The Forrest City times., 1891-07-03

lie rose promptly lifted his straw hat
 from the floor and put it on, and
 walked through the front gate to the pike.
 Through the long village street and
 8 half-mile along the dusty pike he trudged; then, turning aside into a narrow by-road that branehed of at
 the foot of steep hill, he came to a
 rude saw-mill. A stalwart man sat
 upon a large moving log, from which a perpendicular saw was rasping a l board
 Good afternoon, Neighbor Gray" said Jared
 Gray eyed him keenly from under his shaggy brows; then rising, he walk ed to lever, pulled 1t aside, and stop | ped the saw
 "Sit down on the log, Jared" he said. We cant hear each other when the saws going. l see by your face that something has happened.
 "I've got letter from Joe. Hes in trouble"
 "Just as supposed. Bankrupt, I'll warrant?"
 "1'hat's about it." l And he has written to you to get me to help him?'' That true; but, John, don't be ! angry. This matter must be consid- cred with our coolest judgment. "Fll not consider it with cool judg- ment nor any other kind. He'll get | no help from me. Jared" "Nery well, John very well; but you'll hear what the trouble is, won t you?'
 "Oh, l suppose can listen, replied | the father, taking piece of bacon from a shelf and proceeding to grease the saw.
 Well, Gray, it's bad embarass- ment. A customer bought a thous- and dollars worth of Joe's patent machines, promising to order twice as many more soon. Joe supposed he was perfectly good for it, and on the strength of this ordered two thousand dollars worth from the man that manufactures them. We'll, the customer turned out bad; he didn't pay the thousand dollars, nor order more. Joe lost the machines, and owes the emanufacturer two thous- and dollars, which he Is unable to pay.
 Joe writes that he might have stood this If a fire hadn't broken out, and burnt up his two thousand dol lars worth of machines"
 He glanced up quickly, and caught q shade of sympathy upon the sawyer's face.
 "rhe manufacturer is unluckily in tight fix himself, and he IS pushing the boy. Joe writes that this will ruin him and just when his business was most promising. Itell you, Gray, it s
 hard on your boy"
 "Weil, don't pity him a blt-not bit, He was determined to go to the city; now let him dig for himself I gave him a thousand dollars to start his crazy business, mortgaging our lit tie place here. and that's enough. Mother has pinched herself and worked her fingers almost to the bone, and have shaved early and late to pay 1t off, and now that it's paid, do you think I'm going right back into that struggle again?
 No, Jared, not for boy that for gets his old mother, as Joe has done Why, he hasn't written a line-not q line-to mother or me for year, and now, when he wants help, he writes to you, Jared.
 "Does he deserve help? Just answer me that; does he deserve it? 1 don't want to hurry you away, but I'm go- ing to start the saw"
 He turned decisively, and pulling the lever, set the saw rasping again.
 "Very we'll, John," said, Jared, coming nearer, If that's your decis- ion, I've nothing more to say. I shall have to write to Joe that you refuse. It does seem pity to leave him in his trouble. He's not bad boy, but dear knows where this will drive him. Good afternoon, John." At home he sat down upon the porch again to think it out. He kne " we'll the character of this father and son. Since Joe had been old enough to assert himself there had been anta- gonism between them. The father was arbitrary in his ideas of right; the son obstinate, and inclined to wayward- ness. Jared's relation to the family was almost that of son. He was to have married Sallie, the daughter five years before, but she had been taken i'll three weeks before the appointed day, and died ten days later. Her last request to Jared had been tc watch over Joe as an older brother and to help to keep him from evi ways.
 Father ia growing old." she hai said, "and if ever you have . chanc' l to bring him and Joe to . good un