Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-02-19

|
haystacks, scrambled out of the wagon
as best they could. Farley had promised
to be there with the keys, and formally
| put the new owner in possession. 1t an
noyed Amund a good deal when his fret
and second ring at the door bell remained
unanswered, and still more annoyed vas
he when, at the third, man who had
not the least resemblance to Farley
opened the door and asked him, in Ian
guage more vigorous than polite, what he
wanted.
Ell have bought this house." Amund
said, with an air of righteous indigna-
ton, "and was told by Mr.. Farley that
you were to move out on the 1st OF
April"
The occupant of the house smiled an
extremely unpleasant smile, and asked,
coldly, "Whom did you buy it of"
''Mr. Farley"
"That IS great pity, for he never
owned it."
''But where is he2 He promised me
the keys last night"
'He has gone West"
"Gone West2" An icy terror clutched
at the Norsemans heart, and he reeled
backward as if he had been struck.
"Good Godp he groaned, sinking down
upon the topmost step. "Good Godw
The Little Chap, seeing his distress,
and rubbed his cheek against his face.
He sat thus for five or ten minutes, while
the five blonde bundled-up girls stood
on the sidewalk staring at him with in
nocent stupidity. Then the man of the
house reappeared, and ordered them in
harsh language to move on. And when
they only continued to stare in uncom-
pretending wonder, two policemen were
sent for, and the whole family were hud-
died into patrol wagon and driven to
the nearest police station. There Amund,
under the stress of answering the re-
quired questions, was aroused sufficiently
from his dumb misery to send for Nor
wegian lawyer, who presently made his
appearance. He listened to the carpen-
penter's story, and then shook his head
mournfully.
"You have been swindled, my friend"
he said ''You ought to have been more
cautious"
"But-but, lawyer" the poor fellow
went on, gazing into his face with an
anguished expectancy, "he-he-sold me
the house-and here I've got the
papers. It's all right, surely. Amt it,
lawyerp
The lawyer looked at the paper which
was handed him, and then dropped it
contemptuously on the floor.
"a very clumsy forgery" he said.
"But-but-he couldn't surely sell me
-what-what didn't belong to him, law
yerW
eyes, he could, if any one was fool
enough to buy"
mean to say now, that-that | have
worked and slaved nigh on to three
years, and Often starved and skimped
myself for the Little Chaps sake-do
you mean to say that-that man is to
have it, and not my Little Chap9"
Beads of cold perspiration burst out
upon his brow, and the panied wonder
and stunned bewilderment in his face
were pitiful to behold. His slow wits
could not yet grasp the situation, and he
was obviously hoping against hope that
there was some terrible misunderstood
ing at the bottom of it all, and that
|
The lawyer had in all his practic,
never encountered so heartrending case
He weighed his words before he an
swered, "My dear friend, you have paic
dearly for your first experience in thu
New World.n
Amund, taking in slowly the bearing
of this remark, stood staring before hin
with vacant look of dawning terror
then tremblingly he raised his hand
towards the ceiling, and cried, with
frightful. energy, "But, God, what ar
you doing up there in heaven when sucl
things can happen on the earthl"
There was hush as of death in tn
stationroom. In the presence of so mon
strous wrong every one stood helpless
and little awed After the terribl
explosion of despair Amunds heat
dropped upon his breast, his knees tot
tered, and he fell in a heap upon tn
i floor.
The Little Chap, who had stood wit
his hands in his pockets, puzzle
f frown upon his face during this strang
g scene, grew suddenly alarmed as hi
2 father fell. He stroye bravely to dis
Q guise his distress, which he held to b
t unmanly, but his lips quivered, and hi
f eyes were full of tears.
"Dad," he said, STOPPING over tn
| prostrate form of his father with a touch
ing air of loving protcctorship-"dad,
wouldn't take on so if were you" Ill
waited anXiously fer response, an
when none came, he continued in
soothingly comforting tone: "Dad, dea
dad, don't you worry. I'll help you
dad"
The sweet old well remembered phrase
penetrated through the stricken mans
numb lethargy of despair. He raised
himself suddenly on his knees, stared
with wakening wonder at the child
then, closing him in his arms, he burst
into tears.
eyes, my Little Chap" he cried, 'you
wiH help me. And may God forgive me
for dcspairing as long as | have you ~
And he arose with the Little Chap in
his arms, and the two began bravely the
battle of life anew Horper's Weekly.