THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 0, 1000. THE YELLOW GOURD BANK The Riches It Received at the Cost of a Great Sacrifice. By FRANK H. SWEET. fCopyrlght, 1903, by American Press Asso ciation. "Nick," said Mr. Jim Conway, in terrupting tbo tuno lie was whistling to address the man who rode beside him, "I hain't felt so much like a boy In years!" "Nor me either," returned Mr. Nich olas NIckerson, nlso breaking off in the midst of a whistled tuue. "I feel like I'd Jest broke out of a cage." They were rough bearded, carelessly dressed men with sun browned faces and toil hardened hands, but they wore as happy as kings In purple nnd line linen. They were going borne. For almost one-half their lives they bad called wherever they happened to be In the west "home," but now tlicy were on their way back to tbo placo where they were born. "Queer," said Conway slowly, "that the longer n man stays away from tho old homo neighborhood the better bo likes It. When I left it I was so tired of them simple old scenes that I thought I hated 'cm. But now" lie paused, half ashamed to tell his comrade more. "Yes," agreed NIckerson; "after awhile every old tree an' rock an' slope an' inedder that he ort to bavo forgotten long ngo kinder kinder seems liko a brother." "A man gits kinder hungry to see 'em again," said Conway. "Yep; kinder hungry." They said no moro for some time after that, but did not resume their whistling. "Wonder if anybody '11 know us till we tell 'cm who we are?" said NIcker son after awhile. "Doubtful; mebby not then. Most of the old timers are gone, an' tho younger ones won't know us. But the old hills an' streams an' crooks In the road won't be strangers." "No. Kinder queer, but I've thought more about them than about the peo plenone of mlno are left now, you know." "Nor mine," said Conway. "Father, mother nnd brother dead nnd two sis ters married and gone." The sun was dropping behind a bank of heavy clouds slowly rising from above the western edge of tho prairie when they reached a home stead claim and rode along Its fence of barbed wire toward a weather beat en little home near tho farther corner. Tho fence was overgrown in places with last summer's weeds, nnd here and there a post lopped over, rotted off at tho bottom, but partially up " held by the tension of the wire. Yet in that weather beaten little bouse dwelt a capitalist, tho sole pro prietor of a bank and treasure there in. The bank, which sat beside a crazy old clock on a shelf mndo of the side CONWAY AND NICKEBSON DREW REIN. of a soap box, was a small, pudgy yel low gourd that stood up on its larger end and liad a slit besldo its stem for the Introduction of deposits. In it was a capital of 11 cents. Tho capitalist was Jackson Baacom, over whose towey head almost four years had passed. Ten cents of tho money had been tossed, before him by a passing horseman, who had seen tho old mannish looking baby perched on the low top bar that helped to AH a gap In the wire fence and wanted to Beo "the little fellow smllo a dime's worth," as ho expressed it Jackson had tumbled from tho bar With a shout, picked up tho two nick els and put thorn into tho gourd bank with the penny which hod been tho bank's boIq capital for many a day before that It was a little more than a week after tho time of tho bank's great In crease In capital when Conway and NIckerson drew rein before the weath er beaten little house. Jackson had boon perched upon tho ) Bar until within a quarter of an hour of their arrival. Ho had been startled ( from his perch by a cry of alarm from ajjuujt iu umi uuuDu. ioor, wean, worn, hopelesn Mrs. Bascom had fallen In something very liko a faint When, a UtUo later, Conway and NIckerson rode vp to the barwny the cloud wall that had risen from the west was halfway across tho sky nnd dusk was falling. "Rain in ten minutes." said Conway laconically. They tied their horses to the posts, swung themselves over the low bars and ndvanced to the house. The door was open, nnd the men saw the children gathered about tho fainting woman. There were Lyddy, un old faced, anxious looking girl of twelve or thirteen; Jimmy and John ny, grave little fellows of about ten and eight, nnd Jackson, tbo capitalist. Lyddy bad bathed her mother's wan face with cool water, nnd Jimmy and Johnny were fanning her with their tntturod straw hats. Jackson stood back and looked solemnly on, and his distress was none tho less great be cause he was not crying. "Can we do anything?" asked Con way ns tho two looked in at the door. "I am better now," said Mrs. Bas com weakly, but gratefully, raising her head from the shabby old lounge where the children had placed her. "It will soon pass away; it always does." "If we can do anything" began NIckerson slowly. "Won't you come In?" Invited Mrs. r.ascom, with a feeble attempt to bo hospitable. "Lyddy, set chairs for the gentlemen." Tho dusk was fast deepening. The cloud wall had spread across tho sky, and a few great drops of the coming storm were plashing down. "Much obliged to you, mom," return ed Conway, "but If we can't bo of any help we'll ride on. Is there any place near here where wo enn git accommo dations for tho night?" "The nearest house is two miles away." said Sirs. Bascom. "You can't ride on In tho storm. You are welcome to put your horses in tho barn and stop here." The men made a show of remon strance. "We needn't eat much," NIckerson whispered to his comrade, "an' we can pay for what wo git." Tho horses were hardly under shel ter before the rain Increased to a down pour. "Whore," began Conway "that Is, Is your husband comln home soon?" "He Is dead," answered Mrs. Bas com. By this time she was able to sit up on tho rude lounge. "Lyddy," sho said, "set out a bite for the gentlemen to eat. We haven't got much, but you're welcome to what there Is." "Thank ye, mom," returned Conway awkwardly. The children were shy at first, but when the frugal meal was over and tho men were sitting back from the table while Lyddy cleared It off little Jackson advanced gravely nnd climb ed on Conway's knee. "Were you doln', mister?" ho asked. "Hush Jackson!" said his mother. "Oh," jest leave s tell as not, mom!" said Conway. "Mo an' NIckerson arc on our way back to tho old Indiana home we left twenty-five years ago." "What part of Indiana?" asked the widow, with pitiful eagerness. "Green county Spencervllle." Tho woman's eager look faded away. "We are from Burtls," she said. "An' we're doln' back dere pretty soon!" spoke up Jackson cheerfully. "That so. mom?" asked Conway heartily. "That's good!" "I I wo" began the widow weak ly. She glanced at tho Children, and there was an undercurrent of hope lessness Iu her low voice that told tho men that, though she did not wish to destroy tho hope of tho children, she felt little for herself. "Yes, mom," Interrupted Conway, understanding. "It costs a heap of money. I right heavy rain falltn', hain't It?" "I dot money," Jackson uttered tri umphantly, "In my bank! Wo doln' I pretty soon." He scrambled down from Conway's knee. "Did my bank, Yyddy!" he com manded. When It was handed down to him he brought It triumphantly to Conway. "Money!" ho chuckled. "Doln' back to Ind'ana pretty soon!" NIckerson saw that there were tears in the widow's eyes. "Want to look at my knife, Jack son?" he asked, producing a huge, many bladed affair, with a corkscrew in the back. Jackson grasped It, marveled and was silent. Presently he fell asleep In Conway's lap, with the huge knife In his clutch. The men, with awkward kindness, tried to tall: of other things, but Mrs. Bascom kept returning to tho one sub ject ever in her thoughts the old home. "I have been hoping for years to go," she said, "bur "Same way with us, mom!" returned Conway. "Mo an NIckerson got to gether four years ngo wo camo from tho same old town at about the same time, but never happened to meet again till four years ago an' ever since we'ro been flggerln' on tnkin' a Ja'nt back there, but never got to It till now. We've Anally managed to save up enough to mako tbo trip." Presently tho widow told them a part of her story. She glossed over tho fallings of her dead husband, but a word or phraso let fall hero nnd there told Conway and NIckerson what kind of man ho had boen. Jackson Bascom tho elder bad been neither depraved nor vicious. Ho bnd been simply a combination of over hopefulness and laziness a con ten tod waiter for something to turn up. In tho meantimo ho formed tbo homestead In a half hearted fashion, which brought scarcely enough to llvo miserably upon. Tbo rears Dae sod on. bat tho mil road never came. When the claim be came bis own Bascom mortgaged It and dribbled away the proceeds. By and by he died, leaving a broken down, heartsick woman nnd half help less children. Tho future hold but little promise for them. Before long the mortgage on the homestead would fall due, and they knew from the first that they would not bo able to satisfy It. The home would have to go. Mrs. Bascom had longed to return to tho old borne state, at llrst hopefully, then doubtfully, nnd at last in dreary hopelessness. Tho longing at last be came almost a monomania with the poor woman. When one's heart Is full of a beloved subject one must talk of It. and tho FUMHIiED l'Oll A MOMENT WITH THE aour.u hank. mother told the children of It till they longed to go almost as ardently as she did. Though she bad hoped long, her courage and strength gave way slowly as her health declined. "I have wanted to go for so long," she said, concluding tho story. "But now" She ended with a sigh. Tho two strangers understood how much of real heroism there was in that simple recital and were silent when It was done. Then little Jackson woke up nnd be gan to examine again the wonderful knlfo with groat Interest To divert tho thoughts of tho others as much ns possible NIckerson dlplaycd and ex plained tho mechanism of tho knife, exposing tho corkscrew, opening out the hook for removing stones from horses' hoofs, revealing tho tweezers, tho saw blade, tho file and the screw driver. Jackson alternately whooped with delight and stared In mute amazement. Then ho suddenly held out tho gourd bank to NIckerson and reached for the knife. "Mo'Il trade wld you." ho eald. Trade his bank and its treasures, al most sufficient in bis eyes to tnko them to Indiana, for tho wonderful knlfo which ho wanted so badly! Toor lit tle follow! "I wait till mornln', Jackson," said NIckerson. "We'll see nbout it then." When Jackson was packed away in his little trundle bed tho knife went with him. After the men had retired to tho pal let that Lyddy spread on tho floor they talked in tones so low thnt tho occupants of tho other room did not hear them. "Sho won't live long unless sho goes," said Conway. "Nobody tbar'll know us or keer any thing about us." said NIckerson. They said but few words more. They lay very still for a long time, and tho other occupants of tho little house did not hear them when they arose, just before the east was turning gray. They donned their garments and then, in the dimness of tho room, NIckerson handed Conway something which ho bad taken out of his pockot and passed out of the house as noiseless as pos sible. Conway took something from bis own pocket and, tiptoeing and feeling his way to tho table, wrote In tho darkness n few words with a stub of pencil on a scrap of paper. Then ho made his way to tho clock shelf and fumbled for a moment with the gourd bank. Then ho stepped softly to the door and passed out Into tho drizzle nnd through tho barway, beyond which NIckerson was holding their horses. Thoy mounted and rodo awny in tho dreary rain back to tho westward, in tho direction from which they had come. "Nobody 'd know us thar anyhow!" said Conway after awhllo in a gruff way. "Nor keer about us!" returned NIck erson. When morning dawned tho light shining In through tho llttlo window of tho weather beaten houso fell upon llttlo Jackson sleeping in the trundle bod with Nlckerson's wonderful knlfo still clutched In his hand, and In the other room tho light revealed a corner of groon paper sticking out through the silt In tbo gourd bank. Tho Bascoms discovered it before long and looked Into tho bank. Tho llttlo gourd was cnrelessly stuffed with greenbacks and national banknotes tho money which Jim Conway and Nick NIckerson had hoarded to tako thorn back to Indiana. As tho money was pulled out a scrap of dirty white paper appeared. On it was written in Conway's rude band: "To tako yon back homo. Qod bless you!" CALLOFTHEWEST Sounded by Governor John son of Minnesota, TIME TO THROW OFF SHACKLES He Says States' of Far West and Southwest Should Rise In Their Might and Claim Share of Influence. Seattle, Wash., Aug. 4. "It Is time that tho west threw off the shackles of the east. I would preach no sec tional dlvlslous and no sectional strifes, but Minnesota and Washing ton and the states between them, with those to the south of us, should rise in their might and claim for them selves that fair share of influence In the halls of congress uud In tho ad ministration of national affairs to which they are entitled by every law of common sense as well as of polit ical economy." This was the declaration of Governor John A. Johnson In his address at tho Minnesota day celebration at the Se attle exposition. "We as an Integral part of the Amer ican people should cast our influence and our votes not only to ndvance tho material interests of our own particu lar section, but we should bo broad enough nud big enough to labor for the common good of our common coun try," said the governor. "We have In tho stntes west of tho Mississippi tho undoubted balance of power, no matter under what nuniu the national administration at Wash ington exists. In tho years that have passed our population and our mate rial wealth have not enjoyed that rep resentation to which thoy are entitled, and, furthermore, our leaders have been content to follow In no small measure the leadership of men who represent relatively small constituen cies and smaller commonwealths." The speaker declared that the "call of the west," among other things, was the call for patriotism and progress, for emancipation from every form of old world and new world caste and privilege, from tho tyranny of wealth nnd birth, nnd alike from the domina tion of tho trust and political machine. "Fifty years of national folly In tho enactment of navigation laws and high protective tariffs have crippled Amer ican shipping until over 00 per cent of our Atlantic commerce Is carried In foreign bottoms," said Governor John son. FINE GIFTS FOR ROOSEVELT. British East Africa Officials Entertain Him at Public Banquet. Nairobi, British Kust Africa, Aug. 4. Theodore Roosevelt and his son Ker mlt were tho guests of honor at a public banquet given in Nairobi. Fred erick J. Jackson, governor of British Hast Africa, was chairman, and 17.1 persons sat down at the table. Cap tain Sanderson, town clerk of Nairobi, road an address of welcome to tho former president of the United States and afterward handed him the ad dress, which was inclosed in a sec tion of elephant tusk mounted in sil ver and with a silver chain. The American residents of the pro tectorate presented Mr. Roosevelt with a tobacco box made of tho hoof of a rhinoceros, silver mounted; the skull of a rhinoceros, also mounted In sil ver, and a buffalo head. FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL, Closing Stock Quotations. Money on call opened at 2 per highest 2, lowest 1H. closing H4 per Most ot the day's loans were mado cent, cent. at 2 ero: per cent. Closing prices of stocks w Amal. Copper... Norr. & west.. . 93 Atchison 119 Northwestern B. & O ,119 Penn. R. R.. Brooklyn R. T.. S1H Reading Ches. & Ohio.... 7S Rock Island... C. C.C.ii St.L.. 75'.i St. Paul D. & II 195 Southern Pac. .189 .140 .102 . ih .13oi . 8SK Erie 37 Southern Ry... Gen. Electric... 172 South. Ry. pt.. 111. Central 154 SuRar Int. -Met 15 Texas Pacific.. 72 131 . 30 .202 Louis. & Nash.. 140 Union Pacific.. Manhattan 144 U. S. Steel Missouri Pac... 75 V. B. Steel pf.. 75 .120 . 76 N. Y. Central. ...140 West. Union... Market Reports. WHEAT Contract grade, August, J1.06 al.07. CORN No. 2, yellow, for local trade, 78a"9c. OATS No. 2. white, natural, E3c. BUTTER Unsettled; receipts, 20.4S1 packages; creamery, specials, 27c. (official 27c); extras, 2Gc; thirds to firsts, 23a 26c; Btato dairy, common to finest, 20a 26c; process, firsts to special, 20o24c; western, factory, 20a21c.; Imitation creamery, 22a23c. CHEESE Steady; receipts, 10,233 boxes; state, new, full cream, special, 14al5o.; small, colored, fancy, 14c; large, colored, fancy, 14c; small, whtto, fancy, 14c; good to prime, I3al3c; common to fair, 11a 12c; skims, full to specials, 8 all Sic EGGS Firm; receipts, 17,071 oases; ttato, Pennsylvania and nearby, hennery, white, 80a32c; gathered, white, S5aJ0c; hennery, brown and mixed, fonoy, 2So29c; gathered, brown, fair to prime, 24a27c; western, extra firsts, Ua5o.( firsts, 22a 23c: seconds, 20&MO. DRESSED POULTRY-Irregular; broil era, nearby, fancy, squab, per pair, 40a 50c.; 3 lbs. to pair, per lb., jOaSSa; west ern, dry picked, iral8a; scalded, Italia.; fowls, barrels, lGal60.; old rooster, Ilk 11 Vic.; spring docks, nearby, ISViarT.; squabs, white, per doe., iXaSXO; rroMa broilers, milk fed, fancy, per lb., 0o.; corn fed, fanoy, 17al9a; roasting chlok ens, milk fed, Malio.; corn fed, UaSOa; geese, No. 1, OalOo. HAY AND BTRAW-Oteady; timothy, per hundred, 80c.s41.02H; shipping, TOaTGc; lever, mixed, SGaSOa; clover, G070o. long ryo Btraw, 80aD0o.; oat and wheat, 40a.; mall bales, IViafic. lets. ROBERT J. BURDETTE ILL. Burlington Hawkeye Humorist, Now a Pastor, Leaves Duties. Los Angeles, Aug, 4. Dr. Robert J. Burdetto, tbo humorist, formerly of the Burlington Hawkeye, and pastor of the Tomplo Baptist church here. Is seriously 111 at bis cottogo at Clifton- ROBERT J. BURDETTE.' by-the-Sea. lie lias not fully recover ed from a severe injury to the. spine which ho sustained in a fall last March. Dr. Burdetto was to have returned to Ills pastorate Aug. 15, but will lie unable to do so. lie said that his resignation was iu the hands of the church trustees. TROOPS MARCH ON SABADELL. Ordered to Show No Mercy to Span ish Rebels. Madrid, Aug. 4. A column of troops composed of artillery, cavalry und In fantry Is marching on Sabadell, ten miles from Barcelona, where tho in surgents aro holding out, with orders to repress mercilessly any resistance that may be encountered. The gernl strike at Madrid nnd Bilbao lias failed owing to the precau tionary measures taken by the author ities. The outbreak at Barcelona was u re sult of a Republican plot, which was timed to coincide with a general strike throughout Spain scheduled for Aug. 2. The movement at Barcelona was premature. Tho plot was betrayed to the government, which was able to block tlie efforts of the organizers at Bilbao, Madrid, Alicante and else where. LITTLE GIRI KIDNAPED. Woman Said to Have Started West With Eight-year-old Child. Sharon, l'n., Aug. 4. Rosella Neil, eight years old, has been kidnaped from the home of her grandparents, supposedly by an older sister. The woman Is said to have started west with tho child. Tlie chief of police here communi cated with tho Cleveland authorities ordering the arrest of the woman if sho was located in that city. The sis ter lives In Kansas. BANK CASHIER CONFESSES. Collapses After Telling Directors He Has Embezzled $26,000. Southern IMnes, N. C, Aug. 4 G. A. Kimball, cashier of the Citizens' bank; confessed to the directors of tlie bank to tho embezzlement of $20,000 of tho institution's funds. Kimball turned over to the bank deeds to his nnd his wife's property aggregating $8,000. He collapsed after making bis confession and is in a se rious physical condition. The Raspberry Crop. Do not weaken the growth of red raspberries by cutting back the canes this year. Walt until next year, then cut back to three feet. It will be nec essary to pass through the plantation of blackcap raspberries several times ti.i. SPRIO OF IIEltBERT RASPBERRIES. to catch the plants at tho proper height. Varieties of this class should seldom bo beaded higher than two feet This secures stocky plants, and whon tho laterals nro cut back the fol lowing spring a strong, healthy plant is formed, from which tho crop Is eas ily picked. A lino sprig of raspberries la shown In tho cut. The berries are known as tho Herbert class. Why Not? Grandpa likes to It las weo Sallle. Sho says no; Says his whlskora, thick and bushy, Prick her bo. Grandpa's head is soft and shiny On the top, Where the hair began to thin and Would not stop. Grandpa kisses. Sallle questions. So 'tis said, "Grandpa, why not put your whlskert On your head?" Chicago Record-Herald. Careless Charles. "Charley, , dear," said young Mrs Torklns, "what is a piker?" "A piker is a man who starts with a shoestring nnd tries to run It up lntc a bank roll." "How careless of you I Every time you used to go to tho racee you In sisted on wearing button shoes!" Washington Star. i'.4.:J.ma,$ ''' :' :': -73., -.i ROLL of HONOR Attention is called to the STRENGTH of the Wayne County Tlie FINANCIER of New York City has published a ROLL Ob HONOR of the 11,470 State Hanks and Trust Companies of United States. In this list the WAYNE COUNTY SAVINGS BANK Stands 38th in the United States. Stands 10th in Pennsylvania. Stands FIRST in Wayne County. Capital, Surplus, $455,000.00 Total ASSETS, $2,733,000.00 Honesdale. Pa., May 29 1908., VTOTICE OF INCORPORATION. No x tice is hereby given that an appli cation will be made to the Governor of tho 'Ull?.0.' Pennsylvania, upon Friday, August 6. IBM), by (ieo. II. Lancaster. Mary It. Can caster. Oscar K. Lancaster and C. Kverett Lancaster, under the. Act of Assembly ot the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania entitled. An Act to provide for the incorporation anrt regulation of certain corporations," approved April 2. ,1874" and the supplements me re to. for tho charter plan Intended corporation to lie called Tlio Goo. 11. Lancaster Company." the character and object of which Is "the manufacturing and selling of building ma terial and anything in connection therewith nnd to conductu general wood manufacturlne and turning business." and for these purpos es to have, possess and enjoy nil the rights, benellts and privileges of said Act of Assemb ly and Us supplements. A. T. SEAltLK. , , , . . Solicitor. Honesdale Pa. July i). 11)09. 5tJeol3 Having purchased the interest of T. L. Mcdlnntl, of Carbondale, In the harness business of lletz & Medlnnd of that city, the business will be conducted in tho futtiro by C. M. lletz alone, who will nlso con (imie bis store in Honesdnlo as here tofore. In order to reduce stock, reductions in prices will bo mndo on nil goods. Ilnrgains may bo found in both stores. Mr. Edward Fasshnuer, who has been in tho Honesdale store nbout ten years aa clerk, will bnve full clinrge of the Cnrbonriale store. C. M. BETZ Manufacturer of Custom Harness NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION, ESTATE OF VIRGIL CONKLIN, lute of Preston, Pu. All persons Indebted to said estate are notl iledtomnke Immediate payment to the un dersigned : und those having claims against the said estate are notified to present them duly attested for settlement. JOHN RANDALL, Administrator, Lake Como. Pa.. June :i0. lm. 52t3 Ponies and Carts Beautiful Shetland Ponies, handsome Carts, solid Gold Watches, Diamond Rings and other valuable presents given away. To Boys and Girls who win our PONEY AND CART CONTEST Open to all Boys and Girls. Costs nothing to enter. Get enrolled at once. Hundreds of dollars worth of prizes and cash besides, EVERY CONTESTANT IS PAID CASH whether he wins a grand prlzo or not. Wrlto us today for full particulars before It Is too late, J HUMAN LIFE PUBLISHING CO., 528 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Mass. ilffi 111 C. M.Betz.
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