The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-17
er was twelve wears of age, and we al

was areal misfortune; but then we were
all poor folks through the neighbor-
hood, just starting out, so did not
mind.
"We had been four years on the
farm, and were beginning to get things
a little under control, when the last
payment on the old store fell due; the
note was drawn at ten hundred dol
lars, and as welacked just that amount
OF having the farm paid for, we were all
making great calculations on it; the
boys, especially, We're very anxious to
get the last cent OF incumbrance off,
as they had been promised a year OF
schooling, each in W, as soon as
we were ont OF debt.
81 remember we'll the day l received
that draft. 1t was q bright spring
day, and l was in W, buying
a few new farming implements,
to begin Springs work with.
| was little disappointed on open
ing it to see that it did not call for the
whole amount due, but Mr.. Mason,
our debtor, wrote in the letter accom-
panying it, that he could not possibly
raise but seven hundred and eighty
dollars, and begged that / would wait
few months and he would have the
balance ready.
"After some hesitation | decided to
get it cashed before l went home and
surprise the boys, as it was little
ahead OF time. The thought OF having
1T in the house over night was not so
pleasant. but as Mr.. Williams, my
creditor, lived only five miles over the
creek, it would take only a couple OF
hours in the morning to go to his place
to pay it out without any delay;
accordingly, just before start.
ing for home, l drove round
to the bank, presented my draft and
received the money; it was in quite
small bills for so large an amount,
and each one hundred dollars was
done up in q separate package, with u
slip OF paper pinned around it, as is
usual; the odd eighty was in bills
ranging from five to twenty dollars
and was simply piled together and
folded.
'In those days the receptacles for
money oftenest seen were long leath-
ern books, fitted with large and small
pockets to hold the shin-plasters, as
the small bills between ten and fifty
cents were called and with long straps
to bind around them, and keep all
secure, my pocket book was such an
one, and you may be sure l slowed
the precious packages safely away;
the eighty dollars put in apocket by
itself, and pressed it down carefully as
it was loose.
"How we did revel that night in
the glad prospect OF so soon being re-
leased from our long borne load OF
debt; the boys made great many
plans about their year in W, which
meant SO much to them, and bright
and early IN the morning started me
off for neighbor Williams with my
pocket book safely las l thought)
slowed away in my inside coat pock-
| ct.
THE ride was very enjoyable in the
| clear, bracing spring air, as you may
suppose, under such circumstances,
but was very much disappointed on
reaching my destination to find that
my man was away from home; his
wife told me he had gone some few
miles up the creek with his two men
and a drove OF sheep to wash.
"There was nothing to be done but
| to follow him up, and l was about
starting on, when, on slipping my
hand into my pocket, to my conster-
nation | found it empty, and when a
| thorough search in and around the
buggy in which rode did not reveal
the pocket book, was fairly faint at
thought OF the loss.
GLOW it could get away from me
was at first a puzzle, for that it was
safe when | started from home was
certain, as that was the last thing
had looked to before starting out;
but after going the whole distance
over in my mind, | remembered hav-
ing stopped once to fix some part
OF the harr ess, and in an instant
knew there was where l had met with
my loss.
1T took but q moment to make
some explanation to the women folks
who had helped in the search, and
then hurried away again. 1t was
just in front OF the Leigh farm on the
other side of the creek, that l had
stopped; the place was then owned by
a Mr.. Grant; Uncle Phin we used to
call him; he was a queer old gentle
man, not given to many words, but
those he did speak were apt to tell.
AS l came up leading the horse,
and looking carefully along the road,
Uncle Phin accosted me with a grutl
good morning, from over his garden
fence, where he was busy putting in
the early vegetables, but he did not
pause in his work, although he must
have been watching me out Of the
OF corner his eyes, for presently he said:
Lost suthin'?
81 made explanation and asked if he
had seen anything of q book the de.
scription OF mine on the road that
morning.
No, amt been on the road this
morning. he replied, without looking
up, and still hoeing industriously;
thought he was paying no more atten.
tion, but when he had finished his row,
he stood the hoe up against the fence
and climbed over.
Much in't?' he questioned.
"After some hesitation | told him
the amount OF our loss and explained
to him the circumstances, which
brought from him only the single la
comic exclamation:
Bad After a pause, he added
Cit in beginning to climb into the
buggy, and you'd best look one side
and I'll take t'other.
1--WE rode along in silence for about
a hundred yards when the old man
pointed ahead. saying:
There It's
'You may be sure it did not take
me long to get out of that buggy, and
there right in the wheel track lay the
unfortunate book. turned with Joy
to shake Uncle Phin's hand, when he
arrested me by saying:
Look to your money
tNHhan for tha first time I &C II, IA n I