The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-04-03

spareribs for supper we amt got ahg
money now, Jimmy. We're poorer nor
Jobs turkey
81 told her that I would be delighted
with the spareribs, and to tell the truth,
John, / haven't eaten a meal in New York
that tasted as well as those crisp roasted
spareribs did. l spent the evening play
ing checkers with father, while mother
sat by telling me all about their misfor-
tunes, from old white Mooley getting
drowned in the pond to fathers signing a
note for friend and having to mortgage
the place to pay it, The mortgage was
due inside of a week and not a cent to
meet it with-just $780, She supposed
they would be turned out of house and
home, but in my mind 1 supposed they
wouldn't. At last 8 o'clock came, and
father said Jim, go out to the barn and
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
we'll go off to bed and get up early and
go a-fishing.'
81 didn't say word, but l went out to
the barn, bedded down the horse, broke
up an armful of shingles, pumped pail
of water, filed the woodboX, and then we
all went to bed.
Gather called me at 4:30 in the morn
ing, and while he was getting cup of
coffee [ skipped over to the depot cross
lots and got my best bass rod. Father
took nothing but trolling line and spoon
hook. He rOwed the boat with his troll
ing line in his mouth, while stood in the
stern with a 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 pickerel and I
never got bite.
cat noon we went ashore and father
went home, while went to the post Office.
got letter from Chicago with check
for 81 900 in it. With some trouble got
it cashed, getting paid in So and $40 bills,
making quite roll. I then got roast
joint of beef and lot of delicacies 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 go to meeting clothes, none too
good, either. This is where I 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 it and
placed the cover on again. AT last sup
per was ready. Father asked blessing
over it, and he actually trembled when he
SUCK Ills kul10 CIl0 rOaSC.
We haven't had a piece of meat like
this in five years, JIM, he said; and
mother put in with, And we haven't had
any coffee in a year, only when we went
a-ViSitin'.'
''Then she poured out the coffee and
lifted the cover of the sugar bowl, ask
ing as she did so: How many spoons,
Jimmy?
''Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar. She picked up the bowl
and peered into it. Aha, Master Jimmy,
playin' your old tricks on your nanny,
eh? Well, boys will be boys
''Then she gasped for breath. She saw
it was money. She looked at me, then at
father, and then with trembling fingers
drew the great roll of bills out.
"Ha! hal ha! / can see father now as
he stood there then on tiptoe, with his
knife in one hand fork in the other and
his eyes fairly bullying out of his head.
But it was too much for mother. She
raised her eyes to heaven and said slowly:
Put your trust in the Lord, for he will
orOvide'
'"Then she tainted away. Well, John,
there's not much more TO tell. We threw
water in her face and brought her to, and
we demolished that dinner, mother all the
time saying, My boy Jimmy! My boy
Jmmyr
81 stayed home a month. I fixed up
the place, paid off all debts, had a good
time and came back again to New York.
am going to send $50 home every week.
tell you, John, it's mighty nice to have
a home"
John was looking steadily at the head
Of his cane. When he spoke he took Jim
by the hand and said: "Jim, old friend,
what you have told me has affected me
greatly. haven't heard from my home
way up in Maine for ten years. m going
home tomorrow. New York Sun.