The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-16


we've been sort Of unfortunate. I think
so-don't you; mother9'' s-
The old lady lay back among the cush
ions of the dimitv- covered char.
She had a look of physical weakness
Mr.. Faxson had not observed before. She
| did not speak. I
Her husband looked at her attentively
A sudden flush went over his thin face.
cts not tor myself I care-It's here"
he cried, striking his cane violently upon
| the floor. ':She helped earn this place,
when she was young. There was no kind
o. work but what them hands YOU see
lynn so weary now in her lap, sir, was
put to. She was up early an late, al
| ways a-doin', a-doin' fur me and the
| children. God never made better wife
an mother. An now, sir, it's hard, it's
hard, that she should be turned out of
her home in her old age!''
| "Hush, hush, Dan1ell'' said the dear
old lady, softly. 1.-THE Lord will provide;
and it's not long we have to stay in this
world, you know"
"Win you tell me the history of this
place, Mr.. Derbyg'' asked Mr.. Faxon.
SHOW did you come to lose lt9''
"1t was mortgaged, sir,'' said the old
man, Ito pay the boys college bills. You
see we had three chlldren-Selwyn, Ros-
coe and little Annie. Mother and did
not have an eddication, but we said all
| along that our children should have; an
they went to the distric' school, an then
the academy-an' by-'n-by we fitted 'em
off for college. Bright, smart boys they
everybody said my boys had good
parts, though Roc was allus little Wild,
I think mother, there, loved him a little
better for that. He was more trouble,
an she chung to him closer because 9TH
ers blamed him at times. Annie, his sis
ter, was always a-pleadin' for Roc, too.
He played truant, and whipped the bows
who told on him. He was always putin
hissbones in peril, an twice he was half
drowned-yet, in spite of it all, he was
ready tor college when Selwyn was, al
though Selwyn was as steady as clock.
Mother an had been scrapin' together
for years, an at last we fitted them off.
1--WE went on denyin' ourselves, for it
was just the one hope of our lives to
have the boys graduate with all the
honors; an time went on, but many of
the crops failed, an failin' to get to-
gether the money the boys sent for-es-
pecially Roc-we mortgaged the farm
for Eve hundred dollars.
''They were nearly through, you see,
an mother and Annie thought that Sell
wyn might be principal of the academy
or something when he came home, an
Roc would be a lawyer, cause he could
argufy and speak so smart in public, an
the money would be paid back easy.
'But from time to time there came ru-
mors didn't like, as tc how Roscoe was
up to his old wild ways, and at last it
came like thundcrbolt-Ro was sus-
pended and had run away to foreign
parts. Well, pass over that, sir; I
tried not to be too hard on the bow.
Then Selwyn came home. He hal grad
uated we'll, but he had a cough. He
didn't complain but he was thin and
pale, an'soon mother an I saw that the
son we had ment to rely on was an inva-
lid upou our hands. The thought struck
me dump. But mother was all energy.
We travelled here with him, we travelled
there. We saw all the noted doctors
East and West. We borrowed more
money on the old place, and we never
paid any back. made one or two pay
ments at first, but they were but drop
in the bucket. At last we brought Sell
wyn home to d1e.'' ~.a 's...s
Don't, Danielp' said the mother, softly.
s'He wants to hear the rest. There's
only little more, but it's no better. An
ME was like Selwyn-good an patient;
delicate like too. We didn't mind it at
first, but her cheeks grew thin and too red
a cough she had from child grew hard
er, and though the best doctor we could
get came early and late, it was only a
year after Selwyn died before we laid An
ME down among the SHOWS. Thank We,
sir, for your pity Mother and I have
shed most of our tears"
Mr.. Faxon put his cambria handker-
chief back into his pocket.
"Your other son, Roscoe, Mr.. Derby
did he ever Gomez
''Never! its nigh eight years since we
have seen Roc. He knew he disappoint-
ed US; but that was nothing-was it mo-
ther2''
81 never think of IT. said Mrs. Der
by, shaking her head. Perhaps don't
know-we took the wrong course with
Roc. He was restless and active. He
was wild but he was loving
Her voice broke.
Mrs. Derby said Mr., Faxon, II find
I know something of your story already.
Your son, Roscoe Derby, who ran away
at nineteen years old, is probably living,
and It may come in my way to obtain
some information of him for you.''
The old people had risen eagerly from
their seats; but he went on, quickly:
meanwhile, be at no Inconvenience
regarding your stay here IN your old
home. Your right to occupy it is I'M
questioned in my mind, and let me as
sure you that you will never, during your
lifetime, be required to go hence. There
IS the mortgage he placed some pa
pers on the table-"the Derby place is
your own
He rose, putting them gently back as
they pressed toward him, trying to ex-
press their gratitude. sa
ssNo-no thanksi Believe me you owe
me nothing othingi'
IN %oob he 1o% Tho n1G nav nh -