The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-12-19


That night Mr.. Roman sat up late in
his library, reading over letters and
papers he had not seen in ten years
/ not since the day he mad had that quar-
rel with Tom Blake. for it was that
same morning he had received a cable
gram calling him to Europe to take
/ possession of a large estate left him,
/ and Yesterday he had reached home for
| the first time since his hurried depart
ure.
al was just beginning my battle with
| the world them he muscd; now
feel like q warrior, bsttle-searred and
lonely. How enthusiastic Tom and
were then how close our friendship
was ;"
And taking up an old letter, low
| laugh burst from his lips as he read its
witty illusions to an almost forgotten
| college serape-
A very different look came into his
face as he glanced down the pages of
the next letter which met his eye, and
read:
my DEAR FELLOW: After all. md can
| lend you that money. have seen old Brown,
| and he is willing to give it II mortgage the
| Meadow Farm. I don't like mortgages, but We
| must save Your home Brown tmagines there
is coal under that land think not. III tell
you secret. though I know there ts under
in ten years hope to have money to open
my mining land; meantime III use my Meadow
| Farm to save your home, and you can repay me
before the mortgage falls due. had intended
To settle both farms Nellie rs soon we
were married; so II any thing happens TO me,
| my dear boy, you may consider Nellie and her
interests your legacy from No..
ITO think 1 threw away friendship
like thatI" almost groaned MIR. Roman,
as he laid down the paper. Then sud
den thought struck him, and he hastily
rang tho bell
Uncle Peter" he said, 'swho owns
| - E1alr
Meadow Farm?"
"Old Mr.. Brown, sab; he got power
full rich on dat farm Yo' see, sab. hits
got coai-mine in it. oh, yes, sab, he's
: rich"
And Tom mortgaged that land tc
save my old home," thought Mr.. RO-
main, sorrowfully. 81 wonder If ii
could be that the check sent from En-,
gland did not get to him in time? In
any case he's dead, and Nellie and the
children penniIess, and" CHANGING Al
the letter again-''a legacy to mei'
"An auction almost at Christmas eve
Why. it seems fairly barbarous,
thought Rir. Roman, Indignantly, as
he entered what had been the pleasant
home of his friend Tom, and was 81
soon to be left desolate under the hand!
of the auctioneer.
1t was early in the day, but already
!
who had come from miles around to at
| tend the sale; and as Mr.. Roman moved
among them his ears were constantly
| greeted with remarks on the foolishnes:
of ''signin' for people,"
Sick at heart he entered the LITTLE
2 kitchen back of the house, which wal
| as yet unoccu pied, save by Mrs. Blake'I
faithful old colOred cook, Aunt Nancy
a She was sitting on a split-bOttomeC
chair, rocking herself to and fro, anC
IS occasionally wiping her eyes with he
biue-rheclSed apron.
Where is your mistress, auntie?'
e Mr.. Roman asked.
There was kindly ring in his voic'
a that unlocked the old woman's bur
dened heart, and she sObbed aloud a
she answered:
"Oh. massa, she done took de chill
uns, an gOn' to her cousins Mis-
Rachel 1t jest broke my 20, ole hear
to see 'em go! But Miss Blake say she
}. couldn't stand it here. an dey have tt
go soon sure. POI things! only de good
Lord know what's to come of dem, she
9 say"
4 ''Oh, massa, hits awful hard OF
+ missis, dis is She went all over de
n house dis mornin' tryin' to say good
i bye to it. Dc little ones a-clingin' tt
: her KEEP pickin' up things. Mamma
t dey won't take my wockin'-horse, viii
= dey?' Mamma, will de nauction mar
v det my little chair?' dey ask. Missil
a tried to hOP back de tears an spcal
: chirIz to dem chilluns. but when shl
a come to her own room she say: 'Yo'
stay out here, darlings; mamma want
I to go in here alone took de chilluns
s but presently peek in de room, an
a dere was my po' missis, a knoelin' fore
d masSa's big armchair, wild her head I
= lynn on de big family Bible dat she'C
e put on de chair; she had her arms
s around dat, an she was cryin' softly.
d Z" oh, my husbapdr she Whispers
- over and over, an den she say:
h "A fader to de faderless, a husban