Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-05-15
THE MINERS RETURN.

| at his wife. 1t takes nearly every
| thing we can make TO pay our way and
there's nothing much laid away. It's
no use trying any longer with this old
farm. It's worn out. and that's the end
OF it,"
Don't talk that way, Abner" re-
piled his wife whose pale cheeks and
thin form plainly indicated that she
performed her share OF work to in
crease the family wealth. You make
me uneasy and restless when you talk
like that. We have plenty to carry us
along with, and that's better than many
| other poor mortals,
Yes, you're right, Mandy but that
amt the question. There arc many
better off than we are. too. That old
jacket of yours amt fit TO be worn an
other year alongside OF that new one of
Bill Jones's wife. She had "A new one
on the other day, and she was all stuck
up in her fine feathers You are just
rs good as she is. every mite, and you
amt made TO wear poorer clothes.
Abner shook his head discontentcdly,
and looked across the wide open fields
as he pulled away at his pipe. He
would clothc his wife, who had toiled
| faithfully with him for dozen years,
as vel as any woman could wish if the
funds were only mis-; but his labor and
planning did not seem to yield him
more money than was needed for cur
rent expenses.
"Abner, | don't want "a new Jacket,
| his wife replied. coming closer to his
side. II can fix over the old ono this
winter. and maybe by another year
Wen be better off"
NO no, we won't" was the dis
couraging reply. "lts the same old
story. We won't be better off on this
place. 1t goes back every year, and
there amt no money coming in"
but we ought TO be satisfied with
what we have. We have each other,
and little Jack is growing to be such a
fine lad. He'll soon be able 20 help
/ you on the farm.
The proud father cast look of adj
miration at his young son, who was
growing up to be the very image OF
himself But his smile soon left his
! face. rs he thought of how poorly he
could provide for the education OF such
q son.
That's it again, Mandy; it's another
reason why we should make more
money. Jack needs better education
than | can give him. He must 90 away
to college We must make money; we
must get rich"
He did not notice the worried ex-
preston on the pale face before him,
but after q short pause he continued:
1--WE been thinking of prospecting
for money. ! might strike something
rich in the mines. Who can tell? |
might be one of the lucky fellows TO
pick up fortune. Then you wouldn't
have to work any more, and we could
sell this old farm and live in comfort.
Wouldn't that be fne9 We'd be Ike
another couple then, and we'd see
something of the world"
The clouded face frightened up
wonderfully as he described the picture
OF his future existence, but Mandy's
did not reflect the expression. The
troubled look on hers deepened and in
tensifed.
"Oh, Abner, don't get such silly no.
tions in your head. | am contented
with my life and never grumblc.
We've worked along together 50 far,
and let us keep on. Mining Is more
uncertain than farming. I'll wear all
Of my old clothes for years to come,
and never think about them Come.
cheer up. and don't let such thoughts
come into your head"
That's the way with women. They
don't want to change. or let a man
make change. But nothing risked.
nothing gained"
Abner Landon was not convicted by
his wifc's words. Although he had
found her advice profitable many times
he now felt that his own knowledge OF
the case was far superior to hers' He
wanted TO make money faster, so that
he could realize a good comfortable
bank account and dress his wife better
AS he returned to his work in the
fields he thought over the past dozen
years, and evolved in his mind many
plans and schemes for the future.
When he married Mandy he had prom
ised on her wedding day 20 make her
rich but he had never redeemed his
promise. II was no fault OF his, for
he was an honest, Woodworking son OF
toll. and he had done everything in his
power to make the old farm yield
moro. But il was hard work TO lay
anything aside, and the work of get
ting rich was slow and discouraging.
The thought then entered his mind
that he must make change in his
occupation. Others had embarked in
new enterprises and realized fortunes.
1t might be within his power TO do the
same. The thought OF leaving his
home and travelling TO the mines was
not pleasant, but the prospect OF got
ting suddenly rich spurred him on.
That night, and several succeeding
nights, he pretended TO read his paper
by lamplight but he was really turn.
ing over In his mind the schemes o.
making money. He looked round or
b,,t ,nat1y f,,,rioho1 NOON,