The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-02-15
THE FARMERS STRATEGY.
a story of Love and Gunpowder.

IL considerable lowering of his shaggy eye
brows. Somebody's helping themselves, he
thought; Il must set my wits 10 work 10 dis
cover the offender. He sat down on log,
rested his elbows on his knees, and after
scratching his head while, by way of bright
cning his ideas, he settled his temples in the
palms OF his hands and meditated His co
! citations must have been satisfactory, for he
rose uy and by with queer smile oversprcad-
ing his wcaiher-beaten face, and walked into
the house chuckling, III do it; tAat'll let the
cat out OF the bag!"
He found Harry Bailey, "a young, likely
looking farmer, IN the kitchen with his daugh-
| ter
That young fellow is counting Jennie, sure
en0ugh!'' thought the old gentleman, as he
dlscrcetly passed into the sittingroom. well,
| he's ~ likely to make her good husband "a
any one. If she likes him, shan't object"
| And he fell into a fit of musing over the
memory Of the gentle wife who had been lying
under the flowers since Jennie, birth.
Meanwhile, in the Kitchen Jennie was trip
ping about, engaged in some household work,
aud Harry was watching her with lovc.llt eyes,
and could not make up his mind to tell her he
loved her .....
Il 4 *
The Rev. Mr. Walker, Of the Orthodox
church in Bolton, had prepared discourse for
his SINFUL congregation, upon the subject OF
endless punishment. The parable of the rich
man and Lazarus was the basis and he hurled
the anathemas of wrath at the black sheep of
his flock as though he were an avcnging an
gel, and many members of his congregation
| felt guilty terrors. Little Tom Bates shivered
in his shoes, and thought of the pie he had
taken the night before and then told his moth
or lie and debated whether he should con
- ,.,l,t tl
minated by the parsOn. But he did not settle
the matter that time, for the minlsteiTas sud
denly brought to full stop IN the midst of his
discourse, and the congregation was electrified
by tremendous crash and report in tnermidst,
as if heaven and earth had come together.
Farmer Evans rose to his feet simultaneous
| " with his frightened daughter and the rest of
the congregation, and poor little Tim was not
sure for the moment that his future had not
begun. The cause Of the noise was found to
be an explosion in the stove, through the in
lernal agency known as gurpowder. How 1t
came there was mystery to all except Farmer
Evans. Harry Bailey, who made the fires and
found the wood for stated sum, came forward
with a white face and explained that the thing
was unknown to him. The farmer walked
home thinking, Bad, bad, I'm very sorry he's
that sort; never suspected him Of all others !;
and Jennie likes him."
The farmers first impulse was to nip IN the
bud the acquaintance between Jennie and
'yGung Baley; but his natural kindly feeling
ultimately prevailed over his anger, and, on
his next meeting with the delinquent he all
I ruptly addressed him:
You are counting my daughters"
Harry Bailey admitted the fact bushfully
"And YOU make the fires for the Orthodox
/ church ~ continued the old man.
! Harry aSSentcd.
"And YOU furnish the wo0d!'
Yes said the young man, growing red and
white by turns.
! Perhaps you would like to have the mys-
FERROUS explosion in church last Sunday eX-
planned? [ knew my wood-pllc was going
somewhere, and put n small charge OF powder
in one of the sticks | need not say that was
surprised to find you were the thief, and you
dared to come counting my daughter"
II know I'm too mean to live much less to
love her." he broke out; II don't expect you
= to overlook it. II had Il hard year on the
farm; you know what losses | met meant
to pay it back again, but don expect you to
: believe me. One thing beg-don't tell her
anything aboutIt; Couldt bear to have her
think 30 badly Of me-
The cid man regarded the ashamed, repent
ant face with pity
Look here, Harry" he said, "I'll forgive
YOU and will not mention it to a soul, if you'll
look me IN the face and promise solemnly to
be strictly honest from this time forth"
Bailey caught his hand gratefully, and he
felt his reward begin rs he saw the shadow OF
new hope dawnng on the troubled face. 81
| soemnly promise" he SAID, never again tc
touch penny's worth that is not lawfully my
own"
AT the end Of the year you can have Jennie
if you want her, and we'll unite the farms"
With an overlooking heart Harry STAN
mered his thanks, and the farmer never regret
ted that he had given him chance to redeem
his selfrcspect.