Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-02-19


to their mother, who was an invalid,
and had drifted into a way Of leaving
every thing to Susan's capable ordering
and performing. -#
I'm in dreadful hurry" said Ben,
at length, springing from his chair.
Goodbye, mother" He kissed her,
and then with an awkard laugh and q
heightened color hurried out of the
house.
you've forgot your handkerchief"
said Susan, making a pretext of it again
to follow him as he was Fastening away.
you're ever so good to me, Sue," he
said, making a snatch at it as she held
1T out to him. ''You've always been
good to me, and I'm going to be good to
you-you'n see.'
he was off without look at her, and
Susan went back to the house feeling
more and more perplexed and uneasy.
AS she resumed her work terrible sug-
gestion flashed upon her mind. Could
Ben be intending to leave homo without
letting her and his mother know? It
would be unlike him to do any thing
which he must realize would be such q
sorrow to them, but she knew that Jim's
influence over him had been growing
stronger and stronger, and he had suc-
ceeded in filing the mind of the foolish
country boy with tho idea that he could
do far better for himself and for these
two who were partly dependent upon
him, by leaving the home which had
until lately been perfectly satisfying to
him.
TO do the boy justice, his strongest
feeling in the matter was the desire to
be helpful to the others.
I'll nix things so Door little Susy
won't have to work so hard any MORE"
he said to himself, a mist arising to his
eyes as, reaching an opening in the
woods, he turned for glance back.
She was carrying out q basket of
clothes to hang in the sunshine, and he
knew they were for summer-boarders q t
farmhouse near by. He gazed at her
with very loyal desire to stand between
her and hard work.
The weight of Susan's heart grew
heavier as the afternoon wore on. The
clothes were dried and brought in, look
Ing like woven snow, the little house set
in order, and then Susan took her sun
bonnet and went out, saying to her
mother: I'll walk toward the mill and
meet Ben."
He was not on the road. She had
scarcely expected it for she was little
In advance of the usual time for leav-
ing work. She caught sight of Mr..
Graves, the mill owner, overlooking the
construction of some improvements in
the boom, and as she drew nearer could
see that most of the force of workmen
were engaged there. Ben would not be
there for his duties lay in the lighter
work under Mr.. Graves direction or in
the Office.
"Ben?" she said, looking into the
Office.
'He's not here" said a workman, call
ing enthusiastically to her from where
he was setting some machinery in order.
but guess you won't be long finding
him for l seen him come out O. there not
five minutes ago."
'Thank you," said Susan. II be-
lieve," she added to herself, feeling
more tired than she had before realized,
'1'll sit down here and rest a minute
and watch for Ben. He can't be far
off,
Another man passed the door and, see
ing her, stopped.
Here" he said, giving her piece of
folded paper, ben gave me this and
made me promise I'd go round and give
it to you tonight. But l guess it'll do
just as we'll now"
In surprise and dismay she opened the
paper; then sat for few moments in q
maze OF despair.
"Dear Susy," it read, I'm going
away for little while to make strike
for something better; and saying good.
bye is such hard work that don't want
to. You'll hear from me soon, and then
you'll say did best to go, though I'm
afraid you won't think so now. Wait
till you see what I'm going to do for
you and you will know how I love you,
SO goodbye, dear Susy."
How long Ben's sister sat half-stupe-
fed by the terrible blow she never could
tell. The sounds about the mill lessened
as all hands gathered for an effort of
strength at the boom. 1t could not,
however, have been many minutes be-
fore her eye, always quick to observe
surrounding objects, took in, at first
vaguely, thread of smoke which slow
~ curled up in q corner of the office.
Very thin it was, but growing thicker
with every moment.
'Where there is smoke there must be
fire." said Susan, going toward it.
what can 1t be? How would fire get
here?'
No one ever knew that less than a
quarter of an hour before match had
been flung by the careless hands of Jim
Slade as he stood at the office door and
lighted his pipe, while he waited for
Ben to join him. 1t had fallen upon a
morsel of sawdust in which it had
smoldered, appearing at first to take but
little hold.
But 1T sometimes seems as though in
fuences for mischief are carefully fos-
tered by the hand which works evil
alone, for the glowing spark reached
from one to another grain of sawdust,
growing stronger with every moment.
The office was only corner in the mill
rallied of by high balustrade of liqht