The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-31
and glanced up smilingIy yer his

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in his fine face, as he replied
Il heard something to-day, father,
which | want to ask You about"
ASK, said Mr.. Kingdom, ''and l will
answer rs we'll as / can.
1T is something about YOUR business
with Mr.. Townsend" said the boy.
Mr.. Kingdoms face changed slightly.
What have YOU heard?' lie asked in
a colder tone of voice.
at is said that if Mr., Townsend carries
ont his contract with you, he will be
ruined. Do you suppose it be
true?"
Il don't know, " replied his father; II
hope not. Who said he would be-"
"Rhoda, his daughter, She and her
mother are feeling very anxious about
it. They think they will be very poor, "
said Mark, watching his father.
Mr.. Kingdom did not smile any more,
but his face was calm and kind. II am
sorry for them" he said. The truth
is, Townsend has a very bad contract.
He will meet with a heavy loss. But [
don't see how I can help it,"
Cant you release him from it ?" Mark
tremblingly suggested.
That wouldn't be business" said his
father. Then the loss would fall on
me"
Excuse me, father-but are not you
better able to bear it than he is?"
perhaps. A good many of my
friends have met with losses which no
doubt [ might bear better then they but
it doesn't follow that I should say to
Smith, Jones. or Brown, Here's my
check to make up that loss to you've
more morey than you" Would that be
business-like? There are a great many
men" said Mr.. Kingdom, and now he
smiled again, "who would like to do
business with me in Just hat way"
But isn't this different?" said
Mark. you've had nothing to do with
their speculations; you're gained moth
ing by them"
And you're mistaken" replied his
father, IF you think 1 drove a hard
bargain with Townsend. [ agreed to
give him for building the block all l
believed it would be worth to me. He
took all risks. If the times had been
favorable, he would have made some
thing. As it is, he loses. That's all
there is about it,"
Mark Yves staggered for a moment.
Then he exclaimed earnestly,
ooh no, father; that isn't
all. II there had been any Or
binary gain orloss, what you say might
be Just. But he is building a E!.Sck of
houses for you; and I am sure you
won't insist on his doing it for what he
agreed, if it will ruin him-make his
family poor! 1 could never bear the
thought of that"
MIR. Kingdom answered, after a pause,
in a quiet but firm voice.
"You've a kind heart, my son-Im
glad of that-but you don't know any
thing about business. And it isn't for
you to tell me what / ought to do.
You may be sure that l shall do only
what seems to me to he right"
He adjusted his glasses and took up
his paper. Mark was not satisfied, but
there seemed to be nothing more for
him to say.
He hoped that his father would re-
lease Mr.. Townsend from the ~ruinous
contract. And when the final crash
came, and it was known that the Town
sends had actually lost everything,
Mark felt even worse about it, / am
bound to say, than Rhoda did.
The Townsend family were obliged
to move into a smaller house, where
living was less expensive and Mark lost
sight of them. But the great wrong
they had suffered ranked in his heart.
Often when his parents made him =
costly present, he would say to him
self
Il wonder if this was bought with
some of the money wrung out of poor
Townsend"
Mr.. Townsend began business again,
and worked hard to support and
educate his family. But circum-
stances seemed always to be against
him. He couldn't get ahead. He con-
tinued the struggle manfully for a few
years, then lost health and hope, and
died a poor
He had had his life insured for a mod
crate sum; and that was all that was
left to his family. A widow with six
children, and only the interest on three
thousand dollars to provide for their
wants That was Mrs. Townsend's sit
uation.
But since the change in their fortunes
Rhoda had proved herself a GLORIOUS
GIRL" as everybody said who knew
them. She had given up the Injuries
Of life, and tile pleasures of society, to
devote herself to the family. House
work, n~eedlework, teaching her sisters
the piano,-bonne trimming or drass-
making-whatever the task, she brought
to it a willing heart and skillfnl hands
IT don't know what / should have
DONE" Mrs. Townsend used to say
eff it hadn't been for Rhoda; her tact fol
keeping us all looking respectable OF
nothing, is just wonderful And shs
makes vi all happy by her good spir
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