River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-11-05
JACOBS DISASTER.
BY l.. L. ROBINSON.

III Il SludlI lO9-nOuSe just on IHe
edge of a not very fertile-looking field,
lived widow Murray and he. only son
Jacob, and very happy were the mother
and boy, united by the fond dependence
that ever grows stronger between those
struggling together through life s trials,
each striving to make the burden lighter
for the other.
But for six long weeks now, the
widow had been alone, save the COM
pany of little neighbor at night; for
Jacob had heard of work to be found
with one of the farmers of the adioin-
ing county, and had gladly taken adj
vantage of the opportunity thus to
make a little money during the leisure
season, before it would be time to begin
work in their own small plot of ground.
Very trying to both had these weeks
of separation been, as wearisOme, per-
haps to one as the other; but how fully
recompensed seemed the mothers
loneliness and Jacobs inconsistencies
as the day drew near that was to bring
him back. And now, here he was,
right at the door, ruddy and warm
from his long walk over the hills, and
his heart all aglow with happiness a
his mother came to welcome him, her
eyes bright with eager gladness.
''And tell me, now, all about your
self and your work. she cried i'm
patiently as they sat down before the
great log fire,
"Well, as for myself, said Jake, with
a merry laugh. my tongue can tell all
that's worth hearing; but for my work
this will speak best for that, and
with fingers clumsy through eager
haste, he fumbled in his pockets, till
drawing forth his cotton handkerchief
tied in a succession OF difficult knots,
he rapidly loosened them, one by one,
and triumphantly extricated care
fully folded twenty-dollar greenback!
"What do you think of that for six
weeks work. he cried exultantly.
The widows eyes frightened as
much through pride and pleasure in
Jake's happiness, as at sight of such
rare sum of money.
''And it is really all yours?' she
asked admiringly.
mo" laughed Jake, ''tor now it is
half yours; but we will lay it by, if we
can, till | have made my crop, and see
if there will not be another to keep ii
company
"Ah, what happy evening that was;
but Jake had walked far, and as he was
to begin ploughing their own field on
the morrow, tired eyes and an easy
conscience soon brought the hour for
sleep, from which he did not waken
till The sun was calling all the busy
people to begin anew their work.
Jake said his mother anxiously, Il
hope you have put the money in a safe
place; hadn't you better-?
"Oh, it is safe enough interrupted
Jake, quickly, trust me for that,
mother" and off he hurried to the field.
Had he waited moment longer she
would have urged that the money be
given into her safe keeping, but she
thought as her eyes followed him, he
loves to look at it. and it will be
pleasure to him to hide it away in some
safe place of his own; while as wise
Jake went on his way he was saying to
himself, II would be foolish indeed TO
leave such a sum of money as that
about the house and perhaps have her
4 ~ ,-n, T
am out in the field. No, shall keep it
in a safar place than she thinks.
Jake was a bright boy in many
things But, o dear, how much better
are two heads than one in most mat
ers!
All through the day a merry whistle
rang over the field, gladdening the
mothers heart whenever near, as Jake
tramped up and down, back and forth,
turning up the long burrows with his
pillow. The fresh-turned sod was damp
and chill, but what cared he for that
with his heavy boots that kept his feet
warm and dry and left the print Of their
broad thick soles along many line that
day And thus, day after day, Jake fol-
lowed his pillow till at the close of week
the work was done, and with tired
limbs but happy heart he went to his
little loft-room above his mothers.
'And now for peep at my nest egg"
he said to himself Il have not looked
at it for whole week" and seated on
the side of his bed Jake pulled off one
heavy boot, and slipping his hand down
inside his well-darned sock drew out
what?
A worn, fiimsy, tattered scrap, that
looked as though it might possibly
once have been q bank note, but Jake'S
ewes could not recognize it as such as
he gazed silently upon it. 1t was not
merely soiled or crumpled-that ne
might have expected; but it was liter
ally in shreds, and almost fell to
pieces as. in a dazed way, he tried to
smooth it out.
Then slowly, overwhelmingly, the
truth dawned upon him. For whole
week that paper note had been at the
bottom of his boot, and as he gazed
upon the result, his heart seemed to go
right down to where the money lad
lain. How could he bear it, How
could he tell his Woodworking, patient
mother. that the money. on which they
nau counted so UnutHs was Stho- Ut
terly used up, and all for nothing! Oh
how poor Jake blamed his own foolish
head and his confidence in his own
foolish judgement.
But the pain and dismayed astonish=
ment was unbearable; he could not Ion
ger endure it alone, and slowly de-
scending the loft stairway in his stock
ing feet, looked in upon his mother,
who with the folded hands of Saturday
night, sat gazing meditatyely into the
fire.
The sight of her tired face was too
much for Jake, and it was a kind OF
gulping sob that first attracted her at
tention, and with little cry of alarm
she turned quickly, exclaiming:
What is it, Jake-are you sick,
boy-what is it?'
'.Oh. mother, mother!" cried Jake.
''the money is gone-it is all used up
and wore QUIZ