The Black Forge Mills by William P. Chipman

Ray and Edward left Easton on the same train with their Afton and Wenton friends. All, in fact, had taken seats in the same car, and a bright, merry, vivacious company they made. Captain Tom Branford had reversed the seat in front of Mr. Squire and his daughter, and was apparently listening with marked attention to the old general's vehement praise of an institution that had been wise enough to confer its highest honors upon two Afton boys; but in reality he was studying the daughter's fair face with an admiration so manifest she could not have failed to detect it, had she not been engrossed by another matter quite outside of herself. Her thoughts were on her "two boys," as she called them, and remembering what they, by divine grace, had become, she "thanked God and took courage" for those of her class who were still unsaved.

Mr. Carleton, Mr. Bacon, George Branford and Sailor Jack had taken seats somewhat apart from the others, and the four were busily engaged in talking over some matter in low, earnest tones. Edward Lawton and his mother, Mr. and Mrs. George Woodhull, and Jacob Woodhull formed another group, and their conversation was with reference to the latest rumor on the streets of Afton -- namely, that iron ore in paying quantities had been found in the hills back of that village, and that parties interested desired to buy the old Forge site and water privilege, that they might establish a smelting furnace and iron works there. For three of this group there was special interest in this rumor; for if true, it meant unexpected financial gain to them. Mrs. Lawton and Edward knew that the sale of the Black Forge water privilege and tenement houses would bring them no small sum, from a property that for four years had been absolutely non-productive; while Mr. Jacob Woodhull knew that he was by far the largest owner of the wild and rugged tract on the mountain where the ore was said to have been discovered. The shrewd old gentleman admitted to Mrs. Lawton that negotiations had already been entered into with him for the purchase of this land, and that on his acceptance of the liberal offer made him there would be no doubt but that the Black Forge property could be sold.