The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-07-27

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Charlie Currie hurried along thu
winding pathway through the woods
his old friend. the little gray squirrel,
seated upon . great stump to watch
him pass, and entering the cabin where
his mother was preparing supper be
threw his arithmetic and geography up
ON the table and seated himself in the
corner with long-draWn sigh.
Mrs. Currie looked up. "What is it,
I" School is closed, /" he replied, I" and
the master says that have gone as far
- he can teach me, and that / need not
come back next term.
"And nowp" said his mother.
SHOW" answered Charlie, T" I want
to go 10 Riverdale Academy, but l
know that father can not afford to send
me. Oh, dear! I'll never learn any
thing! Iwish we lived at the village"
Mrs. Currie took the tea-kettle from
the open fireplace and stood it upon
the table before she answered.
swell, my dear boy, you know how
glad your father would be If he could
send you to Riverdale. He and have
talked the matter over considerably Of
late, and he has decided upon this: You
may work out next winter, or for the
next year, wherever You can find any
thing to do, and board at home, and
you may save all the money you earn
and go to the Academy winter after
next. You're young yet, only sixteen,
and that will be time enough to go away
from home"
"Oh, mother! That's splendid!''
cried the boy, joyously springing from
his seat, "did father say he'd do thatP
I can work for MIR. Gordon, know, for
he was looking for boy the other day.
I can earn money enough, am sure.
You sre very kind!" and he threw his
arms impulsively about his mothers
neck and kissed her.
Mrs. Ourrie returned the kiss, smiling
at his earnestness, and then asked him
to bring her some wood from the pile
back Of the house. As he ran to exc
cute her request she looked after him
with all mothers love and thanked
God in her heart that her son was a
true, good boy, and that his desire was
for knowledge and the power it might
give rather than for wealth or pleasure
only.
Mr.. Currie was a poor farmer who
lived upon rented land. Uneducated
himself, he had determined that his
child should receive from his hands q
better inheritance than mere money
would be, and therefore, with his wife,
he was striving to educate him thor
oughly and well. Their home was upon
the banks of the Ranislook River, a
tributary of the Connecticut, away up
in Northern New Hampshire. There,
sheltered by the mighty forest trees
from summers sun and winters storm,
the little family had lived and worked
for the past ten years; ever since
Charlie could remember, in fact. The
farm which Mr.. Currie cultivated lay
mile or more from his cabin, and that,
together with all the timbered land in
that section, q mighty extent of country
embracing many thousand acres upon
both sides of the river, belonged to the
estate of Adam Van Derkin, . rich old
When Charlie entered with his arms
full of wood Mrs. Currie announced that
tea was waiting, and the boy turned
and ran down the little path to meet his
father as he returned from his work and
thank him for the permission which he
had given him. The sun was not yet
fairly down, but great dun colored
bank of clouds had slowly risen from
the western horizon and hidden it, so
that the evening light was grayish and
dull and the air growing chill. 1t felt
as if storm were at hand.
Charlie had been gone for perhaps
ten minutes, and Mrs. Currie was ex-
pectantly awaiting the return of her
husband and son, when she heard the
sound of horses feet coming up the
pathway toward the cabin, and going
to the door she saw three men well
mounted, riding toward her.
As they approached the foremost
bowed, and, removing his cap, said,
"Good evening, madam. Can you tell
me whose land this isP''
"Yes, SIR" replied Mrs. Currie; ''it
belongs to the Van Derkin estate"
"Thank you," said heY questioner.
Then, turning to his companions, he
said, +" Gentlemen, we are at last upon
the ground. Now do you not think it
would be well to stop here, if this lady
would keep US, SO as to be ready for
our work in the morning? We may be
able to obtain help here, too; and we
shall need q number of searchers.''
The others spoke together for mo-
ment, and then replied, "Yes;" where
upon all three dismounted, and the one
who had first addressed Mrs. Currie
spoke to her again.
Madam, we are from Boston; two
of us are lawyers, and this third gentle
man is one of the heirs of Adam Van
Derkin, who originally owned this farm.
We have come here upon business con-
nected with the estate, and shall find it
necessary to remain in this neighbor-
hood for few days. Will you accom-
modate us with lodgings and food for
ourselves and horses? We are city gen.
tlemen, it is true, but we can easily put
up with country fare, and you need not
be afraid but that you can satisfy us if
we remain"
This proposition took Mrs. Currie
quite by surprise. Her house was small,
and yet there was room for the strangers
in the loft, and there was enough for
them and their horses to eat. She was
debating the question in her mind
when she saw her husband coming up
the path. The others also saw Mr..
Currie, and at once introduced them
selves, and made known their errand.
Would he keep them, and could he give
them his time for the next two or three