, fer yez, 
 sor. I made yez not less nor tin honest wotes, yer 
 honor. Yez may allers know whar to foin Tim 
 O Rourke. He s a thrue Dimmvcrat an niver
 
 166 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 scratches the ticket loike some folks, sor wad yer 
 honor be so kin as to lind a poor man a foive dollar 
 note till next wake a Chuesday? I ll pay it back to yez 
 prompt on the day foive dollars : an sure it s nothin 
 to the loikes o yez. Yer a great an rich man, yer 
 honor, an ud niver feel it if yez sulcl niver see it 
 agin." 
 
 "I haven t that much with me, Tim here 
 here s a dollar for you; I m in a hurry Damn that 
 boy. why don t he fetch the team !" 
 
 "Thank ye, Misther Travis; yez can hand me the 
 other four ter morrer. if ye s a moind to, sor. An 
 shure foive dollars is nothin to the loikes o yez I 
 made yez tin honest wotes, Misther Travis ; tin sor 
 
 Mr. Travis turned on his heel impatiently and 
 shouted into the stable door : 
 
 Bring out that team hurry up!" 
 
 "Be thar in a minute, sah ; mos ready, sah." 
 
 A shabby genteelman coming up now laid his hand 
 on Mr. Travis shoulder to attract his attention from 
 the stable boy, and said : 
 
 "Xot going away?" 
 
 "I ve business in the country, and must be off at 
 once I should have gone an hour ago." 
 
 "I shall not detain you. My business was neg 
 lected during the canvass and I am short. Here s a 
 note to the bank for a hundred ; lend me your name for 
 sixty days." 
 
 "I don t do that sort of thing, Filkins, really my 
 good fellow, I never endorse for any body." 
 
 "It s simply a matter of form, man ; I ve spent 
 
 more than a hundred for you in time and money within 
 
 the month step into the office and write your name.
 
 AFTERMATH 167 
 
 One good turn deserves another; live and let live s a 
 good maxim." 
 
 "Well, well, I ll do it for you, Filkins, but it s 
 against the rule of my life." 
 
 Going into a little office which occupied one cor 
 ner of the stable Mr. Travis signed the note, and hand 
 ing it back, said : 
 
 "How s your family, Filkins?" 
 
 "Well ; much obliged ; good morning." 
 
 "Hurry up with that team, you black sun of a gun. 
 I can t wait all day. Do you hear?" 
 
 "I s comin , sah ; hosses jus ready to buckle to, 
 sah. Be dar fore yer knows it, sah." 
 
 When after a little further delay the team was led 
 out, the hostler said to Mr. Travis, with a broad grin : 
 
 "Boss, yer couldn t gib a nigga a nickle to buy a 
 glass of beer, sah?" 
 
 "Not a cent," said Travis, angrily. 
 
 "Dat was my pinion, boss. Dat s jus wat I sed, 
 sah." 
 
 "What do you mean, you rascal?" 
 
 "I sed dat yer couldn t, sah, an yo sed yer 
 couldn t, sah, an so we greed on dat pint jus like we 
 b longed to same party, sah 
 
 Travis had by this time taken his seat in the buggy 
 -"When folks gree bout de same pint, sah, dar s 
 nebber no casion fer hard feelin s, sah." 
 
 "Here s a quarter for you," said Mr. Travis, as he 
 was driving off ; "catch it !" 
 
 The hostler picked the ra.oney up and chuckling 
 over his good fortune, said : 
 
 " Pears dat we was bofe wrong. I sed he couldn t, 
 he sed he couldn t, and den he gone and done it. Hit s 
 jus de way wid dem durned copperhead Dim crats.
 
 168 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Dey nebber do wat dey say dey will nebber. Hit s 
 a c lar case. Dey re de bigges liars on de topside de 
 yearth." 
 
 The bracing air and pleasant sunshine of an Oc 
 tober afternoon had a tendency to revive Mr. Travis 
 drooping spirits. The horses were rapid goers, and as 
 he bowled along over the smooth clay road his thoughts 
 were lifted from the disagreeable groove in which they 
 had been running, and it seemed as if a better world 
 were opening out before him. He was indeed about to 
 enter upon a new phase of existence. The dry and un 
 interesting routine of village life would soon be ex 
 changed for a broader and more exciting round of 
 duties. Narrow and homely streets for wide and ele 
 gant avenues. The little country court house with its 
 professional jurors and tiresome pleadings, for the 
 National capitol with its brilliant speeches and appre 
 ciative listeners. His victory was worth something 
 after all worth probably all it cost. Having won it 
 might he not with confidence seek to achieve another? 
 The other to which he now looked forward would not 
 only give him the loveliest and most amiable of wives, 
 but more than make good pecuniarily all the losses he 
 had sustained. A life of celibacy was at best barren 
 and unsatisfactory. No home, no children, none to 
 perpetuate the name, and none to inherit what might 
 be left. It was a man s duty to marry. Air. Travis 
 had been aware of this for years, but never so keenly 
 as now. 
 
 When he drove up to Dundren s gate he was re 
 ceived, after a fashion, by two playful dogs, with sono 
 rous voices, who sometimes pretended to be very fierce, 
 but unconsciously let every body know by the wagging
 
 AFTERMATH 169 
 
 of their tails that their ferocity was assumed and there 
 fore not dangerous. 
 
 "Toby! Punch!" 
 
 It was the voice of their mistress admonishing 
 them to be quiet, and at the sound of it they went re 
 gretfully back to the house as if called from the agree 
 able duty of rending Mr. Travis into a thousand frag 
 ments, and distributing his remains broadcast over the 
 farm. Gertrude put her hands on their heads when 
 they returned to her, to indicate that she was pleased 
 to find them obedient and merciful, and then proceeded 
 down the graveled walk to meet her visitor and con 
 gratulate him on his election. 
 
 "Thank you ; but don t say a word more about it. 
 I ve heard of nothing else for days. I m out for a ride ; 
 go with me." 
 
 "Not a long one?" 
 
 "Short or long, as you wish. I ve run away from 
 a hundred petty annoyances, and should prefer never 
 to return." 
 
 "Well, if you have been driven here it may be my 
 duty to make you glad to get home 
 
 Toby and Punch were never more eager to take a 
 little exercise than on this occasion, and circled round 
 and round the carriage when it started in doubt as to 
 the exact wishes of their mistress, but finally conclud 
 ing she would not positively decline their protection 
 and guidance, they went scurrying down the road in 
 advance of the team as if running a race in which the 
 winner was to have five pounds of good, tender 
 beefsteak, and no bone. 
 
 The carriage turned off the Cranberry road on to 
 one leading in a northeasterly direction along the mar 
 gin of a brook, and after perhaps an hour Toby and
 
 170 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Punch discovered a pedestrian in the distance and 
 
 i * 
 
 straightway bore down upon him with great speed, 
 and when they reached the enemy they cavorted about 
 him and barked loudly and made furious sallies at his 
 shins and seemed to say, ha ! you old rascallion we ve 
 got you now ! and then the beleagured pedestrian, as 
 suming a defensive attitude drew an old cotton um 
 brella and waved it threateningly, and finally aimed a 
 vicious blow at Toby which he evaded by a marvelous 
 leap ; but nothing daunted, and warmly supported by 
 the faithful Punch, he rallied again and made another 
 bold charge on the foe, but like a prudent warrior, 
 halted just before he got within reach of the enemy s 
 weapon, wheeled, retired, and came on again, and fin 
 ally, by a quick maneuver got in the enemy s rear and 
 compelled him to change front, and so the battle pro 
 gressed until the buggy came near enough to enable 
 Gertrude to interfere in the interest of peace. 
 
 "Down Toby ! Out Punch ! Oh, you mischiev 
 ous dogs." 
 
 Obedient to the commands of their mistress the 
 jolly dogs abandoned the game at once, and went gal 
 loping down the road in search of other adventures. 
 
 Sked was too busy condemning all dogs to eternal 
 condemnation to observe and recognize the occupants 
 of the carriage. 
 
 "They drive a good team, dod-blast em, but 
 they ll may be see the time when they ll wish they had 
 gone afoot, and kept fewer dogs." 
 
 Let us hope not, Sked. It would do you no harm 
 to wish them well. Indeed, it might do that stony 
 heart of yours much good to grow soft enough to give 
 cordial greeting to those you meet. If there be a 
 future for the human soul the time is near when the
 
 AFTERMATH 171 
 
 kindly thoughts and esteem of others will be precious 
 to you. What music it would be to the .listening spirit 
 to hear people say : 
 
 "How generous and gentle old Peter was, and 
 how attentive to the wants of those around him. His 
 kindness to others made him happy, and the recollec 
 tion of his good deeds makes our lives more cheerful." 
 
 "But suppose death ends us, egad, of what use 
 then would these good thoughts be?" 
 
 "If death means annihilation. Sked, of what use 
 is gold and all your pinchings?" 
 
 "I ve won the game I played at." 
 
 "True, but it was a poor game at best, and the 
 winnings of no more value to you than dust. Go to, 
 old man ! You took the wrong chute in youth, and 
 have done nothing worth the doing. Even Gertrude 
 Frazier s dogs are making better use of their advant 
 ages, are happier in life and will be more regretted 
 by good folks when dead." 
 
 When on their return, Mr. Travis assisted Ger 
 trude from the carriage at Dundren s gate, the sun had 
 disappeared, and the west was glowing with long yel 
 low and crimson streamers. Was the scene before her 
 suggestive of that brilliant life of gaiety and fashion 
 to which she had been invited? 
 
 In the evening Airs. Dundren and Gertrude were 
 sitting on opposite sides of a little table busy with 
 needle work and so thoroughly occupied by their own 
 thoughts that the silence had for some time remained 
 unbroken. Married women have the sense to discern 
 many things invisible to mortals of less experience, 
 and at length, as if referring to a question which Ger 
 trude was silently discussing, Mrs Dundren said : 
 
 "Pardon me you should accept."
 
 172 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Looking up with a smile and heightened color 
 Gertrude answered : 
 
 "I don t know." 
 
 A long silence ensued, but Mrs. Drunden had not 
 abandoned the subject. 
 
 "He s wealthy, the foremost gentleman of the 
 County ; I can see many things in the new life which I 
 think would be attractive to you." 
 
 To this there was no reply, and after a long pause 
 Mrs. Dundren continued : 
 
 "If Robert were living and faithful you would 
 have heard from him." 
 
 Gertrude s head bent still closer to her work ; the 
 ruddy tinge disappeared from her cheeks, and her 
 voice trembled as she answered : 
 
 "It would seem so."
 
 XV 
 
 KITTY ROSS 
 
 DUUGALD, Gertrude Frazier s eldest brother, was 
 an invalid, Malcolm, the next in birth, was 
 sleeping- comfortably in his grave on Sand Ridge, 
 sent thither by strong drink some forty years 
 sooner than nature intended him to go, and if the 
 thrifty farmers of Cranberry thought of Archie, the 
 youngest, at all, they probably thought of him as one 
 who was by this time similarly settled. But notwith 
 standing any cunning speculations as to his fate which 
 may have been entertained by his old neighbors, Archie 
 was still above ground and likely to remain there for 
 some time to come. The fact is, after years of idle 
 ness, debauchery and wandering, he had been brought 
 to a full halt on the golden shores of the Pacific. His 
 little stock of money was gone, his health broken, his 
 constitution shattered, and \vhile in this condition the 
 very devil got hold of him, and kicked him hither and 
 yon, and dragged him through sewers of vileness, and 
 buffeted him to such an extent that there was scarcely 
 anything of the man left. Weak of body, imbecile of 
 mind, homeless, penniless and utterly wretched a 
 mere rag of humanity, indeed, he ceased to afford even 
 his satanic majesty amusement, and so after getting 
 him kicked out of a low dive, and seeing him nicely 
 located on the curbstone with a battered face and 
 broken rib, the fiend turned from his victim to attend 
 to more important business, thinking, doubtless, if 
 
 (173)
 
 174 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 there was anything still left in Archie Frazier worth 
 shaking, he could return at his own convenience and 
 rattle him again. But when the fiend s back was 
 turned, and while Archie lay unconscious, an ambu 
 lance was driven up and what little remained of him 
 was flung into it and carted off to the hospital. And 
 so through a broken rib, a bruised face, and an un 
 conscious brain he escaped from satan and fell into the 
 hands of the Sisters of Charity. 
 
 I shall not stop to tell you just how Archie de 
 meaned himself during the days which immediately 
 followed. How often he cried out that he was dying 
 of thirst and must have whiskey ; nor how he abused 
 and slandered the patient white-hooded nurse who had 
 him in charge. The poor fellow was delirious, and if 
 the fiend had been standing by the sick man s bedside 
 he would have laughed outright and flourished his tail 
 in triumph at Archie s wild speeches and profane 
 words ; but happily the gentle faced woman who waited 
 on the suffering sinner was very watchful and tender, 
 and with perhaps a tear, much fingering of her rosary, 
 and moving of thin white lips in prayer, she made it 
 impossible for satan to approach her patient. 
 
 After many days Archie awoke in his right mind, 
 and was surprised to find himself between clean sheets 
 and in a comfortable room, and was furthermore as 
 tonished to behold two sympathizing blue eyes looking 
 tenderly into his. There w 7 as still a craving within 
 him for something he did not see, and now hardly 
 dared to ask for ; but finally the desire augmented and 
 became so persistent that he ventured in the gentlest 
 of tones to say: 
 
 "My good woman, couldn t you give me a little 
 whiskey just a drop ?"
 
 KITTY ROSS 175 
 
 Satan s enemy smiled, then turned to a small stove 
 on which some broth or gruel was kept warm, and put 
 ting a few mouthfuls of food in a bowl, added to it the 
 least mite of whiskey, and then fed it to him. This 
 afforded such temporary relief to the sufferer that his 
 attention was diverted from his stomach to the frac 
 tured rib. 
 
 Finally, after some months of severe distress dur 
 ing which his gentle nurse was unwearying in her de 
 votion, and constant in her admonitions, Archie s crav 
 ing for strong drink disappeared so far as to afford 
 him an opportunity to think continuously of other 
 things, of better things, of the miserable and shameful 
 life he had led, of the good mother and father who 
 were sleeping on Sand Ridge ; of the devil s own time 
 he d had of it thus far in life, and then he resolved that 
 he would do better. Oh, he had abundant time to 
 think and resolve, for after he had so far recovered 
 as to leave his bed there were weeks of feebleness and 
 weariness, in which there were many fearful twitches 
 of the muscles, and heavy blows of the re-awakened 
 conscience to remind him of his years of idleness, dis 
 sipation, and sin. But he was thoroughly sober now, 
 and help him God, he would keep so to the end. Yes, 
 there was a God ! He had never realized this truth 
 so forcibly as since he had seen these patient, self-sac 
 rificing women, bend uncomplainingly, and unremit 
 tingly, and without visible reward, to their work of 
 mercy. 
 
 After awhile he was able to take little strolls about 
 the city. He could pass a grog shop now without 
 longing to go in. This was a hopeful sign and made 
 him confident the future would be an improvement on 
 the past. Then he began to do odd chores for the sis-
 
 176 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 ters. and then to go out and work a little, still making 
 the hospital his home. In time, when health was fully 
 restored, he obtained a position as porter in a railway 
 office, bade his benefactresses good bye, and com 
 menced his new life in earnest. He was a man of gen 
 tlemanly instincts, good address and sprightly intel 
 lect. Such men do not go long unobserved in a new 
 country where changes occur rapidly and new enter 
 prises and increasing business demand additional help 
 ers. In the course of a few years Frazier was pro 
 moted from one position to another until he finally be 
 came the lost car man of the Union Pacific Railway. 
 He was on business connected with the road when he 
 met Robert Brett in the depot at Chicago. His mis 
 sion was too urgent then to admit of a visit to Cran 
 berry, but he did not care any way to return to his old 
 home until he had accomplished something in life. The 
 future looked fair to him. He entertained no hope of 
 acquiring great wealth, but a modest competency he 
 felt quite sure was within his reach ; and it is probable 
 he would have achieved it but for an incident which 
 will now be chronicled. 
 
 While looking up and down the land for lost, 
 strayed, or disabled cars cars needlessly detained at 
 unimportant stations or side-tracked with many others 
 of various roads, and hence unemployed he ran across 
 old John Ross, of San Francisco, a master builder 
 of the Union Pacific Railway ; and when this venerable 
 mechanic ascertained that Archie s family name was 
 Frazier. he looked him over kindly with his gray, deep- 
 set eyes, and then asked if he were of Scottish descent. 
 Being answered in the affirmative, he made further in 
 quiry and, to his great joy, found Archie was a Lan 
 arkshire Frazier. Having known the Scottish branch
 
 KITTY ROSS 177 
 
 of the family well in his boyhood, and being fond of 
 talking of his early days, and reviving old memories, 
 he made Archie promise to call at his home on the 
 coming Tuesday, when they would both be in San 
 Francisco, and take dinner with him. 
 
 When Tuesday came Archie took a street car and 
 went out to John Ross s comfortable residence, and 
 was received with great cordiality, and while the mas 
 ter builder was talking about Lanarkshire and his 
 young days and old neighbors, and dwelling with 
 special emphasis on the respectability of the Fraziers, 
 his daughter Kitty entered the room, and with a be 
 coming blush mantling her round cheeks, was intro 
 duced to Archie. 
 
 This young lady was the picture of innocence, 
 health and beauty, but alas ! she was as obstinate as a 
 spoiled child, and as likely to have her own way in 
 everything upon which she set her heart, as any only 
 heir of a fond father ever was. And before the dinner 
 was fairly over she made up her mind she would have 
 that lost car man, or perish in the attempt. No one, 
 to look at her, would have suspected this blushing, 
 round-cheeked and brown-eyed young damsel of en 
 tertaining any such diabolical scheme for the enslave 
 ment of man ; but appearances, as we know, are often 
 deceptive, and they were never more so than in this 
 particular case. 
 
 From this day on, her subtle brain was constantly 
 working toward the end suggested, and her honest 
 father aided unwittingly in the execution of her plans. 
 Invitations to dine went frequently to the unsuspect 
 ing victim, and the cunning minx played her little 
 game so well that before the poor lost car man was at
 
 178 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 all conscious of his peril, he was too far gone to be 
 saved, and popped the question so plump and fair that 
 Kitty Ross attempted to faint and drop into his arms. 
 She was too healthy a girl, however, to execute the 
 first part of this maneuver naturally, but she did suc 
 ceed in the second, and Archie, losing his good sense 
 temporarily, gave to his fair conqueror what seemed 
 to the common understanding, a series of old fashioned 
 hugs, such as our ancestors used to indulge in, but 
 which, in these latter and better days have become 
 almost wholly obsolete. In brief, the man was so be 
 witched by this imp of furbelows, bangs, ribbons and 
 roses, he seemed totally unaware that he was as badly 
 lost as any car he ever hunted for. 
 
 When the honest old master builder ascertained 
 what Kitty was up to, and that he was now likely to 
 have two children ; instead of lifting the roof off of 
 his house by a cyclone of indignation, as any sensible 
 father would have done, he simply patted his daughter 
 on the cheek, affectionately, and said : 
 
 "I think ye ha doon weel, my bairn. Thae mon 
 cooms o a glide family." 
 
 Two months after the first kiss was given, Archi 
 bald Frazier was married to Katherine Ross, and old 
 John Ross had so much confidence in his son-in-law, 
 he gave a business block in San Francisco to his 
 son-in-law s wife, with a provision in the deed that at 
 her death it should descend to the heirs of her body. 
 With an income of ten thousand a year at her disposal, 
 Mrs. Kitty now picked up the man she had captured, 
 and carried him off in triumph on a wedding tour. 
 
 As the old master builder stood in the doorway of 
 his comfortable home with moist eyes on the day of 
 their departure, he said to them in tremulous tones :
 
 KITTY ROSS 179 
 
 "If ye gang sae far as Lanarkshire, speer oot Jem 
 Scobie tat keeps thae ale house in Dungleton, an gie 
 him a five pun note ta wet thae \vheestles o my ole 
 neebors wi . Min ye, Kitty, they re mos ly pore folk 
 tat knew me i thae ole time ; treat em kin ly, lass, treat 
 em kin ly." 
 
 "Xever fear, father," Kitty replied, as she put her 
 arms around the old man s neck and kissed him ; "we ll 
 have all Dungleton to dinner, and when the health of 
 John Ross is proposed, Archie shall respond so elo 
 quently, Dungleton will shout itself hoarse in honor of 
 her absent son. Oh, we ll treat em well !" 
 
 And so it happened that on an October morning, 
 as Archie Frazier and his wife were going eastward, 
 they got off the train at Cranberry station. It would 
 be difficult to describe Mrs. Kitty s elegant traveling 
 dress, and if it were described, readers a thousand 
 years hence might smile at \vhat their deteriorated 
 tastes conceived to be the ridiculousness of her costume 
 and might even go so far as to question the veracity 
 of the historian. Let it content the present generation, 
 therefore, to know that Mrs. Kitty Frazier was no 
 whit behind the times either in the material or fashion 
 of her apparel. Her husband, too, was the well attired, 
 alert man of business, who speaks authoritatively, acts 
 decisively, and wastes no time on inconsequential 
 things. Those who knew him once as a rollicking 
 blade, often wholly drunk, and never entirely sober, 
 had to look twice, and then be called by name before 
 they could believe he was a phase of the man they 
 knew. What a contrast he was, indeed, to the former 
 Archie ! This Archie might be a millionaire, a senator, 
 anything within the reach of man. The other was a 
 worthless profligate and spendthrift. This one bore
 
 180 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 himself with dignity, spoke in gentle but decisive 
 tones ; the other was a staggering, ill-tempered 
 brawler. "Well, well, so this is Archie, old Dougald 
 Frazier s son, we never thought he d turn out like 
 this never." And he never would, my friends, if 
 he had not turned whiskey out and come down to inex 
 pensive habits, plain living, and wholesome food. Yes, 
 there was still something more than this needed to 
 make him what he is, to-wit : the thinking of good 
 thoughts, and the looking up to heaven, instead of 
 thinking bad thoughts, and looking down to hell. 
 
 ArcHie was a no greater surprise to others than 
 to himself. We rarely know what good metal there is 
 in men until it is hammered over and over, then we 
 often find that what we at first took for brass is pure 
 gold. Sometimes this discovery is made quite late in 
 life, and very often men are knocked about for years 
 and almost killed before it is ascertained. A hot fire 
 and many heavy blows are required to convert the 
 rough iron ore into a keen blade ; and so of God s ham 
 mering, it is always for good ends, and it is not His 
 fault if the material does not come out of the forge a 
 thing of utility and beaut} . 
 
 It was soon known to all Cranberry that Archie 
 Frazier had returned, bringing with him a handsome 
 wife, and that he seemed sober, rich, prosperous and 
 happy. Nobody could understand how all this had 
 come about, and to none was the mystery more insolu 
 ble than to the few blear-eyed, ragged and limp human 
 wrecks, who, in the old time had been his boon com 
 panions. How shame-faced and uneasy they were in 
 his presence. How suggestive he was of what they 
 might have been. Alas ! their own hearts told them 
 what they were. He had been rising; they had been
 
 KITTY ROSS 181 
 
 falling. He had years of plenty and happiness before 
 him ; they had nothing but pinchings and wretched 
 ness. Is it too late to make the change he made? No, 
 not too late ; it is never too late to seek to do better, 
 but it takes a strong will to sever the old ties and con 
 quer the old appetites. For the weak and irresolute 
 fool there is no hope ; but victory is always within 
 reach of the brave and determined. 
 
 A pair of handsome bays attached to an open car 
 riage, dashing around the corner, now halted in front 
 of the Cranberry hotel. Mrs. Kitty came tripping 
 down from the room where she had re-arranged her 
 toilet, with her bangs in order, her back hair nicely 
 dressed, and her cheeks glowing ; stepping out on the 
 pavement she was about to be assisted into the vehicle 
 by her husband, when a hearty slap on his shoulder 
 made him turn round. There, with hand extended, 
 and a smile all over his broad face, stood Ben Hood. 
 
 "Why, Ben." exclaimed Archie, "I m glad to see 
 you. Kitty my wife, Mr. Hood." 
 
 Mrs. Kitty put her little plump, cool gloved hand 
 into Ben Hood s great fist. It was a nice kind of hand, 
 such a hand, in brief, as an able bodied young man 
 might hold all day, without getting at all tired, and 
 Ben Hood shook it and then shook her husband s, and 
 then expressed the pleasure he felt in meeting them, 
 and the hope that they would drive out and dine with 
 him at an early day, and bring Gertrude, and Dougald 
 with them. The Fraziers and Hoods had been neigh 
 bors for many a year. Their farms were not far apart, 
 and Ben Hood had known Archie when the latter was 
 a toddling boy. 
 
 While they were talking of old times and mutual 
 acquaintances the village people gathered around and
 
 182 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 shook hands with Archie, while others gazed admir 
 ingly on Kitty. The belief was general that Archie 
 had "struck it rich" on the golden shores of the Pa 
 cific, and then had married the only daughter of a 
 bonanza king, and that he and Her Royal Highness, 
 the Princess, having grown weary of palatial halls, 
 and the pomp and ceremony thereof, were taking in 
 the rougher phases of life, just for the fun of the 
 thing, you know, and not because they had to. This 
 theory was good enough, as nearly true as such imag 
 inings generally are, and would have suited Kitty to a 
 dot. The fact is, the master builder s handsome 
 daughter was never happier than now. This thing of 
 being a married woman was no great hardship after 
 all. Oh, she could shoulder its responsibilities ! No 
 body need have any misgivings on that score not 
 at all. 
 
 Pretty soon they bade that crochety and most un 
 reasonable of men, Ben Hood, good morning, and 
 went bowling over a smooth, clay road towards Dun- 
 dren s. If the driver of the rapid going bays had had 
 eyes in the back of his head he would have been aston 
 ished, and perhaps shocked, to find the princess wink 
 ing at her husband and going so far in this play of the 
 eyes as to assume the appearance of a cross-eyed 
 woman, and then he would have been dumbfounded 
 to see the faces she made, and to hear the little snatches 
 of song she hummed softly, and to see the way she 
 caught her husband s index finger and doubled it up 
 to make him tell whom he loved best. In short, there 
 was much behavior of this sort most unbecoming a 
 lady who had the reputation in Cranberry of being the 
 daughter of a bonanza king. 
 
 The distance from Cranberry to Cherry Farm, to
 
 KITTY ROSS 183 
 
 a newly married couple on a pleasant October day, is 
 quite short, so short, indeed, that when the carriage 
 came to a full halt at Dundren s gate, Mrs. Kitty was 
 greatly surprised, and insisted the place they had 
 started for was still miles away. 
 
 Archie sounded the knocker on Dundren s door, 
 and pretty soon it was opened by a little maiden whose 
 big blue eyes doubled in size when she saw Kitty. 
 
 Is Mr. Dundren at home?" he asked. 
 
 He s on the farm, some where, sir not in the 
 house. I think if we d ring the bell he d come in." 
 
 "Mrs. Dundren and Miss Frazier?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, sir; will you please come in? I I 
 almost forgot to ask you to come in walk into this 
 room. I ll tell mamma and cousin Gertrude. 
 
 Having shown the callers into the best room and 
 asked them to be seated, Mrs. Dundren s youngest 
 daughter ran off to tell her mother and cousin there 
 was the loveliest lady in the parlor she ever set eyes 
 on. Such a bonnet! such splendid back hair! such 
 eyes ! such an elegant dress ! Gracious, but she s nice. 
 And so she is, my child. Mrs. Kitty Frazier is all 
 your fancy paints her, and a little more. While your 
 back is turned this lively young wife is, by queer de 
 vices and strange antics, trying to provoke her hus 
 band to kiss her, and the poor man, driven to desper 
 ation, finally does as she wishes. But now, hearing 
 footfalls in the hall, there is a sudden change in her 
 appearance and demeanor. She becomes at once the 
 pink of propriety and the picture of demureness ! 
 
 Gertrude Frazier entered the room expecting to 
 meet people from Cranberry, or possibly from a more 
 distant town. May be a call of inquiry ; possibly some 
 body to look over the farm with a view to purchasing
 
 184 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 it. Archie and his wife rose to meet her ; she was quite 
 sure she had never seen them before, and yet there 
 was something in the face and bearing of the gentle 
 man not wholly strange. 
 
 "Good morning," she said. 
 
 The gentleman looked at her steadily with the 
 faintest suggestion of a smile flickering on his face, but 
 made no response, and so Gertrude with a little flush 
 mantling her fair face, turned to the lady and said : 
 
 "Mrs. Dundren will be here in a moment ; please 
 be seated." 
 
 Finding himself unrecognized, Archie said : 
 
 "Gertrude, this is Kitty, my wife. Don t you know 
 me, sister?" 
 
 "Oh ! Archie, Archie," she cried, and in an instant 
 her arms were about his neck, and she was sobbing 
 with thankfulness and joy. When she had in some 
 measure recovered from the first shock of surprise, she 
 turned and embraced his wife, but could hardly trust 
 her senses even then, and so holding a hand of each 
 stood looking at them with tears streaming down her 
 face. 
 
 In the afternoon, while Kitty and the younger 
 members of Mr. Dundren s family were out among the 
 barns and sheds inspecting the cows, calves and sheep, 
 Archie and Gertrude were standing together on the 
 lawn. 
 
 "I fear I assisted in doing you a great injury, 
 sister," he said regretfully. 
 
 "Why do you think so, Archie ?" 
 
 "Have you ever seen Robert or heard from him 
 since " 
 
 She looked up with reddening face and answered : 
 
 "No."
 
 KITTY ROSS 185 
 
 "Your estimate of him was more accurate than 
 mine." 
 
 "What do you know of him?" 
 
 "Not much. I met him at Chicago, three years 
 ago." 
 
 "He is still living, then?" 
 
 "At that date, certainly. He impressed me as be 
 ing a man of good character, good habits, and great 
 ability. He is evidently one whom any woman might 
 be proud of as a husband." 
 
 "Does he reside in Chicago?" 
 
 "I do not know. I met him accidentally at the 
 station, and had barely time to ask his forgiveness." 
 
 "Did he make no allusion to the past?" 
 
 "He asked if I had heard from Cranberry re 
 cently ; but I had not and so told him. I am quite sure 
 we did you a great wrong." 
 
 "Perhaps not possibly it was well for him and 
 for me. We were young then. He is probably mar 
 ried and settled now. I should have heard from him 
 if he had not been. Heaven only knows what happen 
 ings are for the best. I am glad you think well of 
 him." 
 
 When, in the evening, Gertrude retired to her 
 room she did not at once seek repose. Her thoughts 
 were busy with the communication Archie had made 
 respecting Robert. Her faith in his fidelity up to this 
 hour had continued unshaken. Even Mrs. Dundren s 
 suggestion of a day or two ago had failed to excite a 
 suspicion as to his constancy. She thought she knew 
 him well better than any body else; and even now, 
 after Archie had assured her he was living, and ap 
 parently in independent circumstances, she found it
 
 186 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 difficult to believe he had been recreant to their mutual 
 pledge. 
 
 For ten years, she had to all intents and purposes, 
 considered herself a married woman ; not free to think 
 of another alliance even if inclined to do so. His pro 
 longed silence was a grievous mystery to her, still she 
 knew how proud he was and attributed it to a senti 
 ment of delicacy growing out of the inequality of their 
 fortunes. Indeed, she recollected only too keenly 
 how her brothers had taunted him with his poverty, 
 and accused him of a desire to enrich himself by mar 
 riage. She had concluded, therefore, that when he 
 succeeded in winning a modest competency, he would 
 come back again. What she had herself written to him 
 in the excitement and terror of the day when they were 
 together last, she did not know ; but she felt quite sure 
 nothing had passed between them to indicate a de 
 sire for final separation. The predominating thought 
 with her on that occasion had been fear for his per 
 sonal safety. He was eager and resolute enough 
 then, and not easily deterred from the execution of a 
 purpose upon which he had set his heart. What had 
 since occurred to effect a change in him? Had he 
 met one who suited his fancy better? Had his larger 
 experience obliterated the impression of a youthful at 
 tachment ? Had he become absorbed in money making 
 and oblivious to other things? Chicago is but twelve 
 hours, by rail, from Cranberry simply a day or 
 night s journey. If he had taken the trouble to make 
 inquiry he must know she was still unmarried. She 
 had been ten long years in making the discovery that 
 the man she trusted was unfaithful to her. Henceforth 
 her thoughts must find new channels. Does he fancy 
 she has been rendered unhappy and perhaps inconsol-
 
 KITTY KOSS 187 
 
 able by his desertion? Has it been manly of him to 
 treat her so ? Does he forget she accepted him without 
 thought of his poverty? Does the fact that she has 
 adhered to him so long gratify his vanity and lead 
 him to conclude that he is superior to other men? 
 
 There were at first tears in Gertrude s handsome 
 eyes and keen sorrow at her heart ; but the tears were 
 brushed away impatiently, and anger bid fair to over 
 whelm her sorrow. As she cast about in her own 
 mind for some opportunity to assert herself and show 
 indifference to the false lover who might be drawing 
 some measure of satisfaction from a belief in her fealty 
 to him, she thought of Mr. Travis. She did not love 
 him, but she could make him a faithful wife. Her 
 marriage to him would not pass unnoticed by the world 
 at large. A life in Washington would bring her in 
 contact with many interesting people. It was some 
 thing to be the wife of a congressman, and to be priv 
 ileged to attend the brilliant receptions at the Capital. 
 It may be after all, Robert Brett would not long have 
 occasion to flatter himself that she had lost so very 
 much in losing him.
 
 XVI 
 
 JACK WHARTON 
 
 WHILE the good people of Cranberry town had 
 been absorbed in speculation as to the result 
 of the election, and later still while the per 
 sonal friends of Air. Travis were rejoicing over his 
 success and discussing interesting incidents of the cam 
 paign, quiet preparation was being made at Mrs. 
 More s cottage for Lilian s wedding. The statement 
 of Colonel Albright as to his home and family had 
 been accepted in full faith by those most interested 
 in the matter. The accusations of Peter Sked, being 
 now regarded as simply the vagaries of an unbalanced 
 mind, Lilian and her mother were disposed to re 
 proach themselves for having been disturbed by them 
 in the least. Here, they had unconsciously argued, 
 was a young and handsome man associating with the 
 best people of the county, making eloquent speeches 
 to large audiences, holding a place in public estimation 
 second only to the candidates themselves. The idea 
 that there could be anything in the previous life of 
 such a gentleman of which his friends need be ashamed 
 was simply preposterous. Men of sullied reputations 
 did not thrust themselves into the eye of the world 
 by flaming placards, and live on intimate terms with 
 prominent statesmen. On the contrary, they naturally 
 sought obscurity and endeavored to steal through life 
 unobserved. No, no; the Colonel was still the Prince. 
 More tender and condescending indeed than Lilian s 
 (188)
 
 JACK WHAKTON 189 
 
 earlier dreams had pictured him. With his Royal 
 Highness it was her glorious destiny to walk hand in 
 hand beside still waters and in perpetual sunshine. 
 At thought of the delightful prospect the pulsations of 
 her young heart quickened, her blood thrilled pleas 
 antly, and her cheeks assumed the tint of the moss rose. 
 
 If poor Jack Wharton could see her now while 
 she is making preparation for this royal journey, he 
 would be amazed by her loveliness. Nothing so beau 
 tifies humanity as love. At its touch, hard lines dis 
 appear, the flesh softens, the eyes brighten, the face 
 glows and the step becomes elastic. It renders the 
 homely handsome, the handsome beautiful, and the 
 beautiful angelic, and for them the world becomes a 
 paradise where the soul finding all it longs for, is never 
 weary and always happy. 
 
 Lilian was at her mother s gate looking westward. 
 The sun was setting and the great bank of clouds 
 away off beyond Cranberry showed peaks of crimson, 
 flakes of gold and large areas of fleecy whiteness. The 
 sky never appeared so beautiful to her before ; but 
 gorgeous as the sunset was it did not wholly occupy 
 her thoughts ; she was thinking also of the Prince, 
 and almost expected to see him step out of the clouds 
 arrayed in purple and spangles to greet her as the 
 Queen of his heart. 
 
 The Colonel had been absent for a few days. He 
 would return that evening; to-morrow was the day 
 fixed upon for the marriage and their departure. 
 While Lilian, occupied by her own pleasant thoughts, 
 was looking dreamily towards the village, Jack Whar 
 ton. coming from the opposite direction, stopped and 
 startled her by saying abruptly, and with downcast 
 look :
 
 190 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "Lilly, I want to tell you something, and and 
 am afraid may be I oughtn t to the fact is, I 
 don t know what to do about it." 
 
 Jack was evidently in earnest. Lilian looked at 
 the embarrassed and awkward young man for a mo 
 ment soberly enough, and then her fair face lighted 
 up, and with a little laugh she answered softly : 
 
 "Don t do anything, Jack I think that is best 
 when one s in doubt." 
 
 "May be I wish I knew, for Lilly, it concerns 
 you much." 
 
 The girl was quite sure now she had correctly 
 guessed the purpose of Jack s visit. She had once 
 thought of him as a lover, but that was long ago, cer 
 tainly never since the lucky hour when she first met 
 the Prince. As the awkward country boy stood before 
 her, downcast and ill at ease, she could not help con 
 trasting him with the self-asserting and confident man 
 she proposed to marry, and congratulating herself on 
 her great good fortune. She did not doubt that Jack 
 was about to propose, and was somewhat interested 
 to know just how the bashful fellow would succeed 
 in making the avowal, but she replied to him by say 
 ing: 
 
 "If the subject is disagreeable to you. Jack, let it 
 pass for the present, at least. Your folks are all 
 well, I hope?" 
 
 He took no notice of her inquiry, but stood look 
 ing at her with an expression of anxiety and doubt. 
 
 "Lilly," he said, "I wish somebody else would do 
 what " 
 
 Lilian now laughed outright, and said quickly : 
 
 "May be somebody else has."
 
 JACK WHARTON 191 
 
 Jack Wharton s face brightened in an instant and 
 he replied : 
 
 "If so, Lilly, it s all right all right. You don t 
 know how the thing has troubled me, and how doubt 
 ful I was as to what to do, and how you d take it, but I 
 thought if certain reports were true you should know 
 it, and while the information might be disagreeable 
 to you it would be less so than what might follow if 
 you didn t know it. I thought, you see, it wasn t 
 known to anybody much as yet. Indeed, I thought 
 I d got onto it accidentally myself, but I m glad to find 
 you re ahead of me, and it don t annoy you, and the 
 reports about the marriage are false, and you don t care 
 for him." 
 
 The girl had grown deathly pale during this long 
 speech ; at its conclusion she cried with a quavering 
 voice : 
 
 "For mercy s sake, John Wharton, tell me what 
 you mean by all this? What have I to do with the 
 reports you speak of?" 
 
 "Why, Lilly," Jack answered softly, "folks said 
 you were about to marry the man Albright." 
 
 "And why shouldn t I, if I want to, and he is 
 willing," Lilian retorted angrily. 
 
 The light went out of Jack Wharton s face, and 
 he leaned against the fence as if he had suddenly 
 grown weak and perhaps speechless. 
 
 Lilian continued : 
 
 "Who can say anything against Colonel Albright, 
 a man who did service in the war, and who stands 
 high here and at his own home? Who dare say any 
 thing against him or his family? Has that crazy old 
 man Peter Sked been filling your ears with foolish 
 stories? Good evening, John Wharton."
 
 192 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 Lilian turned abruptly and haughtily away, but 
 before she had gone far Jack Wharton found his voice 
 and the courage of desperation. 
 
 "For goodness sake, Lilly, come back. There 
 must be some terrible mistake. Let us understand each 
 other, at any rate. If I am wrong, I shall be glad of 
 it, for it will be good for you ; I hope I am. I have 
 no grudge against Colonel Albright, and no wish to 
 harm him." 
 
 The girl returned and standing face to face with 
 Jack Wharton, the fence between them, said with flash 
 ing eyes and a voice full of reproachful bitterness : 
 
 "Well, what did old Peter say?" 
 
 "I don t know ; I ve not seen him, but two men are 
 in hiding at our house awaiting the Colonel s return 
 on purpose to arrest him." 
 
 The girl was trembling now in fear and weakness, 
 her face bloodless ; clutching the fence with both hands 
 for support she looked appealingly to Wharton. 
 
 "I accidentally found out who they were and why. 
 they were in hiding this afternoon not an hour ago. 
 They say the men known here as Albright and Win- 
 ship are escaped convicts, for whose recapture a large 
 reward is offered. They intend to seize one of them 
 at your house to-night, then go to Cranberry and 
 take the other. I overheard them talking about the 
 matter with father. One of the detectives is a short, 
 heavy-set fellow, with a brutal face and a stiff leg. I 
 thought you would be hurt to be mixed up in the affair, 
 and so come to tell you. If the Colonel was to escape, 
 few persons would know even that you knew him, and 
 all would conclude the report as to your marriage was 
 idle talk." 
 
 Lilian s head dropped until it rested on her hands,
 
 JACK WHARTON 193 
 
 and she was sobbing- violently. Feeling that he was in 
 some way the cause of all her trouble, Jack said en 
 couragingly : 
 
 "Take heart, Lilly. The detectives may be mis 
 taken in the men." 
 
 The suggestion revived her instantly ; straighten 
 ing up she cried : 
 
 "They are mistaken ! 
 
 "I hope so," replied Jack; "the Colonel will know. 
 If I could see him in time I d tell him, and if the man 
 we hope he is, he ll stay ; if not, he ll may be get away. 
 What shall I do?" 
 
 "Do nothing/ said the girl firmly. "Do nothing. 
 They are wrong; you are wrong. The men who as 
 sume to be detectives may themselves be convicts. 
 They may be trying to deceive your father in order 
 to rob him. He says himself cheats and bad men 
 always call on him before trying any where else. Go 
 home ! quick ! you may be needed there, and I want to 
 be alone." 
 
 The young man did not venture to reply, but turn 
 ing from her instantly, walked towards his father s 
 house, and soon disappeared in a bend of the road. 
 
 Lilian now went in, put on her cloak and hat, 
 and coming out again, set off at a brisk gait toward 
 Cranberry. She must be the first to impart this start 
 ling information to the Colonel. She knew the detec 
 tives were mistaken ; still, if they were to make the 
 arrest it would be the source of annoying gossip, inter 
 fere with the wedding, postpone the Colonel s visit 
 East, and so result in loss to him. He had had much 
 to say of important business demanding his attention. 
 It was this which induced her mother to consent to 
 
 13
 
 194 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 an immediate marriage. Perhaps the Colonel could 
 at once satisfy the detectives if indeed they were 
 detectives that he was not the man they sought. 
 This was a cheering thought. The best thing for him 
 to do was to hasten to Squire Wharton s and let them 
 know they had been deceived. He could, if need be, 
 call on Mr. Travis to vouch for him. He could refer 
 them to his rich and well known family in Philadel 
 phia. He could by wire obtain evidence of his good 
 character from his old comrades in arms. He was 
 personally acquainted with General Grant, and had 
 stood side by side with Sheridan in the great battle 
 of Winchester. Indeed, he was on intimate terms with 
 very many of the distinguished soldiers and statesmen 
 of the country, and she could hardly repress a smile 
 when she thought of the good joke he had put on the 
 great Mr. Elaine when they were campaigning to 
 gether in the State of Maine. Oh, it would be easy 
 enough for the Colonel to prove but may be after 
 all the girl staggered under the doubt which for a 
 moment came uppermost in her disturbed mind. But 
 no ; it could not be ; he would not so deceive her. He 
 could not do it, loving her as he did, and knowing the 
 intensity of her love for him. It may be that Peter 
 Sked had been instrumental in putting the detectives 
 on the Colonel s track. He was a malicious old man, 
 and certainly very angry when he left her mother s 
 house. He would not hesitate to do a wicked act or 
 tell a false story to humiliate and annoy one against 
 whom he had conceived a petty spite. A tramp! what 
 a senseless and crazy whim ! Do tramps take part 
 conspicuously in political campaigns? Do they dine 
 with distinguished statesmen? Do they wear swords 
 and epaulettes and spurs in war, and wield great in-
 
 JACK WHAKTON 195 
 
 fluence over men in peace ? Nonsense ! Old Peter s 
 mind was never strong, and latterly he has become a 
 raving maniac. He is to blame for all this. He has 
 been telling false and slanderous stories, but when the 
 detectives, if they should prove to be detectives, are 
 boldly confronted by the Colonel, and discover their 
 mistake they will gladly enough acknowledge them 
 selves in the wrong and humbly sue for pardon. 
 
 The night had shut down quickly. When she 
 reached the bridge the horizon before her had lost all 
 its glory and she saw nothing there but a great mass 
 of black and threatening clouds. Stopping here she 
 peered eagerly toward the village, but in the darkness 
 could discern little save the gray line of the dusty clay 
 road. After a while, however, she heard the sound of 
 voices, and pretty soon saw, indistinctly, the figures 
 of two men coming from the direction of the town. 
 To avoid being seen she stood close behind one of the 
 braces of the bridge. Daylight would have revealed 
 her presence instantly, but in the darkness she was not 
 likely to be observed. The men stopped near the cen 
 ter of the bridge, and Lilian recognized the Colonel s 
 voice, as he said to his companion : 
 
 "Mustard, you are always in a panic. There s no 
 danger man. See that you get off at eight. It is about 
 seven now, so you have no time to lose. I ll meet you 
 on the arrival of the evening train of Friday, and play 
 fair with you. Good bye." 
 
 The two men separated, the one to retrace his 
 steps, and the other to walk briskly on toward Mrs. 
 More s. The girl could not understand why the per 
 son addressed as Mustard should always be in a panic, 
 nor what the danger was to which the Colonel had re 
 ferred. They had perhaps been discussing business
 
 196 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 matters in which they were mutually interested, and 
 possibly the more cautious partner was troubled with 
 apprehensions of loss. But Lilian had not time for 
 much reflection. When the stranger was at a safe 
 distance, she left her place of concealment, and run 
 ning, overtook the Colonel. He was somewhat startled 
 by her sudden and unexpected appearance, but recov 
 ering" himself instantly, said in a cheerful tone : 
 
 "Hello, darling, did you spring from the ground 
 like a flower? Come, now, this is the heartiest com 
 pliment you ever paid me. It shows you were impa 
 tient to see me. my dear." 
 
 The Colonel put his arms around her^ and was 
 about to go further in his demonstrations of affection, 
 but struggling, she freed herself, and said hurriedly: 
 
 "I ve something important to say to you. I know, 
 of course, there s no truth in the story, still you should 
 know of it. Let s go back to the bridge again, it is 
 very dark here in the shadow of the fence and elder 
 brush." 
 
 "Of course, of course, my dear, there or here, or 
 any where is the same to me when you are by my side, 
 the bridge is a good trysting place for lovers. I hope 
 our w*edding is not to be postponed that would 
 break my heart ; come, now, don t tell me anything half 
 so terrible, my darling." 
 
 When they had reached the bridge, Lilian said to 
 him in low and somewhat husky tones : 
 
 "Colonel, I was told to-night " 
 
 "That the gentleman you are about to marry is 
 not always temperate that he has been known to 
 take a little wine at odd times, but my dear, there is 
 something better now before me. I should be bad in 
 deed, if I turned from your sweet lips to even the
 
 JACK WHAKTON 197 
 
 choicest wine. Come, now, you must not deny me 
 longer." 
 
 She did not. She perhaps hoped to come more 
 easily to the communication she had to make if she 
 were at once to accord him the privileges of an ac 
 cepted lover. She did not believe the horrid story, and 
 vvhy, therefore, should she hesitate? 
 
 "Now, darling," he said, drawing her to him as 
 he leaned against the railing of the bridge, "now that 
 I know you love me still, I can bear the terrible story 
 you have come to tell : but there must be no postpone 
 ment of the wedding." 
 
 "There are two strangers at Squire Wb.ar- 
 ton s 
 
 "Rook agents or lightning rod men?" the Colonel 
 interjected with a laugh. 
 
 "No Jack says they have come to arrest you 
 so he told me not an hour ago." 
 
 The Colonel withdrew his arms from her at once, 
 but she was too eager to tell her story to notice this. 
 
 "When they have seized you they will go to Cran 
 berry and take Mr. Winship." 
 
 The Colonel was silent for a moment, and then 
 with a voice unnaturally calm, asked : 
 
 "What have I done to offend these men why 
 should they seek to arrest me ?" 
 
 "Jack says the men claim you are are an 
 escaped convict ;" she was crying now. "I I told 
 him it could not be so." 
 
 "Do they propose to make the arrests to-night?" 
 
 "So I understood Jack to say. Of course, they are 
 mistaken T I told Jack they were." 
 
 "And so they are, my darling. You are right. 
 You are always right. I shall face them and the 
 world."
 
 198 UNCLE PETEK 8KED 
 
 "Oh, I was sure you would I told Jack you 
 would," cried the happy girl. "Now, Colonel, I 
 thought as I came along it would be a grand thing if 
 you were to go right up to Squire Wharton s house 
 and let these strangers see that they have been deceived 
 
 that you were not the man they are looking for, and 
 then the Squire and Jack would know they had been 
 wrong in suspecting you, and then mother would not 
 hear anything of it. and the whole thing would be 
 ended at once, and not talked about. Would not this 
 be a good plan?" 
 
 "Splendid excellent, my dear ; why you have 
 the head of a statesman. If I had considered the mat 
 ter for a full month, I could not have hit upon a better 
 way to settle it, and avoid all scandal." 
 
 "Well, let s go at once," she said eagerly. "I 
 will walk with you to Squire Wharton s gate. Indeed, 
 if you wish me to I ll go into the house with you. It 
 will be amusing to see these chop-fallen detectives 
 who ve been sneaking around our house for days after 
 the wrong man." 
 
 "You are right, my darling; you shall accompany 
 me and see the fun." 
 
 "And Jack Jack will know at once I was right 
 
 that I knew you better than he did; but in justice 
 to Jack, I should tell you he meant well to you and 
 to me " 
 
 "I am very much obliged to Jack, my darling, 
 he s a growing youth, and will get to be a man if he 
 lives long enough. I predict that Jack will make his 
 mark. I am quite sure his father always does so when 
 he signs a promissory note. I shall remember Jack 
 gratefully, my dear."
 
 JACK WHARTON 199 
 
 But, Colonel, I fear we are wasting time. Let s 
 go to Squire Wharton s as soon as possible. Shall 
 we not start at once?" 
 
 "Would it not be well to proceed deliberately, 
 my dear ? It is still early ; have you the little watch 
 your mother gave you? If so, I ll strike a match and 
 ascertain exactly what time it is I have the utmosc 
 confidence in your watch, and yet I must confess when 
 I am with you it cuts the hours pretty short." 
 
 Taking the watch from her pocket Lilian handed 
 it to him. The wind put out the first match lighted, 
 and he said if she would remove the chain from her 
 neck he could stoop sufficiently to get the railing of 
 the bridge between the match and the wind, and meet 
 with better success next time. She did as he requested, 
 and after striking a light he announced to her that it 
 was tw r enty-five minutes after seven, and added : 
 
 "The watch will be safer in my pocket until we 
 get to your mother s house, than in yours, my dear. 
 I ll carry it for you. Oh, we have plenty of time. 
 Half past seven is rather early to make a call ; you 
 must learn to adapt yourself to fashionable hours." 
 
 Having disposed of the watch and chain, the Col 
 onel drew the girl to him again, but her thoughts were 
 evidently elsewhere. She was eager to have Jack 
 Wharton and his father know, beyond a peradventure, 
 that Colonel Albright was an innocent and honorable 
 man, ready to face any body at any time and in any 
 place. They had been cruelly unjust to think so 
 meanly of him ; to entertain for one moment the ugly 
 thought that he was an escaped felon, an outcast with 
 out home and family, a fugitive from justice, drift 
 ing about the world under an assumed name.
 
 200 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "The Wharton s are not fashionable people, Col 
 onel, and farmers keep early hours. It will take some 
 time to go there. I think it would be well to start at 
 once." 
 
 "In a little while, my dear, in a little while ; the 
 whole evening is before us. The Squire and Jack and 
 the detectives will not mind the delay 
 
 They were standing near the middle of the bridge. 
 The sound of a footfall was now heard on the eastern 
 end of it. Pushing the girl from him violently the 
 Colonel ran at the top of his speed for a few rods then 
 abandoned the road and disappeared in the shadow of 
 the trees which lined the margin of the river. Lilian, 
 surprised, dumbfounded, crushed, staggered to the 
 railing and clutching it to keep from falling, began to 
 sob and moan as if her heart would break. Finally 
 recognizing Jack Wharton, who had stopped before 
 her, she seized his arm convulsively as if impelled by 
 mortal terror, and the two started homeward. 
 
 They had passed the little stretch of valley land, 
 and begun to ascend the hill before a word was spoken. 
 The girl was crying bitterly, and Jack could find no 
 words to comfort her. But she stopped him finally and 
 said, between her sobs : 
 
 "I have been a fool, Jack a blind fool 
 
 "Don t take on, Lilly say nothing you will 
 not see the man again. The detectives say he s a smart 
 fellow who got to drinking and went wrong, and stole 
 a heap of money. I hope he ll get away. There will 
 be less said about him if he does. What s happened 
 to-night is our secret yours and mine." 
 
 She made no reply to this, but as they walked on, 
 Jack, encouraged by the night s adventure, became
 
 JACK WHAKTON 201 
 
 talkative and gave his companion much valuable ad 
 vice. 
 
 "If anybody speaks to you, Lilly, about the man, 
 say you hardly knew him, and you are not at all obliged 
 to folks for giving you away to strangers, and it would 
 be well for them to attend to their own business and 
 leave you to manage yours." 
 
 This statement might not be absolutely true, but 
 there was enough truth in it, Jack thought, to justify 
 its use under the circumstances ; at any rate it was his 
 duty to encourage the broken girl and get her into a 
 happier mood, if possible. It is highly probable he 
 would have met with some measure of success in this 
 direction if he had been allowed full time to pursue 
 it ; but unfortunately he was not. Three men sprang 
 suddenly from the road side, and while two seized 
 Jack and held him fast, the third put steel bracelets 
 on his wrists, and then fastened them together by a 
 chain behind his back. 
 
 Frightened out of her wits by this procedure, 
 Lilian screamed at the top of her voice, and started on 
 a run for her mother s house ; but when Jack had been 
 made secure one of the men followed the girl and over 
 taking her said : 
 
 "Don t take on, Lilly. He s a bad rogue ; ye 
 oughter be thankful ye air shut of him." 
 
 Lilian stopped, for she recognized the voice of 
 Squire Jabez Wharton. 
 
 "Come, gal," continued the Squire, taking her 
 by the hand, "I ll see ye safe home. That man as has 
 been hand-cuffed is not a fit pusson ter be with sich 
 a gal as you. He s wuss nor a lightning rod man, 
 or a book agent, or a sewin machine ped ler, an that s 
 savin a heap agin him, but it s all true ; he is the mean-
 
 202 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 est rascal in the hull country. I know d he was, Lilly ; 
 I know d he was, gal, when I fust sot eyes onto him." 
 
 While Squire Jabez was dragging the girl one 
 way, the stiff-legged detective was endeavoring to lead 
 Jack the other ; but at this juncture the captive, lifting 
 up his voice, wanted to know what in the name of com 
 mon sense they meant by all this foolishness ; and old 
 Jabez hearing his son s angry protest, faced suddenly 
 about and taking Lilian with him hurried back to 
 ascertain what the trouble was. Overjoyed to find it 
 was Jack and not the Colonel who had been enjoying 
 a private walk with Lilly, the Squire now 7 assured the 
 detectives that a mistake had been made, and apolo 
 gized for putting them on the wrong trail. 
 
 The officers of the law w r ere not altogether amia 
 ble, and with some little profanity to emphasize their 
 speech, condemned the Squire for his stupidity, and 
 proceeded to put leading questions to Lilian as to the 
 present whereabouts of the man known in the neigh 
 borhood as Colonel Albright ; but the bewildered girl s 
 answers were so broken by sobs that Squire Jabez, to 
 whose arm she was clinging, finally grew indignant 
 and said : 
 
 "Pears to my mind, genl men, ye air not puttin 
 yer questions as delicate like as ye oughter put them 
 to a young gal in the dark," and then shaking his fist, 
 he continued: "I ll be gol-durned, gen lemen, if I ll 
 stan by an let any body bully this gal at this here time 
 o night, an she a widder s darter an my neardest 
 neighbor. Men of your perfession oughter know 
 enough ter be perlite when ye talk to female wimmen 
 of tender years." 
 
 It was impossible, however, for Squire Jabez to 
 remain angry on this occasion. He was thinking what
 
 JACK WHAKTOX 
 
 a cunning dog his son Jack was, and how he had fooled 
 the whole neighborhood and likewise his own father, 
 and the more Squire Jabez thought of the exceeding 
 cleverness of his son and heir, the more he felt like 
 shouting aloud for joy. 
 
 Finding they could get no more information from 
 the girl, the detectives now turned their batteries on 
 Jack ; but this young man only knew that Colonel Al 
 bright was a distinguished leader of the Greenback 
 party, on intimate terms with the Honorable Andrew 
 Jackson Travis, the poor man s friend, and that he 
 generally fed and lodged at the Cranberry Hotel, a 
 very respectable tavern in the town of Cranberry. It 
 could hardly be expected that one in Jack s humble 
 position would be on confidential terms with all the 
 great statesmen of the country, and know exactly 
 where they were at all hours of the day and night. 
 The truth is, Jack had grown considerably in his own 
 esteem within the last hour, and was so voluble and 
 sarcastic, the Squire felt called upon to address to 
 him a few words of admonition. 
 
 "Don t be sassy, Jack ; keep a civil tongue in yer 
 head, my son. A soft answer turneth away wrath, sez 
 the preacher." 
 
 But Jack spoke up indignantly, and said : 
 
 What right have they to pounce down upon me 
 when I m walking quietly along the road, and put fet 
 ters on me, I d like to know? Confound their ugly 
 pictures! If they ll come at me one at a time, I ll lick 
 em both, so I will." 
 
 Squire Jabez could not for the life of him help 
 chuckling with delight at this manifestation of the 
 boy s spirit ; but restraining himself as much as possi 
 ble, he said in rebuking tones :
 
 204 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "Jack, Jack, least said, soonest mended the 
 gen lemen meant ye no harm ; twas a mistake all 
 round." 
 
 The truth is, Jack was not half so angry as he 
 pretended to be. He knew the more he blustered, the 
 less attention the detectives would give to Lilian, and 
 just now he was quite sure she would prefer to escape 
 observation. Finding no further information could be 
 gained, the young couple were permitted to proceed 
 on their way, and the detectives started for the town 
 intending to secure Mustard at any rate, and if possi 
 ble his more showy confederate. They were strong 
 enough to capture either singly, but in case the two 
 were found together it would be necessary to obtain 
 help and act discreetly, for one of the criminals was 
 known to be a desperate character who would make 
 stubborn resistance, and not hesitate to kill to effect 
 escape. 
 
 It is unnecessary, however, to trouble the reader 
 further about Ginger and Mustard. They were both 
 on the train which went east from Cranberry at eight 
 o clock. Their destination was known only to them 
 selves. The suddenness of their departure was the 
 theme of some little speculation among those who 
 knew of it ; but as their hotel reckonings were promptly 
 paid by Mr. Travis, and as he was interested in having 
 the two men thought well of. they soon ceased to be 
 referred to otherwise than as persons who had taken 
 part in the Travis-Popper campaign. John Rudd still 
 maintains that Colonel Albright was the most eloquent 
 and convincing speaker he ever heard, and wonders 
 why he has never seen his name mentioned in the news 
 papers as that of one of the leading statesmen of the 
 day.
 
 XVII 
 
 DOUGALD FRAZIER 
 
 CHERRY Farm had been three times advertised 
 for sale, and twice put up by the sheriff and 
 not sold for want of bidders. It was Monday 
 now, and on Thursday next it would be offered for 
 the third time. By the last appraisement its value 
 was reduced to seventy-five dollars per acre. The 
 farm could now be sold as an entirety for fifty 
 thousand dollars, and then the live stock and agricul 
 tural implements could be disposed of at whatever 
 they might bring, let the sum be much or little. The 
 law threw around personal property no protection 
 against a hard market and unconscionable buyers. 
 Richard Dundren had given up all expectation of hav 
 ing anything left after Peter Sked s claim was satisfied. 
 His only hope now was that enough might be realized 
 from the sale to pay the debt, and thus leave him un 
 burdened for the struggle with poverty upon which 
 he was about to enter. Fifty thousand for the land 
 would leave nearly thirty-four thousand unpaid. It 
 was hardly possible that at a forced sale the season s 
 crop, live stock and farming utensils would bring the 
 latter sum. It would lie terrible, if after all were gone, 
 there should still be a claim of ten or fifteen thousand 
 dollars hanging over him to enforce which an execution 
 might issue at any moment. The hard lines which con 
 fronted him, however, were the result of his own folly, 
 and he must face them manfully. 
 
 (205)
 
 206 UNCLE PETER S 
 
 If he were but out of debt and assured that his 
 earnings henceforth might be devoted to the use of his 
 wife and children, it would be a great relief. Indeed, 
 it would be almost happiness. If wholly free he did 
 not doubt that he could win a competency for himself 
 and them. He would certainly never again undertake 
 to run a race with ten per cent. This rate might do 
 for a week or month to enable one to bridge over an 
 exigency, just as a drug may answer to correct some 
 derangement of the human system, and yet as a regular 
 diet prove destructive to it. He was resolved to keep 
 out of debt henceforth, live within his means, and pass 
 for what he was, rather than for what he would like 
 to be. It was neither a crime nor a dishonor to be 
 poor, but it might be both to assume to be what he 
 was not, and the punishment for this offense had in 
 his case been almost more than he could bear. 
 
 The three months just gone had told heavily on 
 him. He was no longer the alert, brusque, confident 
 man of business. He endeavored to be cheerful when 
 in the presence of his family, but his sunken cheeks, 
 diminished form, and spiritless air, bore evidence to 
 the fact that his nights were no longer passed in re 
 freshing slumber and his days in healthful exercise. 
 The present week, however, would end the harrowing 
 suspense. That the real estate would sell under the 
 last appraisement, there could be no doubt, and as for 
 the personal property, it could be knocked down for 
 a penny, if no more were offered. 
 
 Gertrude and Kitty held a secret conference with 
 reference to the condition of affairs on Cherry Farm, 
 and concluded that the younger children of the Dun- 
 dren family should be relieved of the annoyance in-
 
 DOUGALD PEAZIEK 207 
 
 separable from a public sale. There were pet horses, 
 colts, cows, calves and sheep to be disposed of to the 
 highest bidder, which the children would grieve to see 
 pass into the hands of strangers, and led away from 
 their old pasture fields to others possibly just as good, 
 but certainly no better. There, for instance, was Uncle 
 Ben, the Leicestershire ram, who was on the most 
 friendly terms with them, and liked nothing better than 
 to have salt dropped from their hands on the grass 
 before him, and while he was smacking his old chops 
 over it, have them take turns in getting on his back 
 and making a horse of him. Indeed, this solemn- 
 visaged old fellow with the wrinkled nose found more 
 pleasure in their company than in that of his own 
 mischievous sons, and Mrs. Kitty, when formally in 
 troduced to him could not help laughing outright, and 
 making an elegant double courtesy, so proud and 
 happy she was over the honor of his acquaintance. 
 
 Strong friendships grow up between man and 
 beast. Many an old horse whose working days are 
 over is still cared for by a kind hearted master as at 
 tentively as if the animal were worth its weight in 
 gold. There was one such gentle creature on Cherry 
 Farm. Old Nance had been on duty for nearly thirty 
 years. She was a famous stepper in her prime, and 
 could rack away at the rate of six miles or more an 
 hour. Every boy and girl in the neighborhood knew 
 her well. It was not a rare sight to see a half dozen 
 children perched at one time on her ample back. She 
 would walk about carefully if it was their wish to take 
 a little ride, or continue to munch her grass if it was 
 their desire simply to sit down on a soft place and rest. 
 How much would they have taken for old Nance at a
 
 208 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 voluntary sale? Not all the money in the Cranberry 
 bank ! Then there were sleek-haired cows, with great 
 brown eyes, that came up to the milking place twice 
 a day in the season, and sometimes brought with them 
 little red-coated calves which in a few weeks would 
 become playful and run and jump and kick up their 
 heels as if the world were a jolly place to live in. 
 
 It would be well for the children not to be pres 
 ent when these pets of the household were sold and 
 taken away, and so on Monday afternoon Gertrude 
 and Kitty took them in charge and were driven by 
 Archie over to the Frazier homestead, where they pro 
 posed to spend a few days with Dougald, and, per 
 haps, during the time run across the fields and see if 
 the presence of a company of sensible folks would not 
 have a salutary influence upon that most emphatic and 
 unreasonable of men, Ben Hood. 
 
 Dougald was a white-haired man now, and being 
 inclined to corpulency and somewhat rheumatic, rarely 
 rose to his feet, and never went out of doors without 
 the aid of a heavy cane. He had become so accus 
 tomed to this, support that he generally held it in his 
 hand while sitting, and, in conversation, always 
 thumped it on the floor to emphasize the strong points 
 of his speech. His friends were therefore never at 
 any loss to know just when Dougald said a good thing, 
 and as his conversation bristled with strong points, 
 they frequently had reason to regret that he did not 
 carry a less formidable and noisy indicator. 
 
 They were gathered on the wide porch of the old 
 farm house at sunset, Dougald in the easy chair, Kitty 
 and Gertrude arm in arm walking back and forth be 
 fore him, while Archie, reclining on a bench, was in 
 haling the fragrance of an after dinner cigar.
 
 DOUGALD FRAZIER 209 
 
 "He s a blamed fool," said Dougald, who was 
 not the most courteous and tractable of men ; "he has 
 less political sense to the square inch than any man I 
 know of." 
 
 "Ben s not a bad fellow," replied Archie, lazily ; 
 "there s a good many worse than Ben Hood." 
 
 "You don t know him," responded Dougald, mak 
 ing the floor rattle with a prod of the cane, "you don t 
 know him. I do. Oh, as a neighbor he s well enough, 
 but in politics he s a crank nothing good enough for 
 him nothing." 
 
 "There cannot be much good said of parties now- 
 a-days," answered Archie. "They are becoming as 
 corrupt as sin." 
 
 "Mr. Archibald Frazier," said Kitty, assuming a 
 belligerent attitude, "if you dare to say a word against 
 the Republican party, sir, I I shall make a 
 speech !" 
 
 "Don t Kitty ; we are too feeble to grapple with 
 you in argument this evening." 
 
 Gertrude smiled. The fact is, Gertrude was a 
 Democrat, and so was her brother Dougald. 
 
 "I fear I have married into a family of rebels," 
 continued Kitty regretfully. "I ought to have come 
 into this country armed." 
 
 "You are pretty well armed, my dear." 
 
 "Thanks." 
 
 "I should not like to have you exchange your arms 
 for any others I know of." 
 
 "Mr. Frazier, you are avoiding the issue that s 
 the way with you Democrats when cornered you 
 dodge. Logic and eloquence would be thrown away 
 on you I shall not make a speech." 
 
 14
 
 210 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "You are very merciful, dear. How shall we ex 
 press our gratitude?" 
 
 "Don t mention it Sister Gertrude, let s take a 
 little stroll. How still and beautiful everything is. 
 Do you call this Sleepy Hollow?" 
 
 "No," replied Gertrude, with a laugh, "Brother 
 Dougald s cane would make the name inappropriate." 
 
 "Good evening, gentlemen," said Kitty bowing, 
 as she and Gertrude started. "If not back by mid 
 night, you may conclude we shall not return till morn 
 ing, and lock the doors." 
 
 As the two walked slowly down the road, Kitty 
 said rather abruptly : 
 
 "Sister Gertrude, why have you not married? 
 Come, now, explain this little mystery to me." 
 
 Gertrude was silent, but .not from any feeling of 
 annoyance. The tone in which the inquiry was made 
 indicated a sisterly and sympathetic interest in her 
 welfare. 
 
 "Pardon me," Kitty continued, "I have no right 
 to know, and no desire to offend, but the thought oc 
 curred to me that you must have had scores of offers, 
 and the thing puzzled me. I will drop the subject." 
 
 "Xo," said Gertrude, softly, "we ll continue it 
 I have been in doubt ; my mind is clearer now. I think 
 there will be a change soon." 
 
 "Do you mind telling me the the name?" 
 
 "Perhaps I had better tell you the situation also. 
 Last week the proposal was made by Mr. Travis 
 
 "Mr. Travis ! somebody here near ?" 
 
 "Yes ; the gentleman recently elected to Congress 
 in this district." 
 
 "Oh, ho ! This is splendid a statesman ! I 
 hope he s a Republican."
 
 DOUUALD FRAZIER 211 
 
 "You re wrong," replied Gertrude, with a laugh. 
 
 "Well, you re sure he s a Congressman, any way." 
 
 "Oh, yes that is to say, he will be when he takes 
 his seat." 
 
 "That s the important thing; we shall overlook 
 his politics for the present. I shall convert him when 
 he gets to be my brother-in-law. You accepted him, 
 of course?" 
 
 "I did not." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "He said he would not take my answer I should 
 have time to think about it and he would call again in 
 ten days for my decision." 
 
 "Have you made up your mind?" 
 
 "I think so I am sure so." 
 
 "You will 
 
 "Marry him." 
 
 "Good! I shall spend the winters in Washington 
 with you. Splendid ! Sister Gertrude, J m proud of 
 you, and of your husband-elect. Mrs. Archibald Fra- 
 zier, of California, maroon velvet, etc., attended the 
 Tuesday reception of Mrs. what did you say his 
 name was?" 
 
 "Travis." 
 
 "Yes, dear ; but his other name ?" 
 
 "Andrew Jackson." 
 
 "Gertrude, I d make him change his name." 
 
 "Then he couldn t take his seat," replied Gertrude, 
 with a little laugh, which had in it a touch of sadness. 
 
 "Well, we should, perhaps, not be too particular. 
 It is impossible to have everything just as we want it." 
 
 They had by this time reached the road leading 
 from Cranberry to Rudd s corners which for two miles 
 southward marked the eastern boundarv of Gertrude s
 
 212 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 farm. Here was a guide post, and at its base two or 
 three large boulders to keep wagons from running 
 against it while turning from one road into the other. 
 Across the road was Hood s farm, and a little distance 
 to the north the private avenue leading to his house. 
 It was now twilight ; the west was still ruddy with the 
 last rays of an October sun. To Kitty, who had all 
 her life been accustomed to the noise of city streets, 
 the silence and the shadows of tree and shrub around 
 her were full of pleasant mystery. She was in no haste 
 to return. They sat down on the boulders at the foot 
 of the finger post, not for rest, but because the stones 
 were so convenient and inviting. Kitty s thoughts and 
 tongue were busy with Gertrude s good fortune, and 
 the splendors of a winter s residence in the Capital. 
 While thus absorbed, an open carriage drew near so 
 suddenly that an effort to retire would have served to 
 attract attention. They therefore ceased to talk, and 
 sat quite still until it had passed by. It was too dark 
 to distinguish the features of the men who occupied 
 the vehicle, but their voices were distinctly heard, and 
 Kitty thought she recognized one of them as that of 
 Mr. Hood. When the carriage had disappeared in the 
 darkness, Kitty, turning to Gertrude found her tremb 
 ling like a leaf. 
 
 "Sister!" 
 
 Making no audible answer to Kitty s cry, Ger 
 trude attempted to rise, but failing, sank back on the 
 stone and leaned against the post for support. 
 
 "Can I help you, Gertrude are you not well ?" 
 exclaimed Kitty, putting her arms around her ; "shall 
 I run to the house for help?" 
 
 "I shall be better in a moment a sudden dizzi 
 ness."
 
 DOUGALD FRAZ1EK 213 
 
 * 
 
 It was some minutes, however, before Gertrude 
 recovered strength enough to regain her feet, and set 
 out to return. Kitty, putting her arm about her, sought 
 to give her such support as she could. They walked 
 slowly and not a word was uttered by either until they 
 turned from the road to enter the house ; then Gertrude 
 leaning for a moment against the fence, said : 
 
 "Kitty, never mention what I said about Mr. Tra 
 vis ; it was idle talk. 1 shall not marry him. 1 I 
 shall never marry." 
 
 It was too dark now to see more than a dim out 
 line of Gertrude s face, but there were tears in her 
 voice, and Kitty felt quite sure there were tears also 
 in her eyes. They proceeded together to the porch 
 where Archie and Dougald were still seated. .Here 
 Kitty remained, but Gertrude entered the house, and 
 soon after retired to her room. 
 
 It was still early in the evening. Dougald s rheu 
 matic condition rendered him somewhat fearful of the 
 night air, and he now \vent through the open door to 
 the sitting room where a small fire had been lighted for 
 his special benefit. Archie continued on the porch to 
 finish his second cigar since dinner : and Kitty, placing 
 a chair beside him sat down for a little confidential 
 conversation. 
 
 "Archie," she said, putting her hand in his, "I want 
 to tell you something something very important. 
 
 Well, dear, I hope it is nothing that troubles you." 
 
 "But it does it troubles me very much." 
 
 "Don t you like your sister Gertrude?" 
 
 "Oh, yes it is not that." 
 
 "Your brother Dougald?" 
 
 "Fairly well not so much by a good deal as I 
 do his brother Archie, but well enough."
 
 214 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "I m all attention." 
 
 "It is something you d never dream of never. 
 There s no accounting for tastes. It puzzles me. 
 Archie, your sister Gertrude is in love with Mr. Hood." 
 
 Archie laughed. 
 
 "If it be true, Kitty, what is there in it to trouble 
 you? Ben is, perhaps, the wealthiest farmer in Cran 
 berry county, and big as he is, is every inch a man. I 
 should not object at all to the marriage." 
 
 "But there will be no marriage, and this is what 
 surprises me most he does not love her she s 
 breaking her heart for him." 
 
 "Did Gertrude tell you so?" 
 
 "No, no; she has never even mentioned his name 
 to me that s one of the reasons why I m sure." 
 
 "Kitty, your re away off : let me tell you some 
 thing. She loves another man, and has for more than 
 ten years. That s the trouble. The thought of wed 
 ding Ben Hood has never entered her head." 
 
 "Archie, you re away off ; let me tell you some 
 thing. I know all about that other man, and she don t 
 care a straw for him. I wish she did." 
 
 "How in the world can it interest you, Kitty?" 
 
 Kitty hesitated ; she was eager to tell all she knew, 
 but felt bound in honor not to betray the confidence 
 reposed in her by mentioning Mr. Travis name. 
 
 "Well," she replied at last, "I think she d enjoy 
 that sort of life." 
 
 "What sort of life, you bundle of mystery." 
 
 "The sort I m thinking of, you bundle of stupidity 
 a life where you mingle with famous people and get 
 your dress described in the newspapers, and are refer 
 red to as the Honorable Mrs. So and So." 
 
 Archie, receiving this communication with a
 
 DOUGALD FRAZIER 215 
 
 hearty laugh, said, "I ll take you to Cranberry, to-mor 
 row, Kitty, and have you written up in the Torchlight. 
 It will not cost to exceed a dollar I think ten cents 
 a line is the regular price for such things ; but I didn t 
 think Brett was that kind of a fellow." 
 
 "Brett, you simpleton! who mentioned Brett 
 his name is well, never mind, but his name is not 
 Brett. What have you to say of Brett? I m interested 
 in a person of that name." 
 
 "This Brett never lived in San Francisco, Kitty 
 at least he was not born there." 
 
 "The one I refer to was not ; his mother was born 
 in Cuvier where mine was married. His father lived 
 on the lake near North Allerton. Father has heard 
 nothing of him for nearly twenty years. The name is 
 Robert Brett." 
 
 "He s the man Gertrude loves." 
 
 Kitty sprang to her feet and confronting her hus 
 band exclaimed : 
 
 "Archibald Frazier, what do you mean ?" 
 
 "Sit down, Kitty, and I ll tell you something; 
 don t ask me to tell all, for I was as much to blame *in 
 the matter as some others. Gertrude and young Brett 
 were to be married, and without fault of either, the 
 ceremony was interrupted, and the wedding never 
 took place. They were right ; those who interfered, 
 were wrong. She has been faithful to him ever since." 
 
 "And he?" 
 
 "Has not been heard from for ten years. I saw 
 him for a moment three years ago, but had barely time 
 to ask his forgiveness and say good bye. X do not 
 even know where he is, and Gertrude does not." 
 
 "I do!" cried Kitty, trembling with excitement,
 
 216 UNCLE PETER SEED 
 
 "Robert Brett is here is at Mr. Hood s. Come, it 
 is not too late to make a call, let s go at once and see." 
 
 "What makes you think he is there, Kitty?" 
 
 "Never mind. Trust me for finding out some 
 things. Get your hat and fetch me a shawl. Stir 
 yourself, laziness ! We ll show our neighborliness by 
 calling on neighbor Hood. I rather like him ; he seems 
 a frank, hearty, whole-souled man, and will be de 
 lighted to see us. 
 
 "But why such haste, dear? Is it not Gertrude s 
 affair rather than ours?" 
 
 "No ; it s my affair. I propose to correct the mis 
 take you made." 
 
 "Shall we drive over?" 
 
 "How far is it?" 
 
 "Not to ecexed half a mile." 
 
 "No; it will be a pleasant walk." 
 
 Going into the house Archie obtained his hat and 
 a light shawl for his wife, and they started down the 
 country road together. 
 
 "How still it is," said Kitty, "how much room for 
 things, and how bright the stars are. It seems almost 
 as if we were alone in the world. What if we were, 
 Archie ?" 
 
 "I should be Adam and you Eve ; you would be 
 coaxing me to eat the apple, and I should be in danger 
 of eternal condemnation." 
 
 Kitty laughing, replied : 
 
 "What a nonsensical answer to a wise inquiry. I 
 believe Adam took the apple and when accused put the 
 blame on Eve. Adam was just a boy in years ,and 
 it s as natural for boys to climb trees and steal apples 
 as it is for monkeys. WVve never heard Eve s side 
 of the story, Archie."
 
 DOUGALD FRAZIER 217 
 
 "She did not know enough to write a story." 
 
 "She was too good to tell a story; but Adam was 
 not; womanlike she bore the burden silently for the 
 man she loved, bad as he was." Then with a sigh too 
 loud to be genuine, she continued : "And we ve been 
 bearing it ever since." 
 
 "You seem to have stood up under it pretty well, 
 dear." 
 
 "That shows how good the metal is of which we 
 are made. First you take the earthy ore out of the 
 mine, and melting it get man ; then you put the product 
 through a refining process which separates the lead, 
 copper and silver from the mass, and obtain fine gold 
 that s woman." 
 
 "That is all clear enough, and very interesting. 
 If we were in a mineral region, I could understand the 
 relevancy of your remarks to the things around us ; 
 but we are in an agricultural section, Kitty." 
 
 "Where every farm has its orchard and apples, 
 and every house its brass Adams and gold Eves. The 
 connection is easily traced." 
 
 "So you think Gertrude has an affinity for the 
 baser metal?" 
 
 "We are commanded to do good." 
 
 "And to be good." 
 
 "Well, this last was more especially intended for 
 men. But Gertrude is either in love with Mr. Hood, 
 or with Robert Brett. At first I thought it must be 
 Mr. Hood, but now I m sure it s Mr. Brett." 
 
 "But why should we travel about the country at 
 night in either case? Would it not be well to allow 
 those most interested to do the traveling?" 
 
 "There can t be anybody more interested than I 
 am. In the first place, I like Gertrude, and would
 
 218 * UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 serve her ; in the second place, I m going to like Mr. 
 Brett, and thirdly, I like Mr. Hood, and want to call 
 on him,, and besides all this, moreover, and finally, I 
 love my husband, and enjoy a quiet walk with him by 
 starlight." 
 
 "The last reason is more than sufficient. How do 
 you know Robert Brett is at Hood s ?" 
 
 "By instinct." 
 
 "Do you know him?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Have you been told a man of that name is 
 there ?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Then why do you think he s there?" 
 
 "Because." 
 
 "That s sufficient. If you were to talk an hour 
 you could not make the fact that he s there or not there 
 clearer to me. We shall doubtless find him at Hood s, 
 or not find him. Nothing like being absolutely sure 
 a man is somewhere in the Western Hemisphere, when 
 you start out at midnight to look for him. I ll bet you 
 a big orange Brett isn t within a thousand miles of 
 Hood s." 
 
 "I ll take it." 
 
 "I ll bet you two that Hood hasn t heard of him 
 for ten years." 
 
 "I don t want so many oranges dear." 
 
 "A box of caramels with a picture on the lid of 
 the box." 
 
 "I ll take it." 
 
 "I wish the orange was gold and the caramels, 
 diamonds." 
 
 "So do I, Archie ; I like diamonds."
 
 DOUGALD FRAZIEK 219 
 
 "Oh ! but I should get the diamonds, for I shall 
 win." 
 
 "Not to-night, dear ; you may win some other time 
 when you ve had more experience. But not now. We 
 shall find Robert Brett at Mr. Hood s, and I 
 shall know before I return if he s come for Gertrude ; 
 I believe he has." 
 
 "He s been a long time coming, Kitty." 
 
 "There may be a good reason for his delay if 
 he has been true to her all this time, we shall pardon 
 the delay." 
 
 "Did you succeed so well in your own case, Kitty. 
 that you are going to set up as a matchmaker?" 
 
 "I had horrid luck. I got a disagreeable and quar 
 relsome fellow." 
 
 "And he 
 
 "The best of wives." 
 
 "Lucky man !" 
 
 "He couldn t have done better ; he did not deserve 
 to do half so well." 
 
 "I think you are right, Kitty; he was unworthy 
 of his good fortune." 
 
 "Mr. Archibald Frazier, you are mistaken."
 
 XVIII 
 
 UNCLE PETER 
 
 WITH much light banter and nonsense Archie and 
 his wife proceeded to the finger post where 
 Kitty and Gertrude had been an hour earlier ; then 
 turning to the left went in the direction of Rudd s cor 
 ners for a short distance, when, leaving the public 
 road they entered the private avenue leading to Hood s 
 residence, and a little later knocked at his door for 
 admission. 
 
 Hood himself responded to the summons, and in 
 the darkness did not recognize his vititors but observ 
 ing that one was a woman, he gave them a cordial 
 invitation to enter, and conducting them along the 
 dimly lighted hall, said : 
 
 "Come in here into my office. It s hardly a fit 
 place for a lady, but there s a fire in the grate to take 
 off the chill, and may be more comfortable for her. 
 
 They had no sooner come under the full light of 
 the library lamp, than Hood exclaimed : 
 
 "Hello, Archie Mrs. Frazier my good friends, 
 I m delighted to see you. Here, Mrs. Frazier. take 
 my grandfather s chair. It was made in 1800, the bear 
 which furnished the cushion was killed in 1802. It s 
 old and easy. Archie, be seated ; Sked, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Frazier. Egad, I believe Peter s asleep never mind 
 the old man, he isn t of much account any way. How 
 do you both do?" 
 
 "Well, very well," replied Archie, with a twinkle 
 (220)
 
 UNCLE PETER 221 
 
 in his eyes indicative of internal pleasure over the dis 
 appointment of his wife. 
 
 "Don t you find it a little dull in the country, Mrs. 
 Frazier Sunday like still and a little tome?" 
 
 "Quiet, but not dull, Mr. Hood. I find the coun 
 try very pleasant, indeed." 
 
 "I m glad to hear you say so ; I hope you ll remain. 
 It does one s eyes good to see such women as Gertrude 
 and yourself, occasionally." 
 
 "I observe, Mr. Hood, you put Gertrude first," 
 said Kitty, laughing; "that may be just, but but 
 
 "Oh, I shall stand up for Gertrude. Nobody can 
 be any better than Gertrude ; but why didn t she come 
 with you ? It s been a long time since she honored my 
 house by her presence." 
 
 "She was not feeling very well this evening, Mr. 
 Hood, and knowing this we slipped off without letting 
 her know." 
 
 "Well, I m glad you came;" then lowering his 
 voice, Hood continued : "You see that dirty bundle of 
 gray hairs and rags that s Peter Sked, a capitalist. 
 You wouldn t take him at first glance to be a capital 
 ist ? I picked him up on the road to-night, and brought 
 him in ; he would have been sleeping in a fence corner 
 if I had not." 
 
 "Do you call him a capitalist, Mr. Hood?" ex 
 claimed Kitty. 
 
 "He s worth not less than half a million. He s 
 on his way to attend the sale at Dundren s." 
 
 "He cannot be the man to whom Dundren is in 
 debted?" said Archie. 
 
 "The same. He s Mrs. Dundren s cousin ; hard as 
 flint. Money, money, money he thinks of nothing 
 else."
 
 222 UNCLE PETEK SKED 
 
 Kitty regarded the old man with surprise, terror 
 and disgust. She was also sore over her disappoint 
 ment at not finding Brett. She could only account for 
 Gertrude s sudden illness upon the hypothesis that the 
 carriage wTiich passed them in the early evening con 
 tained the man she loved. It was certainly Mr. Hood s 
 carriage, and one of the voices was that of Mr. Hood. 
 Could the other have been the voice of Peter Sked ? 
 
 "What a horrid old man," said Kitty, with a 
 shiver. "How unhappy he must be with all his 
 wealth." 
 
 Sked was reclining in an easy chair, his chin on 
 his breast. His stringless old shoes, unclad ankles, 
 and ragged clothing did not present a pleasing picture 
 to the eye. He now began to snore and chatter in his 
 sleep, at times becoming quite emphatic in his utter 
 ances. Hood, rising, went over to where he sat, and 
 giving him a vigorous shaking, said : 
 
 "Peter Sked wake up !" 
 
 Springing to his feet ^and striking out viciously 
 with his right hand, the old man cried : 
 
 "Stand back there, damn ye! an inch nearer, 
 an I ll brain ye!" 
 
 Hood, laughing said : 
 
 "Sked Sked here s company. Here s Mr. 
 and Mrs. Frazier. You recollect Squire Dougald Fra- 
 zier well ? May be you know his son Archie here 
 are Mr. and Mrs. Frazier." 
 
 Sked was now wide awake, and looking with some 
 surprise on Archie and his wife, resumed his chair, 
 and then turning to Hood, said : 
 
 "What d ye say? Eh?" 
 
 "I asked if you knew Squire Frazier." 
 
 "The Scotchman?"
 
 UNCLE PETER 223 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I knew him. My nephew, Robert Brett, was 
 about to marry the daughter what s her name ? But 
 the brothers made a fuss. I never knew exactly the 
 rights of it ; but there was trouble and the marriage 
 never came off." 
 
 "Peter, this is Archie, Miss Gertrude s brother, 
 old Dougald s son, and this is his wife," said Hood 
 hurriedly, fearful Sked might say too much in the 
 hearing of Kitty. "I recollect Squire Dougald Fra- 
 zier, very well ; no more accomplished gentleman ever 
 set foot in Cranberry County. He was hardly fitted, 
 however, for the life of a pioneer. Until middle age 
 he had been accustomed to the conveniences of city 
 residence, and the luxuries of wealth." 
 
 "Proud, overbearing and dictatorial," said Sked. 
 
 "Not at all. Peter ; not at all ; genial, hospitable 
 and courteous. You didn t know him, you old skin 
 flint." 
 
 "As well as I wanted to," retorted Sked, angrily. 
 "He d order bones thrown to a human creature as if 
 he was a dog. Dod burn him, he thought a poor trav 
 eling man who happened to be hungry, not as good as 
 the hounds he kept." 
 
 "Peter, you ve had a hundred good lunches at 
 Squire Dougald s house, and I venture to say never 
 offered to pay for one." 
 
 "Why should I? Eh? The man didn t keep a 
 tavern. He d a knocked me down, or tried to, if I had 
 offered payment. I don t insult men, Hood." 
 
 "Not in that way, Peter," replied Hood, laughing, 
 "not in that way. You are the most conscienceless old 
 fraud, Peter, I ever met." 
 
 "Who made you a judge of men? Eh? What do
 
 224 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 you know about men s consciences? Men are often 
 misunderstood. The Lord was, by wiser men than 
 yourself by better men better men, Hood." 
 
 Hood laughed heartily at this exhibition of Peter s 
 ingenuity in argument, but suddenly assuming the 
 gravity befitting one who proposed to speak on a 
 serious subject, he said : 
 
 "Mrs. Frazier, my friend, Peter Sked, is worth a 
 million 
 
 "Not the half of it, madam not anything worth 
 mentioning. I am a poor man. madam." 
 
 "I believe you, sir," responded Kitty, disdainfully, 
 "you look like one. I pity you from the bottom of my 
 heart ; you are not only poor, sir, but, pardon me, you 
 are unclean. I have some little knowledge of you, 
 and you have some little claim on me for help. If 
 Mr. Hood will be kind enough to have you taken to a 
 bath tub, and thoroughly cleansed, it will afford me 
 pleasure to present you with a suit of decent clotuing." 
 
 Kitty was angry ; why she should be, and \vhat 
 special claim Sked could have upon her, neither Hood 
 nor her husband could imagine, but she was evidently 
 in earnest, and her proposition to give Peter a bath, 
 happened to be in exact accord with Hood s humor. 
 Stepping to his desk, he rang a little bell, and a mo 
 ment later a negro responded to the summons. 
 
 "Give Mr. Sked a bath." 
 
 "Yaas, sah." 
 
 "I shall not trouble you," said Sked, rising. 
 "Where s my hat and umbrella ?" Then with an angry 
 flash of the eyes he turned to Kitty and continued, 
 "Pride, madam, sometimes goes before a fall. Eh? 
 If not good enough and clean enough to breathe the 
 same air with you, I shall bid you good night, madam."
 
 UNCLE PETER 225 
 
 "Give Mr. Sked a bath strip him and dump him 
 in," said Hood, emphatically, to Caesar. 
 
 "Where s my hat and umbrella? Eh?" Sked de 
 manded angrily. "I m old enough to attend to my own 
 affairs " 
 
 "You will find them in the morning. You shall 
 not leave this house to-night. Caesar, give Mr. Sked 
 a bath !" 
 
 "Yaas, sah." 
 
 "And Caesar," said Kitty, "I ll send you a suit of 
 clothes for Mr. Sked. See that he puts them on." 
 
 "Yaas, Mistis." 
 
 "Damn ye! do you think I can t take care of my 
 self? Is this a scheme to rob me?" asked Sked sav 
 agely. 
 
 "Xo, no. Peter, it s a scheme to scrub you," re 
 sponded Hood. 
 
 The old man was trembling with rage, and as the 
 servant approached struck at him, but the ebony giant 
 picked him up and carried him out of the room as if 
 he were a disobedient child. 
 
 "He should have a guardian," said Kitty warmly. 
 
 "He seems now to be blessed with two," responded 
 Archie, dubiously. 
 
 "Mrs. Frazier," said Hood with a laugh, "I don t 
 know, of course, what interest you may have in Peter, 
 but I do know a bath will do him good." 
 
 "Mr. Hood, have you some one about the house 
 who will run over to Mr. Frazier s for me ?" 
 
 "A dozen." 
 
 While a horse was being saddled, Kitty prepared 
 a little note and in a few minutes the messenger started 
 with it. A half mile may be covered by a fresh horse 
 *15
 
 226 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 it. less than three minutes, allowing ten minutes for 
 delay at Frazier s, and three minutes to return, and 
 we have the time consumed in doing Kitty s errand. 
 
 "The clothes are for the old man," said Kitty to 
 Hood ; "I have borrowed a suit from Archie." 
 
 "This is the most outrageous interference with 
 the private rights of a citizen I ever knew of," said 
 Archie. "You have stripped Sked and robbed me. 
 Ben, my wife has gone mad, don t follow her example. 
 One crazy person s enough at one time." 
 
 Hood carried the bundle to the bath room, and 
 handing it to Caesar, gave him such instructions as he 
 deemed necessary. 
 
 Fifteen minutes later, when Peter was returned to 
 the library by Caesar, he was in appearance a new man. 
 The white shirt collar and handsome necktie set off a 
 fairly good face to great advantage. The dark Prince 
 Albert coat, with vest and pantaloons to match, though 
 not a perfect fit, hung not more loosely than was be 
 coming to a gentleman of his age. Above the orna 
 mented slippers which encased his feet, could be seen 
 purple stockings of the utmost fineness. There was 
 now a dignity and manliness in the old man s bearing 
 wholly unobserved before. 
 
 When he entered the room Kitty advanced to meet 
 him. 
 
 "Uncle Peter Sked," said she, with a courteous 
 inclination of the head, "permit me to introduce my 
 self. I am your niece, Mrs. Katharine Frazier, the 
 daughter of Mr. John Ross, of San Francisco. You 
 are looking quite well, uncle." 
 
 "You are a saucy hussy, madam." 
 
 The old man s arms hung straight from the shoul 
 ders, and he did not lift them to meet Kitty s extended
 
 UNCLE PETER 227 
 
 hand ; but undismayed by this, she turned and bowing 
 gracefully to her husband, said : 
 
 "Mr. Frazier, my uncle, Peter Sked." 
 
 "How do you do, sir," said Archie rising; I m 
 pleased to make your acquaintance, and then with a 
 wink to Hood, which did not escape Kitty s notice, he 
 continued: "I now understand, sir, from whom my 
 wife inherits her great beauty. It s from your side of 
 the house, sir. She s the very picture of you, sir." 
 
 Ben Hood coming up now, took Peter by the arm, 
 and said : 
 
 "You re looking remarkably well, my friend, be 
 seated here, take my grandfather s chair ; you are 
 the guest we honor to-night." 
 
 "Are you my niece? Eh?" said Sked to Kitty, 
 who had placed herself beside him. "Are you John 
 Ross daughter?" 
 
 "I am, uncle Peter." 
 
 "You ve made a mistake to-night, madam ; you ve 
 lost- 
 
 "Oh, I ve made many mistakes, uncle. If I had 
 known my uncle Peter was a rich man I should have 
 been more careful ;" then looking soberly to Mr. Hood, 
 she continued : "I certainly should have married bet 
 ter ; but being poor and with no great expectations, I 
 had to do the best I could, and that was not very good." 
 
 There was a broad smile on Ben Hood s face as 
 he returned the wink Archie had given him a few min 
 utes ago. 
 
 "I shall not leave you a penny, madam, if I had 
 a million not a penny." 
 
 "If you did I should spend it, uncle, and that 
 would grieve you, and make my husband worse than 
 he is. But, uncle Peter, in all seriousness, is there not
 
 228 UNCLE PETEE SKED 
 
 something in the world to live for besides money? 
 Come, now ; think and tell me. I m your sister s child, 
 would you have me pinch and starve, and live in rags 
 to save up a little money for other folks to spend? 
 Suppose you had your life to live over again suppose 
 you had an only daughter, would you advise her to 
 such a course? I think better of you, uncle, than to 
 believe you would." 
 
 The old man s lips were twitching nervously, but 
 he did not speak. 
 
 "You had a daughter ; I should be glad" to know 
 my cousin. Surely you do not keep her in rags and 
 wretchedness, when you are so able to render her com 
 fortable and happy?" 
 
 There were tears in Peter s eyes, but he continued 
 silent. 
 
 "Think how happy you might be, what cheerful 
 days and delightful evenings you might spend with 
 her and her children your own flesh and blood, 
 uncle grandsons, may be another phase of your 
 own life, and a continuation of it. Where is my cousin 
 your daughter ?" 
 
 "Dead," sobbed the old man. 
 
 It was Peter, not Sked, who spoke. Kitty placed 
 her hands on her uncle s bony wrists, and there were 
 tears in her eyes and voice when she said : 
 
 "I pity you from the bottom of my heart you are 
 even poorer than I thought a homeless wanderer, 
 but not friendless, uncle. You were my mother s 
 playmate, and I shall be your friend, whether, you want 
 me to be or not. Mr. Hood tells me you are rich. 
 Don t imagine I want a dollar of your money ; I do not. 
 I have all I need. For my sake, for your own sake and 
 the credit of the familv, vou must henceforth dress and
 
 UNCLE PETER 229 
 
 live like a gentleman. If you think you cannot afford 
 to do this at your own cost, it shall be at mine. I 
 have enough for both." 
 
 The old man s long bony fingers had closed about 
 Kitty s hand and held it tightly. 
 
 "And uncle, if I have said a word to offend you, 
 I ask your forgiveness. If I have been rude it was 
 because I was angry because I could not bear to 
 see you in in rags you, who should be as well 
 clad, proud and happy as other men." 
 
 While Kitty w r as endeavoring to reconcile Peter 
 to the occurrences of the evening, footsteps were heard 
 in the hall, and looking up she saw a large, handsome 
 well dressed man of perhaps thirty-two, standing on 
 the threshhold of the library door. He was evidently 
 surprised to find strangers in the room and in doubt as 
 to whether he should enter, but Hood observing him, 
 called out : 
 
 "Come in, Rob. You know Archie. Mrs. Fra- 
 zier, Mr. Brett." 
 
 Giving his hand to Mrs. Frazier and then to 
 Archie, Robert said : 
 
 "I have been taking a run over your old farm, 
 Mr. Frazier." Then observing Peter, he continued, 
 Why, uncle really, I didn t recognize you at first 
 you have changed very much, and for the better within 
 the last hour." 
 
 Peter looked up to indicate he had heard his 
 nephew, but made no reply. 
 
 "Did you call at the house?" asked Archie. 
 
 "No, no, I didn t venture to do that. Mr. Hood 
 informed me your brother Dougald was living there, 
 and I am not at all sure he would be pleased to see me."
 
 230 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "You need entertain no fear of that sort. Dougald 
 is wiser than he was." 
 
 "Mr. Brett," said Kitty, did you ever hear of one 
 John Ross?" 
 
 Oh, yes, ma am. He married my mother s sister 
 - Uncle Peter Sked s sister, but as I understand, re 
 moved many years ago from Cuvier to California." 
 
 "I am his daughter your cousin 
 
 Ben Hood, bringing his single hand down with a 
 tremendous slap on Archie s shoulder, cried : 
 
 "The incidents of the night are almost like a ro 
 mance. I believe if I were in Rob s jplace, I d cap the 
 climax by kissing my cousin." 
 
 Under the inspiration of Ben Hood s eloquence 
 the cousins clasped hands again and then did just 
 what Ben Hood would have dons if .he had been in 
 Robert s place. 
 
 "Did you come to-day?" asked Archie. 
 
 "I reached Cranberry at four. Mr. Hood met me 
 at the train, and we arrived here a little after sunset." 
 
 There was a quick flash from Kitty s eyes to those 
 of her husband, which in effect said : 
 
 "I told you so. Never doubt me again. Men need 
 not hope to know as much as women." 
 
 And the answering flash said : 
 
 "You ve won the orange, and likewise the cara 
 mels, with the handsome picture on the lid of the box." 
 
 "Cousin Robert," said Kitty, rising, "I hope to 
 meet you to-morrow. Uncle Peter, you must be ready 
 to take a drive with me in the morning. I shall be 
 here for you bright and early. Good night all." 
 
 "Don t be in a hurry," said Hood. "Peter, when 
 you want to go to bed, ring the bell and tell them to 
 show you to a room. Rob, let s go with Mr. and Mrs.
 
 UNCLE PETER 231 
 
 Frazier for company and exercise. Come, Archie, 
 we ll lead the way, and give the cousins an opportunity 
 to talk over family matters. I doubt not they have 
 many inquiries to make about their kinfolks." 
 
 With Hood and Archie in advance the party pro 
 ceeded leisurely to Dougald Frazier s. What passed 
 between Kitty and her cousin was uttered in a low tone 
 and the strictest confidence, and neither Ben Hood nor 
 Archie had any inkling of what it was, nor any care, 
 perhaps, to know ; but this, is certain, when Ben Hood 
 and Robert said good night at the gate, and turned to 
 retrace their steps, Kitty ran into the house, and going 
 directly to Gertrude s room, knocked loudly at the door. 
 
 "Is that you, Kitty?" 
 
 "It is. Let me in, please." 
 
 "Not to-night, dear." 
 
 "Gertrude, you must ! I shall break down the 
 door. I can t stand it." 
 
 "Well, come." 
 
 Gertrude had not retired. She had been strug 
 gling with the past, and perhaps concluded her lines 
 had not fallen in pleasant places. She had been think 
 ing, also, of the future, and the prospect did not seem 
 at all bright. 
 
 "I know your secret, my lady," said Kitty, em 
 bracing her; "I know the very man you love." 
 
 "Kitty, you re crazy." 
 
 Kitty laughed and "continued : 
 
 "I can tell you something more the man loves 
 you." 
 
 "W r hy do you break into my room to talk non- 
 se; -,e?" 
 
 "I m so full of it."
 
 232 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 "You seem to be overflowing with it, dear. I am 
 not in love with any body." 
 
 "You are you are: I have the proof." 
 
 "What I said about Mr. Travis is nothing, Kitty. 
 I do not care at all for him." 
 
 "Oh, I know that. But how about Robert 
 Brett ?" 
 
 "Kittty, Kitty, why do you trifle with me?" cried 
 Gertrude with flushing face. "Has Archie told you 
 something 
 
 "Not much but Robert has!" 
 
 "Tell me what you mean." 
 
 "I mean, dear, that Robert is faithful and impa 
 tient. He is here ; I have seen him." 
 
 There was no further trifling on Kitty s part, and 
 had been none on Gertrude s ; both were in tears, but it 
 was a summer shower with its bow of promise and 
 its sack of gold. Gertrude s heart, at least, was full 
 of sunshine. 
 
 The next morning Robert called on Gertrude. We 
 shall not venture into the little parlor where the in 
 terview took place, nor shall we accompany them in the 
 afternoon on that happy ride to Dundren s ; nor shall 
 we tell in detail how Mr. Travis found that, like the 
 manuscript of a poor novel, he was declined with 
 thanks ; nor shall time be wasted on the particulars of 
 a negotiation between Robert Brett and Mr. Dundren, 
 which terminated in a loan of money on long time and 
 low interest to pay off Sked s claim. The reader must 
 be content with a brief summary of the occurrences 
 of the next few weeks. Archie and Kitty made elab 
 orate preparation for their sister s wedding, and when 
 the day arrived, the Frazier homestead was decked 
 with evergreens, flowers, and rich autumn leaves.
 
 UNCLE PETER 233 
 
 Dougald gave the bride away, and Ben Hood was the 
 groom s best man. Old Peter Sked was present in ele 
 gant attire, with a handsome wedding favor pinned to 
 the lapel of his coat. He was growing very proud of 
 his niece and nephew, and had so far yielded to their 
 wishes as to dress well at their expense. To-day he 
 was especially pleased when Kitty put her hand on his 
 arm and introduced him to the wedding guests as her 
 uncle Peter Sked. 
 
 After a splendid dinner Robert and Gertrude, 
 Archie and Kitty were escorted to Ben Hood s car 
 riage, and when nicely seated went flying over the road 
 to Cherry Farm, followed by a long train of merry 
 young neighbors, male and female. At Dundren s 
 there was to be a great gathering of the beauty and 
 chivalry of the county. The Cranberry band had been 
 engaged to make music for the dancers and the prom- 
 enaders. Mr. Travis did not attend, but it was his own 
 fault, for an invitation had been sent to him. Jack 
 Wharton was present, but the awkward fellow seemed 
 at a loss to know just what to do with himself. Lilian, 
 however, was perfectly at ease, and as fresh and lovely 
 as a rosebud. 
 
 Toward ten o clock the bride and groom took leave 
 of their friends, and accompanied by Archie and his 
 wife, hastened to catch the night train for the East. 
 It is said Ben Hood s bay team won high credit for 
 speed on this occasion. The trunks of the party having 
 been sent forward in the afternoon, were on the plat 
 form, checked and ready to be put aboard. There were 
 but a few brief minutes to wait ; the headlight of the 
 approaching train could be seen, then the roar of its 
 wheels was heard, and then a hearty good bye was
 
 234 UNCLE PETER SKED 
 
 said to Ben Hood, and the two newly married couples 
 started to meet the sun in its rising. 
 
 Along towards Christmas time there were great 
 doings at wid6w More s cottage on the hill, when Jack 
 and Lilian stood up to be made man and wife. If the 
 latter thought at all of Colonel Albright, and felt sore 
 at heart over the ending of her first dream of love, 
 she did not show it in the least ; in fact, she doted on 
 Jack all the more because she knew by actual experi 
 ence he was more manly and better otherwise than 
 some men who were far more showy and pretentious. 
 And if Jack thought any the less of her for her girlish 
 love of the Prince, he did not make it known by act 
 or word, or hint. It may be safely assumed, therefore, 
 that he found solid satisfaction in the thought that he 
 had been in some degree instrumental in reselling her 
 from a life of misery. 
 
 If there was a perfectly contented and happy 
 farmer in all Cranberry County, Squire Jabez Wharton 
 was the man, and no mistake. What a sly dog Jack 
 was, any how ! When he seemed to be no where in 
 the race he was found coming in ahead of every body, 
 and carrying off the prize. To tell the truth, though, 
 may be those tell it who ought not to, Jack was a chip 
 of the old block, and had inherited the subtle wit for 
 which the Whartons had always been distinguished. 
 
 If any one desires to hear of the shabby tricks and 
 beguiling methods of that Hebrew Jew, from Jerusa 
 lem, Squire Jabez will stop the plow in seeding time 
 to tell the story. It is an instructive tale and fully as 
 interesting the fortieth time you hear it as the first.
 
 UNCLE PETER 235 
 
 The gentle reader is advised, if he likes good 
 stories, to call at the Wharton homestead. To go there 
 you start from the Cranberry hotel, proceed northward 
 about two hundred yards, then turning squarely to the 
 right, follow the road past the church and across tfie 
 river, and then on until you ascend the hill crowned 
 by Mrs. More s cottage. This is a good place to stop, 
 for Mrs. Jack Wharton has excellent cider in the cel 
 lar, and good, crisp doughnuts in the cupboard ; but 
 if impatient for an intellectual feast you should keep 
 on until you reach a garden on the left, enclosed by a 
 high, rough picket fence to keep the chickens and 
 turkeys from the peas and newly planted sweet 
 corn of early spring. Just beyond this garden patch 
 behind two walnut trees, is the Wharton domicile, an 
 unpainted, wooden structure, with an ample porch, 
 the roof of which is covered with oak hand-made shin 
 gles, much warped by the rain and sunshine of half a 
 century, and a little moss, green, withal, in spots. 
 
 If it be summer time and soon after the hour of 
 noon, Squire Jabez will probably be sitting on the 
 porch in the arm chair having the sheepskin cushion, 
 smoking a corn-cob pipe. He may, however, if it be 
 a little late, have dropped off into a refreshing nap. 
 and in this case it would be well on entering at the 
 gate, to exercise some little degree of caution, and be 
 wary, for recently the Squire has bought an able- 
 bodied brindle dog to entertain visitors in his absence. 
 The instinct of this guardian of the household, being 
 somewhat defective for lack of special training, has 
 led him within the last ninety days to mutilate three 
 innocent and useful persons on the supposition that 
 they were either book agents, sewing machine peddlers, 
 or lightning rod men. Of course, the dog will improve
 
 236 
 
 UNCLE P^TER SKED 
 
 by long association with Squire Jabez, and come in 
 time to discriminate between men, and only quench his 
 thirst for blood in a legitimate and proper way; but 
 at this writing it would be well to keep an eye on him.
 
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