The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-12-26
eDooD MonN1x' MISTER MAx. =

MaSSa Tom done die las week; we'll.
iey's his twins Dey do say it's scan
ious how Miss Blake's bein' treated.
Massa Tom done sign a note fur gen
ueman. an he can't pay an dey is ter
/ be an auction dere to morrow, an
Massa Tom not dead a week yet scase-
| iy. Po' Miss Blaker'
| That night Mr.. Romain sat up late
in his library. reading over letters and
papers he had not seen in ten years
| not since the day he hal that qnarrel
with Tom Blake. for il was tha, same
morning he had received cabiegram
calling him 10 Europe to take posses
ion of a large estate left him. and yes
terday he had reached home for the
first time since his departure.
Il was Just beginning my battle
with the world then, " he mused; NOW
| feel like warrior, batIle-scarred
and lonely. How enthusiastic Tom
and were theni how close our friend-
ship was!
And taking up an old letter. low
laugh burst from his lips rs he read its
witty allusion to an almost forgotten
college serape.
A very different look came into his
face rs he glanced down the page of
the next letter which met his eye, and
read:
MY Dear FeiIow:-After all, find / can
/ lend you that money. / have seen old Brown,
| and he i willing 10 give it IL ! ortaage the
/ Meadow Farm. i don't like mortgaEes, but
we must save your hom". Br wn imagints
that there is coal utder that land. think
( not. III tell you ecret, though know
! there is under the field adjoining.
I'm ten years hope TO have money to open
my mining land: m an ime III use my
| repay me before the MORTGAGE fails ue.
1 ha intended TO settle both firms on Nellie
Happens 10 me. my dear boy, you may CON
slider Nellie and her Interests your legacy
Yours as ever,
ITO think l threw away friend
ship like thati'' almost groane,i Mr..
Roman. as he laid down the paper
Then a sudden thought struck him.
and he hastily rang the bell.
Uncle Peter" he said. .'who owns
what used to be Mr.. Tom BlaKe's
Meadow Farm?"
.Old Mr. Brown. sab; he got power
full rich on dat farm. Yo' see. sab.
hits got coal-mine in it. On yes,
sab, he's rich"
And Tom mortgaged that land to
save my old home" thought Mr.. Ro-
main. sorrowfully. II wonder if it
could be that the check l sent from
England did not get to him in time?
In any case he's dead, and Nellie and
the children penniless, and"-glancing
at the letter again-"a legacy to mel'
"An auction almost on Christmas
Eve! Why, it seems fairly barbarous!"
thought Mr.. Roman, Indignantly, as
he entered what had been the pleas
ant home of his friend Tom. and was
so soon to be left desolate under the
hands of the auctioneer.
1t was early in the day, but already
the house was filled with neighbors
who had come from miles around to
attend the sale; and as Mr.. Rnmain
moved among them his ears were con-
stantly greeted with remarks on the
foolishness of "signin' for people"
Sick at heart he entered the little kit
chen back of the house, which was as
yet unoccupied. save by Mrs. Blake's
faithful colored cook, Aunt Nancy.
She was sitting on a split-bottom chair,
rocking herself to and fro. and occa-
sionally wiping her eyes with her blue
check apron.
Where is your mistress. auntie?'
Mr.. Roman asked.
There was kindly ring in his voice
that unlocked the old woman's bur-
. dened heart, and she sobbed aloud as
she answered:
''Oh, massa, she done took de chill
luns. an gon to her cousins, Miss
Rachel. II Jest broke my po' ole heart
: to see 'em go! But Miss Blake say
she couldn't stand it here, an dey have
} to 90 soon sure Po' things! only dc
good Lord know what's to come oi
dem, she say.
? ''Oh, massa. hit awful hard on missis
J dis is. She went all over de house di:
| mornin' tryin' to say goodbye to it
2 De little ones clingin' to her KEEP S
! pickin' up things. Mamma, dey won't
take my wockin'-horse. will deyP
| NANNY. will dc uauction man de
< my little chairP dey ask. Missi!
tried to hor back de tears an speal
chirk to dem chiluns, but when she
come to her own room she say: 'Yol
. stay out here. darlings; nanny want.
2 to GO in here alone l took de chill
: luns but presently / peek in de room
e md dere my po' missis, kneelin' for
massa's big armchair, wild her head ;
= lyin' on de big family Bible dat she'C
put on de chair; she had her arms
: around dat, and she was cryin' softly
: "Oh. my husbandr she whispered
+ over and over, and den she say:
, "a fader to de faderless. husband
q to de widow Dear Lord. let dis cul
8 pass from me-