Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-08-08

! to me II might nave Oeen IN meeting OF n
| Harristown-
However, we made a very merry party.
/ had been so often teazed and quizzed
about my ''softness" that it was quite 3
relief when the mortgage, Uncle Kit AMI
dinner took up all thought and converse
ton. But after dinner had a somewhat
trying ordeal to go through.
| The fact of it was Uncle Kit made .
speech. al see, Brother Win, F" he said,
''that, after all, you are much better off
than | am. Sensation, as they say in
the newspapers. You've a fine farm and
fine family"
"And a fine mortgage" said ray father
under his breath, but Uncle Kit didn't
hear him.
LAS for me-" went on Uncle Kit, ''I'm
not so rich as would like to be. l am
not even so rich as you are" There was
| breathless pause here.
81 am bound to say that ii it hadn't
| been for member of this family should
never have learned how rich you are"
Ny father started, flushed and grew
almost angry; he thought he was being
quizzed.
Hold on till I've finished, WILL"
went on nv uncle. YESTERDAY morning
l thought was twice as rich as you are,
and it is through a member of your fami-
| ly, l repeat, that / learned my mistake. "
Who could it be that had told Uncle
Kit that we were rich7 Every one looked
at the other. My father evidently was
much perturbed. Mr.. Noah Broadhead's
| & L. ~f IL.
whether he was secretly laughing at my
uncle or at my father, or was amused at
being taken so suddenly into family con-
fidences, do not know.
"a member of this family yesterday
admitted a tramp into this house, "
went on the speaker.
cit must have been that Sally" whis-
pered pretty Floss and Peggy, and all
eyes Immediately were fixed on me.
"The tramp was fed and rested, and
before going away stocking-I believe
it was stocking, Noah2-was produced
and certain dimes, quarters and fifty cent
pieces counted out and given to this
worthless vagabond-"
Mother looked reproachfully at me.
dare not look at father-the two boys
seemed puzzled. Had my foolish gener-
osity to the tramp conveyed the notion
to my uncle that we were too well off to
need his assistance2 The idea seemed
absurd, impossible.
''That tramp" went on my uncle,
"was an old mate of mine, and but for
this money would not have met me at
Harristown, and offered me the chance
| of af
farm"
you're welcome to do that, Kit,
said my father dryly, eff only you'll give
me half of it."
"That tramp" continued uncle Kit,
"showed me the finest specimen of man
ganese that had ever seen-and l I'M
derstand from him that he found it in
your pasture. Brother, you wrote to me
asking me to lift your mortgage. l can't
do that, but you've got a daughter in
your house who is good enough to make
the heaviest mortgage in the world
lighter than feather. I'll tell you what
will do, will take shares enough in your
manganese mine to lift all the mortgages
in the village"
My father looked Supplied for mo-
ment, my mother stared at him and
blushed for sheer JOY. Even the boys
seemed to waken up to the good news
and was for a moment eyed with ad
miration by all.
So didn't get very much leased after al
about entertaining that tramp. Mr.. Noah
Broadhead, who professed to be chem.
list, examined the manganese deposit
down in our pasture that very day and
pronounced it one of the richest in oul
part of the world.
We still live on the old farm, but we
hear no more of mortgages, and it was
only yesterday that Floss said to me, go
Sally, how lucky it was that you were Sc
kind to that tramp"
But have never yet been able to per
suade myself that the tramp and Mr.
Noah Broadhead were not the same per
son.-Neao England Homestead.