Daily globe., 1882-09-17
JACOB GRAVES SUNSTROKE

sink, and restored to their respective
places on the pantry shelves; the red
cloth had been spread over the table, the
large kerosene lamp set in the center,
and Farmer Graves had drawn from his
capacious pocket weekly agricultural
Journal, and seated himself to enjoy its
contents. He was a thin, spare man,
with sharp blue eyes, bushy gray eye
brows, long nose, and a firm, square
chin. By means of good judgment, the
strictest economy and hard labor he had
managed to amass considerable wealth,
and was consequently looked upon with
great respect by his neighbors, who
knew little of the iron rule which gov
erned his home, and made unhappy the
lives of his wife and two young sons.
The big kitchen was very still. The
ticking Of the eight-day clock in the
corner. and the buzz of few flies which
had managed to effect an entrance In
spite of screens, and to live, in defiance
OF the pan OF fy-poison placed couspicu-
orisly and invitingly on a window sill,
alone disturbed the silence. The day
had been very warm, and Mrs. Graves,
worn out with its cares, had seated her
self in rocking-chair and was, for
few minutes, resting both tired hands
and exhausted body, while Fred and
Harry, early taught the value of time,
were silently mending q harness which
Law between them on the big wooden
settee. Occasionally they glanced at
their father. and then at each other, as
if debating the propriety of some pro-
iect 10 be submitted to him; and at last
Il &ha low
and made a movement as If to rise.
But Harry laid a OBTAINING hand on
his arm.
Its no use to ask" he whispered.
Perhaps not, answered Fred in the
same tone, "but it can't do any harm.
He can only say no. and nothing
venture, nothing have is saying I be-
heve ing
"All right; go ahead" said Harry.
"Pll back you up the best way can."
Thus admonished, Fred cleared his
throat nervously and approached his
father.
Father" he said, to-morrow'll be
Fourth of July, you know. There's 60
ing to be procession of Horribles in
town in the morning and speeches in
the afternoon"
"Well," said the farmer, without
glancing up from his paper, "what OF
it? I can't say as I'm interested in sech
tom-foolery doin's."
"We've never been to anything of
the kind, you know" continued Fred,
hesitatingly, "and all the other boys
about here are going. So we thought"
THAT I was fool enough to let you
waste hull day." interrupted the farm
er, grimly. "Well, you thought wrong.
I amt no sort of a believer in this yere
Fourth of July nonsense. A pa'cel o
men an boys paradin' up an down the
streets dressed up like monkeys. They'd
oughter be ashamed o themselves My
father learned me better'n that how tc
use my time. No; yell spend to-mor-
row in gettin' in that hay. I've got to
go to Morristown to see Talman bout
them hides, but you two kin get il the
hay an then"
He was interrupted by knock at the
screen door. Mrs. Graves hastened
wearily to open it. Two men, rough.
looking fellows enough, stood outside.
1--WE want to stop the night" saiG
one Of them. "We're trampin' it tx
Boston"
''And youth not stop your trampin
here" said the farmer. Move on
We've no room here for the likes O.
you"
"Let Us sleep IN the barn on the hay
Ghen,' said the man who had not befor
spoken. "That amt much to ask G
you"
"Too much, all the same," said Jaco'
Graves. II don't trust no tramps Il
my barn. So be off with YOU"
The men turned away, muttering some
thing which the farmer did not catch
and Fred and Harry, thinking it useles
to return to the subject of the Fourth c
July procession, put the harness ava
in a corner of the kitchen. and went up
stairs to bed, their young hearts sor
with the disappointment they had re
ceived.
So long had Mrs. Graves been unde
the despotic control of her husband tha
she seldom ventured a remonstrance {
any sort. But now her heart ached &c
her boys. She knew how deeply the
felt their fathers injustice and oppre:
sion, and scarcely had the sound of the
footsteps died away when she went /
her husbands side and timidly laid
ha2I on his shoulder.
''Jacob," she said, "the boys a,
young, and they need little recreatio
now and then. Let them go to town t.
morrow"
Il want no interference from 70,
Sarah" said the farmer, without lookin
up. If women had the management
all the boys, there'd never be a ma
worth anything;
''But they work so hard every day
pleaded the mother. "No man ever hs
better sons than yours, Jacob Sho
them that you appreciate their industl
by giving them holiday now and the
They'll work all the better for it.
Let them once begin TO waste tin
an there'll be no end to it." answers
Jacob. "It's no use your putin in {
oar for 'em, Sarah. Hard work al
plenty of it is the best kind O. food
boys. was brought up on it, a
ouehter know"
Mrs. Graves said no more. 81
leaned her aching head on her han'
and bent her sad eyes on the foo
wondering. poor soul, why she had 6