Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-10-24
-, 4 - 4 z !, ~ -, = = !
IHARE

terested il her school, her music-les
sons, and her play, thatfo 8 long while
she did not notice what 8 cloud Was
gathering over her home. III
But one morning she overheard hel
father and mother talking IN low voices
in their room, which was next to hers
II don't see any way ont Of it, 7 sail
her father. IF he insists upon st, W.
are ruined. 9
'sWill it take every thing r be,
mother asked.
Every thing !" sid her father. .sV'
shan't have g roof to our heads. Cox
knows what will become Of us ALL y
Il wouldn't mind for myself, " salt
Mrs. Townsend, weeping; but the chill
dren! Oh, I am sure Mr.. Kingdom can
not be SO crue1!"
"You don't know Ringdon!" her hus
band replied, bitterly. II took tht
contract to build the block six month.
ago, and should have made q moderat.
profit. But the price oflabor and tht
cost OF everything have gone up atleas1
twenty per cent. He isn't to blame 70,
that, he says; and though others can
keep their agreement with me, he see'
no reason whyI shouldn't. keep mine
with him. He doesn't mean to be cruel
but business is business. sa5s..3
Poor little Rhoda listened with grie
and terror. Then she remembered how
careworn her father had looked Of late,
and how often she had seen her mother
sad and fearful. >.5ss ~ &C.
4 She waited till he WAS gone, then rar
and threw Herself on her mothers
neck. i.5' 7St'.sf$ ~ $685. n, = - .a..,..:
Il didn't mean to-" she said, 'but
couldn't help hearing something! c
mother, is it true. Must we lose the
house and everything? Shall We be
very poor7" - ...=- .. f$ -. +.
"Afy daughter!" said Mrs. Townsend
folding the dear child in her arms. 81
am afraid So" ....=... !, -
"Why didn't you tell me, mother ~
Because you were happy, and
wanted you to remain SO as long as yor
could And I hoped till now that Mr.
Kingdom would not insist upon you,
fathers fulfllment the contract. He
can well afford not to insist upon it
He is very rich. The loss would not be
much to him, but it will ruin us.
"Does he know it?" 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 hard man, for all
that" sighed Mrs. Townsend. II fear
there is no hope Of him. And, now
that you know all, my child, I want *
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 can to help take care Of your dear
little brothers and sisters" -
The mother and daughter wept II
each others arms; but with her high
opinion of Mark, Rhoda did not believe
that Mr.. Kingdom could deal so harshly
with her father. on i
. "I'm sure he doesn't know!"' she re-
peated to herself. ii And she formed c
bold resolution She would speak tx
Mark about tho affair. ! a.2 w. y, f.,
= They went to the same school, and il
was easy enough for her to find an OPP.
sportunity to- speak to him. But it was
not SO easy to think just what she
should say. &.++ +" &a,.s ~: H.. IT
Mark, who was a bright, quick-sight
ed boy, noticed that she had kept he1
eyes on him with 4 troubled look. Al
she walked slowly away from The
school-house that afternoon he fol
lowed and over took her. i syE& y
NV hats the matter. Rhoda ?Y he said
"You act as if you had something
against me-. psssxs Il .55s I'll
"Oh no; I've nothing againstsyou."
"Bnt there's some. troubled" he in
sisted. Have I anything to do with
it?" s a@& sss ss& 81
mo, but You may have o Mark 7
said Rhoda, beginning to cry. 1T is
SO hard and I am sure you don't kp ON
anything about it for it wouldn't be so
if you did. .a..- bib q " .a Fl. s s
- What is il said Mark, growing anx'
ious. .<s5.s.sss, ID y: ..s.. s.s {.
i Your father and mine something
about their business" And Rhoda told
him her story IS well Is she could. Il
Mark was surprised and distressed
/" No, I didn't know!" he exclaimed
" And don't believe my father under.
stands about il. He is the kindest man
there's nothing he won't do for me; and
that makes mo sure he will do what il
right when I tell him Z
ri e'Oh, i you will tell him !" cried
Rhoda, With tears Of hope. That evening
Mark walked into his fathers library,
after tea, and stood there patiently wait
ing for him to lay down the newspaper be
was reading. " 5s5s,.: gI5sg q (
MI. Rngdo Ion was, as the boy had said,
q fond and indulgent father i and, feel
ing that his son had something to soy to
him, he presently put aside his paper,
and glanced up sniilingly over his
glasses. y9ss
What IS il, Mark" he asked.
The boy looked red and embarrassed.
But there vas . respectful earnestness
in his fne face, % hesreplied