The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-12-05

JOHN ANDERSON'S FARM.

| &C. 7. DFzcy In the Manhattan.
JOHN ANDEHSON'S FARM.
sYou may laugh ii you will. Susy,
but there is something in luck, and
luck has always been against the Al
dens," said John Alden, despondently,
to his sister.
"How, Johnp" Susy turned her
round, bright face attentively toward
him.
Look at grandfather George Alden
and his sons. Why. their estate was
the richest on the Ohio shore. They
lived like Irish kings. I've heard peo-
pie say, and, excepting father, they all
died penniless."
grandfather Alden, 1 am sorry to
say. was too fond of horse racing and
cards to keep money long, and his sons,
excepting father, all drank" said Susy,
dryly. Living like Irish kings. too, is
not the most secure way of keeping a
fortune"
We'll. now. look at me-" continued
John, with the scowl on his face unal-
tered. 81 neither drink nor gamble,
nor care for the turf I'm nineteen, and
I've tried honestly to do my duty in
every way"
"Well, John?'
neutrality-suspicious. the differ
ehce between me and George Harvey.
At school. study as hard as / could, he
carried off all the prizes. l was the
dull plodder, be the brilliant scholar,
the genius. When visitors came
heard him pointed out invariably as
Harvey, sir. A most promising fell
low. He'll make his mark in the
world was passed by without
word. When we go into society it is
the same thing. l take the utmost
pains to be polite and attentive TO the
girls, and Harvey laughs and quizzes
and is positively rude to them. Yet he
is splendid and fascinating and the
incest girls are proud to have him for a
partner, while am endured on suffer-
ance. There is precisely the same diff
ference in business. In every way he
is favored by fortune and l am
sighted"
II do not see that, john" said Susy,
gravely. George has a snowy, dashy
manner, which commands attention to
whatever he knows. But people soon
find out how little that is. Even girls,
in the long rum
81 hate the long rum cried John,
impatiently.
Susy was silent. She knew very well
that this outbreak was all owing to the
fact that Laura Faulke had shown some
attention to George Harvey the night
before. ''He always did care too much
for Laura Faulke's opinion since they
went to the primary school together, "
thought Susy, Indignantly. "And as
for business" she said aloud, II do not
see that George has any advantage over
you in position. You both have been
left farms, both are independents, both
have the means of making a sure,
though not s. large, income"
Now that shows just how little you
know about it. Harvey's farm num-
bers just the same amount of acres that
mine does, il is true. But his on the
south side of the creek, in rich alluvial
soil, mine on the hillside, where moth
ing will grow but pine trees and jim
son weeds"
'Helloa! What's the matter. Jackp"
said Squire Hall, riding up to the porch
on MS gray mare.
Il was grumbling about my patch
here, to tell the truth. 1t will yield
nothing; absolutely nothing"
Don't be too sure of that, my boy.
Come out here a Bit" reckoning him
mysteriously aside.
They whispered for some time to-
gether, and then John came in, his
face flushed. his eyes glowing. .
There's great news, Susy! Oil has
been discovered in the bottom, and q
company from New York has sent on
inspectors to test the property on eth
er side of the creek, among the rest
Harvey's and mine. If there are any
indications of oil being there we can
ask our own price for the land"
"Oh, John, I knew all would 60 we'll
with YOU" ..-..
The little girls face was pretty and
sparkling, and her brother stopped and
kissed it heartily.
THE inspection is to be made to-
morrow. and then I'm made or lost for
life. If only luck is not against me?'
God will be for you in any case,
john" said Susy, gently.
But ''luck" to John Alden which
came in good fortune of dollars and
cents, or even praise, was much more
real thing than the unseen power
which his sister worshipped SO faith
fully.
He rose the next morning with a
haggard face, which showed that he
slept but little.
To-day" he said to Susy, sit will
be all settled. The inspector from New
York will be here by 10 o'clock. In an
hour he can tell if there is any oil on
the land. He is an expert, you UNDER
stand. If there is any / will sell and
build house like Squire Peters, only
larger. And then, Susy-who knowsp
Il might marry. am as old as Ben
Scott"
Eyes, that is true"
She could not bear to discourage him
by hint of defeat. He watched nerv-
ously by the door for the men to APP
pear and when he saw them coming
the New York expert, one or two of the
proposed stockholders in the new COM
pany, and Squire Peters himself-he
snatched up his hat and hurried down
the road to meet them.
Even Susy's heart throbbed fast. She
told herself in vain that it was not a
matter of life and death; it seemed to
her that her own fate as we'll as Johns
depended on few words to be spoken
in the coming half hour.
The hour passed. She had seen the
groups of men passing from point to
point of the farm, until they turned to
the right of big red barn, and disap-
peared in the corn patch. After that
they were lost to sight.
Noon came! One o'clock! The din
ner was ready. but she dared not sound
the horn. The inspection was no doubt
successful, and they were now chatter
ing for the sale of the farm. Would
they give the money in cashp Hun
ds-thousands-a millionp Susy's
ideas on the subject of the price of oil
or oil lands was very unsettled.
Two o'clock came at last and the
dinner, do what she would. was dried
to crisp. just as the clock struck
Squire Peters and the stranger from
New York rode past the door. Susy
could not help listening intently for
any chance words she might hear.
''The land for the purpose of cultiva-
tion." said the Squire, ..is worthless,
perfectly worthless.
Think so. ehp Now near New York
man would make II nav gold to the