Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-04-05

] l.
what don't get enough money t. keep
body and soul together. So I'll just tell
/ You, Jimmy, We got Bothin' but roast
spareribs for supper, We amt got any
money now, Jimmy. We're poorer nor
| Jobs turkey
81 told her that / would be delighted
with the spareribs, and to tell the truth,
John, | haven't eaten a meal in New York
that tasted as well a those crisp roasted
| spareribs did. spent the evening play
| ing checkers with father, while mother
sat by telling ne all about their misfor.
! tunes, from old white Mooley getting
drowned in the pond to fathers signing a
note for a friend and having to mortgage
the place to pay it. The mortgage was
! due inside of q week and not q cent TO
meet it with-iust $500, She supposed
they would be turned out of house
and home, but in my mind ] supposed
| they wouldn't. At last O'Clock came,
and father said: Jim, go out to the barn
and see if Kit is all right Bring in an
armful of old shingles that are just inside
the door and fill up the water pail. Then
Wen go off to bed and get up early and
go a-fshing.
II didn't say word, but went ont to
the barn, bedded down the hors,, broke
up an armful of shingles, pumped pail
of water, filed the woodbox, aud then we
all went to bed.
"Father called me at 4:30 in the morn
ing, and while he was getting a cup of
coffee l skipped over to the depot cross
lots and got my best bass rod. Father
took nothing but trolling line and spoon
] ! 1. A. L.. .x.fF
ing line in his mouth, while | stood in the
stern with silver sinner rugged on. Now,
John, never saw man catch fish like
he did. To make long story short, he
caught four bass and five pickeral and l
never got q bite.
at noon we went ashore and father
went home, while l went to the pos to flee.
/ got letter from Chicago with a check
| for $1,000 in it. With some trouble ] got
it cashed, getting paid in IS and $40 bills,
making quite a roll. l the got a roast
! Joint of beef and a lot of delioacies and
had them sent home. After that / went
visiting among my old schoolmates for
| two hours and went home. The Joint was
in the oven. Mother had put on her only
silk dress, and father had donned his
Sunday 20 TO meeting clothes, none too
| good, either, This is where | played a
! joke on the old folks. Mother was in the
kitchen Watching the roast. Father was
out to the barn and had clear coast
| dumped the sugar out of the old blue
| bowl, put the thousand dollars in il and
| placed the cover on again. At last sup
! per was ready. Father asked blessing
over it, and he actually trembled when he
stuck his knike in the rOst.
"'We haven't had piece Of meat like
this in five years, JIM he said; and
mother put in with. And we haven't haG
any coffee in year, only when we went
a-yisitin'.
"Then she poured out the coffee anc
lifted the cover of the sugar bowl, asking
as she did so; How many spoons, Jim
myY
"Then she struck something that WASH
sugar. She picked up the bowl and peer
en- into it. Aha, Master Jimmy, playiu
your old tricks on your mamma, eh
Well, boys will be boys
"Then she gasped for breath. She saw
it was money. She looked at me, then a
father, and with trembling fingers drew
the great roll of bills out
"Ha! ha! ha! l can see father now a
he stood there then on tiptoe, with hi
knife in one hand, fork in the other anC
his eyes fairly bulglng out of his bead
But it was too much for mother. Sh'
raised her eyes to heaven and said slowly
Put your trust in the Lord, for he vii
provide
"Then she tainted away. Wen, John
there's not much more to tell. We threw
water in her face and brought her TO, auC
we demolished that dinner, mother all thu
time saying, My boy Jimmy! My DO!
Jimmy"
81 stayed home a month. fixed nj
the place, paid off all debts, had a gooC
time and came back again to New York
am going to send $50 home every week
l tell you John, it's mighty nice to have
| homs.'
John was looking steadily at the head o
| bis cane. When he spoke he took Jim b.
the hand and said "Jim, old friend wha
YOU have told me has affected me greatly
| haven't heard from my home way NJ
in Maine for ten years. I'm going hom
| to morrow. New York Sun.