Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-16
HARPWICK'S TASK


Harpwick by letter which came to him
one September afternoon as he sat read
ing on his vine shaded porch. He 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 a
half mile along the dusty pike he
.trudged; then, turning aside into a
narrow byroad that branched off at the
foot of steep hill, he came to rude
sawmill. A stalwart man sat upon a
large moving log, from which perpen-
dicular saw was rasping board
"Good afternoon, neighbor Gray
said Jared.
Gray eyed him keenly from under his
shaggy brows; then rising. he walked to
lever, pulled it aside and stopped the
saw.
''Sit down on the log, Jared, he said.
1--WE can't hear each other when the
saws going. l see by your face that
something unusual has happened"
"Ive got letter from Joe. He's in
trouble"
"Just as I supposed. Bankrupt, I'll
warrantr'
"That's about it."
"And he has written to you to get me
to help him?"
"Thats true; but, John, don't be an
cry. This matter must be considered
with our coolest Judgment"
"Iu not consider it with cool judg-
ment nor any other kind. He'll get no
help from me, Jared"
''Very well, John, very well; but you'll
hear what the trouble is, won't your"
"Oh, l suppose l can isten," replied
the father, taking piece of bacon from
shelf and proceeding to grease the saw.
"Well, Gray, it's bad embarrass-
ment A customer bought thousand
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
Well, the customer turned out bad; he
didn't pay the thousand dollars, nor
order more. Joe lost the machines, and
owes the manufacturer two Thousand
dollars, which he is unable to pay.
Joe writes that he might have stood
this if fire hadn't broken out and
burned up this two thousand dollars
worth of machines"
He glanced up quickly, and caught
shade of sympathy upon the sawyer's
face.
1.-THE manufacturer is unluckily in a
tight fix himself, and he is pushing the
boy. Joe writes that this will ruin him,
and just when his business was most
promising. / tell you, Gray, it's hard
on your boy"
well, don't pity him bit-not q
bit. He was determined to go to the
city; now let him dig for himself. gave
him thousand dollars to start his crazy
business, mortgaging our little 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 it off, and now that
it's paid, do you think I'm going right
back into that struggle again?
mo, Jared, not for boy who forgets
his old mother as Joe has done. Why,
lie hasn't written line-not 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? I don't
want to hurry you away, but I'm going
to start the saw"
He turned decisively, and pulling the
lever set the saw rasping again.
every we'll, john" said Jared, coming
nearer. elf that's your decision I've
nothing more to say. l 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 after
noon, john"
At home he sat down upon the porch
again to think it out. He knew well the
character of this father and son. Since
Joe had been old enough to assert him
self there had been antagonism between
them. The father was arbitrary in his
ideas of right, the son obstinate and in
clined to waywardness.
D Jareds relation to the family was al
most that of son. He was to have
Nmarried Sallie, the daughter, five years
before, but she had been taken i'll three
lweeks before the appointed day, and died
ten days later. Her last request to Jared
had been to watch over Joe as an older
brother, and to help to keep him from
sevil ways.
I "Father is growing DID," she had said,
fand if ever you have chance to bring
him and Joe to good understanding do
four best. l know you will do your
best, Jared-even to sacrifice yourself a
title, for my sake"
I The final estrangement came when Joe
declared that he intended to leave home.
He had invented machine for compress
%Ig sawdust into ornaments, and was
Hild over his prospects of wealth.
Through the mothers influence, aided
" Jared, who hoped that gratitude
Tould touch the boys heart, the farm
LAS mortgaged.
"Here are 2 thousand dollars" the