Continuing, Fred said: "When Ben West was in San Francisco on his way to the Klondike, he went into the store of Stein & Co., jewelers, and selected the jewelry he might want, should he make a stake. So when he received Julia's answer of acceptance he ordered by wire a diamond ring, a gold watch set in diamonds, a diamond necklace, and a gold hairpin set with diamonds. Stein & Co. sent them to Julia with Ben West's love. He wired Kohn & Kohn, the bankers, to pay Stein & Co.
"Ben's mother said: 'Those jewels for that girl cost Ben twenty thousand dollars.'"
Henry said: "Just think of that fellow's luck. Some men are born rich, some acquire riches and some have riches thrust upon them."
Fred said: "Some men are lucky sure. There's Ben West, who is coming to Orangeville in a week. All the people will just go wild over him and lionize him. And won't Julia be sweet to him after giving her all that jewelry. They say, 'If you want honey you must have money.' Ben has got the money and now he is going to have the honey; and just think, in three weeks' time he is going to be married, going to have that pretty, handsome, fresh young girl all to himself. Isn't she a beauty! My! Ben will be in clover; he will have a picnic sure."
Henry said: "If I could be in Ben West's shoes for just two months, I would be willing to spend the balance of my life in hell. I would have one comfort in thinking what a fine time I had had."
Fred said: "Ben West will be here to-morrow and he will take good care to see that not you nor any other man will be in his shoes for two months from the time he is married."
When Ben set his foot in Orangeville on his return from the Klondike, the news flew all over the locality, as if the wind had made it its mission to carry the intelligence all over the country into every home. Those who knew him least were just as anxious to see him as those who had always known him. They did want to see, to talk to and shake hands with the lion of the day, the hero of the hour, the man whose name was in every one's mouth. If a man had arrived in Orangeville who had saved twenty persons from drowning, there would not have been half the desire to see him or hear him talk on how the persons were saved. Why, Ben West received nothing but one continued round of hearty hand-shaking and warm greetings, and his ears heard nothing but eulogies and encomiums and general admiration for the man who had made himself the owner of the two great idols that are worshipped by the Western world.
Ben West had got what most men are seeking but few finding. If you were in Orangeville you would be told that it was a Christian community; but if you squared them by the command given by Jesus, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness, and all these shall be added unto you," you would find them sadly wanting, for the Kingdom of Heaven is the last thing they want. It is, "These things which shall be added unto you" is what they want. For they want their heaven to be in the possession of things outside of themselves.
A great dance was given in honor of Orangeville's coming man. Predictions were heard that it would not be long before he would be Governor of California, with a good show for a seat in the United States Senate.
Most of the people of Orangeville were great on dances. If they had a sociable it had to close with a dance; if a political meeting was held, they had a dance afterwards; a spelling bee wound up with a dance. If you would let them, they would dance after Sabbath School and preaching. If you want a big crowd at a meeting, just give out there will be a dance at the close, and teams will come for miles from all over the country. Dance; why they want to dance all the time. They simply become intoxicated with dancing. There is no moderation about it. They leave the dance hall about four or five o'clock in the morning. Does that kind of recreation help them physically? How do they feel during the next day? Does it help them intellectually? Does it help them spiritually? Then why pursue a course of recreation so immoderately as to be detrimental to their highest interests?