The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-10
,lzed the roice. IN gptte of is gl1akY zones

nlzed the voice, IN spite of its shaky tones
Hang on, an we'll soon git you out"
Taking the lantern in his hand, Lankfort
started TO cross His weight caused the foot
log to sag little; it dipped into the current,
and the waves, in some places, dashed over it.
There was no danger that the log would be
swept completely away, for 1t was chained at
the Lankfort side Of the stream; but there
was the risk of being thrown into the stream
in case the current should prevail against the
unclaimed end Of the log.
Lankfort went slowly forward until he
reached the chilled and almost exhausted old
man. By this time the rest Of the Lankfort
family were at the waters edge.
Just as Lankfort stopped to lift Hudnut to
a safer position, a large stick of floating tim
Der was carried full tilt against the foot log.
Hang on fr dear Ifel'' shouted Lantfort.
''Hang on, an the foot Iogll swing round to
shore. It's chained at t'other end"
Old Hudnut needed no second bidding.
Dropping on his knees Lankfort managed
TO fend of the trail cut'' which mad caused
the mischief. In the meantime the foot log,
held by the chain, swung around, carrying
tsfreight of human life to shallow water.
When Hudnut reached the shore he could
scarcely walk Jim and his father helped ths
old man up the hill 10 the house, where he
was made comfortable.
But the shock was too severe, and Hudnut's
age too great, 10 make his recovery On easy
thing For days he lay i'll, and all the while
jamie trottAd around caring for his wants,
busy among her brothers and sisters, and
keeping up the homework just the same.
There was no thought of heroism on JAMES,
part. She was just trying to I'LL mothers
place, and that was ali she thought about it.
The day after the old man was brought to
the house, when the chill was on him, and
when he refused food, jamie came in with a
small dish In her hand.
''You seemed to sort o like this apple but
ter" she said. Don't you think you could
eat little o that!"
There were no "airsn about jamie in this
little proceeding. Hudnut was company"
and that was enough. The old man took
some Of the butter. and now and then some
more OF it, with other food.
I'm getting quite braced up, said he.
Hardened as the world took the old money
lender 10 be, all this unconscious self sacri-
fee was not lost on him.
By and by he was ready to go home. Jim
brought his horse, and with some difficulty
the old man mounted to the saddle
Look here, Lanzfort,' y he said, as he sat
still before starting, I've been some trouble
to you and your daughter, and I'll settle it
with you one Of these days.
I'VE don't make no charge, Mr. Hudnut,"
said Lankfort, with sudden dignity.
''And I'm a thousand times obliged to you
besides. said the old man. Then, lifting his
hat to jamie, who stood in the door, the old
man bowed with old fashioned grace Re
peating his bow to the rest Of the family he
touched spurs to his horse and rode away.
Naturally Lankfort was disappointed, for
the old mans promise Of settlement "one OF
these days" was not very assuring. Of course
mo charge" was made but Lankfort could
not help thinking, "'Tan't easy fr poor
man, this sort o thing, besides and then
he went about his work, mumbling over
something about the mortgage.
But poor Jim, who had groomed the old
mans horse SO faithfully, was downright an
CRY, and gave vent to his feelings freely. the
children indorsing his sentiments as he gave
them utterance. Even jamie caught the con-
tagion of dislike, and sighed as she took up
her daily duties
''NOw, Hudput, : said the old man to him
self, as he crossed the stream, now placid
enough, now, I1uOnut, you We you 10 90 Jne
handsome thing by the Lankforts. I'll tell
you what you'd better do, Hudnut-in fact,
you've got to do it. Figure out the amount
Of interest which LanEfort has paid on that
mortgage and deduct it from the principal
En-! Better give up the mortgage and take
his note for the balance, Hudnut-and be easy
on him, too.n
After riding on awhile in silence the old
man resumed his conversation with himself:
You can do better than that, Hudnut
Old man, d'you hear9 Begood all over, Hud-
nut, while You are about it" He chuckled rs
he spoke. Instead Of keeping that note for
the balance, suppose you just deposit it in the
bank to the daughters credit, with the un-
derstandipg that she is to have the interest Us
long as the principal Of the note is unpaid
That's it, Hudnut. Fix itup just that way"
And so, be it said to the old money lenders
lasting credit, Joe Lankfort's ''everlastin'
mortgage" was transformed into a blessing
to poor hard worked Jintsev. And thus a
new era dawned upon the neer-do- wells Of
the hewed log cabin on the hili.-Lucius Goss
in Youths Companion.