The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-31
MARK.

terested in her school, her MUSCLES
sons, and her play, thatfor a long while
she did not notice what a cloud was
gathering over her home.
But one morning she overheard her
father and mother talking in low voices
in their room, which was next to hers.
II don't see any way out of it," said
her fatller. "If he insists upon it, we
are ruined"
will it take everything2' her
mother asked.
ssEyerything!" said her father. "We
shan't have a roof to our heads. God
knows what will become of us ALL"
II wouldn't mind for myself" said
Mrs. Townsend, weeping; "but the chill
dren! Oh, / am sure Mr.. Kingdom can
not be SO cruel!"
"You don't know Ringdon!" her hus-
band replied, bitterly. IT took the
contract to build the block six months
ago, and should have made a moderate
profit. But the price of labor and the
cost of everything have gone up atleast
twenty per cent. He isn't to blame for
that, he says; and though others can't
keep their agreement with me, he sees
no reason why 1 shouldn't keep mine
with him. He doesn'tmean to be cruel
but business is business.
Poor little Rhoda listened with grief
and terror. Then she remembered how
careworn her father had looked of late,
and how often she had seen her mother
sad and fearful.
She waited till he was gone, then ran
and threw herself on her mothers
neck.
II didn't mean to" she said, "but I
couldn't help hearing something! o
mother, is it true. Must we lose the
house and everything? Shall we be
very poor7"
"My daughter!" said Mrs. Townsend,
folding the dear child in her arms. IT
am afraid So"
"Why didn't you tell me, mother?"
Because you were happy, and I
wanted you to remain so as long as you
could. And I hoped till now that Mr..
Kingdom would not insist upon your
fathers fulfllment the contract. He
can we'll afford not to insist upon it.
He IS very rich. The loss would not be
much to him, but it will ruin u.s."
"Does he know ito" cried Rhoda,
eagerly. ooh, I am sure he doesn't!
Why, mother. it is Mark Kingdoms
father; and Mark is just the incest,
kindest, best-hearted boy you ever saw!'
"But his father is q hard man, for all
that" sighed Mrs. Townsend. IT fear
there is nc hope of him. And. now
that you know all, my child, I want to
say to you that we must be prepared
for the worst. You are the Oldest of the
children. Your father will have to be-
gin life again, and we must do all we
can to help him. We must give up
many things, perhaps have to work
very hard. I am sure you will do all
you a to help take care of your dear
little brothers and sisters"
The mother and daughter wept in
each others arms; but with her high
opinion of Mark, Rhoda did not believe
that Mr.. Kingdom could deal SO harshly
with her father.
"I'm sure he doesn't know!" she re-
peated to herself. And she formed a
bold resolution. She would speak to
Mark about the affair.
They went to the same school, and it
was easy enough for her to find an OPP
portunity to speak to him. But it was
not SO easy to think just what she
should say.
Mark, who was a bright. quick-sight-
ed boy, noticed that she had kept her
eyes on him with q troubled look. AS
she walked slowly away from the
school-house that afternoon he fol-
lowed and overlook her.
whats the matter. Rhoda?" he said.
"You act as if you had something
against me-"
''Oh no; I've nothing against you"
But there's some troubled" he in
sisted. "Haye / anything to do with
it?"
"No, but you may have. o Markr
said Rhoda, beginning to cry. 1T is
so hard! and I am snre you don't know
anything about it; for it wouldn'tb be SO,
if you did"
"What is it said Mark, growing anx
ious.
your father and mine-something
about their business" And Rhoda told
BIN her story as we'll as she could.
Mark was SURPRISED and distressed.
emo, I didn't know!" he exclaimed.
"And / don't believe my father under
| stands about it. He is the kindest man
there's nothing he won't do for me and
that makes me sure he will do what is
right when I tell him"
"Oh, if you will tell him!" cried
Rhoda, with tears of hope. That evening
Mark walked into his fathers library,
after ten, and stood there patiently wait
ing for him to lay down the newspaper he
was reading.
Mr.. Kingdom was. as the boy had said,
q fond and indulgent father; and, feel
ing that his son had something to say to
him, he presently put aside Lis paper,
aud glanced up snlilingly ove his
glasses.
What is it, MARI? " he asked.
The boy looked red and embarrassed.
Bat there was a respectful earnestness
in his tine face, as he replied
~ heard something to-day, father,
which I want to ask You about"
ASK, said Mr.. Kingdom, ''and I will
answer as we'll as I can"
oIti is something about your business