Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-25
JOE PAID THE INTEREST.


usually dropped asleep as soon as his head
touched the pillow, lay with wide open
eyes staring into the darkness in his little
bedroom just off the kitchen, where Mr..
and Mrs. Petersham were sitting talking.
Joe's ears were wide open too, for he felt
a great interest in the subject which was
being discussed.
TITS no use, Mary" he heard his father
say in a low voice. "The place has got to
60 Morrison says we must either pay the
money or he will foreclose He won't wait
any longer. We might Just as well talk of
flying as of raising 500 in two weeks, and
II this strike keeps on we will have to use
the little we have got saved up" And Mr..
Petersham brought his hand down upon
the table so heavily that the dishes ratified.
1T is hard TO think Of our pretty little
place being taken from u.s." said Mrs.
Petersham, with sigh, but | suppose 1t
must come to that, for don't know where
the money can be raised"
at can't be raised, and that's an end of
it," said Mr. Petersham. getting up and
walking back and forth across the room.
eve must just grin and bear it, and
there'll be worse than this 70 bear if our
side doesn't win. There's not cent com
ing in this month. Pm sure | don't hold
with them who try to wreck the trains.
They've no right TO do that; but it comes
pretty tough TO man 10 see his family
needing clothes and food and not a cent in
the house It's not much wonder that
some of them get desperate and go too
far" and then Joe heard his father tramp
heavily up the stairs, his thick boots max
ing a great CHATTER Presently his mother
blew out the light and with weary sigh
she also went up to bed, and Joe was left
alone with his thoughts.
Six weeks ago his father, brakeman on
the Central railroad, had come home one
day with his dinner basket unopened TO
tell his wife that a strike had been ordered,
and that he would not go back to work
until the Central came to terms.
Week after week had gone by and still
the strikers were not gaining ground and
some of them were beginning to be des-
perate The Central had found men to
fiji the vacancies and the Pinkerton men
were on hand to prevent their being inter
fered with One day Joe and two or three
other boys had walked up the track all the
way to the city 10 see the tiny boxlike
houses put up at intervals along the track
AS a shelter for those who guarded that
section Of the road
At first everything seemed bright and
the strikers felt confident Of success, but of
late, with their money gone and no more
coming in, they did not feel rs hopeful,
and even ten.year old Joe felt oppressed by
the general gloom. But tonight worse
trouble weighs upon him. He could un-
derstand enough of his fathers converse
ton to know that unless a hundred dollars
could be raised at once their pretty house
and garden would be taken from them.
He wondered if they would take Topknot
too, his pretty little black rooster that
jumped upon the fence in front of his win.
dow every morning and woke him up at
just the right time; and as he thought OF
this he could hardly swallow for the great
lump in his throat, and he rubbed his eyes
hard with a corner Of the sheet A hun
dred dollarsl What pile that would be
II he could only think of some way to earn
it; but there seemed no chance to earn ever
a single dollar, let alone a hundred OF
them. and poor little Joe lay there puzzlinl
his brain over the matter until he dropped
asleep.
"Rat-a-tat-tat." "Rat-a-tat-tat," and Jo'
woke suddenly out Of a sound sleep to hea
some one rapping loudly at the OUTSIDE
door. A moment after his father opene,
the upper window and called out loudly
who's thereW and then Joe heard oil,
Mrs jenkins, their nearest neighbor, say
"Jim is CROWN worse, an | come over 4
see if you or Joe would 90 for the doctor.
Don't you worry yourself, Mrs. Jen
kins," was Mr.. Petersham's reply. M
rheumatism is that bad this damp weathe
that / don't dare TO go out myself, bu
it won't hurt a boy like Joe. He can z
down in no time and ride back with tn
doctor" Mrs jenkins murmured he
thanks and hurried of, while Joe, in r,
Spouse to his fathers call, tumbled out q
bed and into his clothes with all haste.
was about three miles TO the village by tn
road, but by going down the railroad
was only little over two miles. Joe wa
a brave boy, but the prospect of n two mi
walk down the track in the pitchy darl
ness did not look at all enchanting TO
sleepy little fellow, and it was not will
out some grumbling that he started on
He went down through the garden an
out the back gate, and then, climbin
down the steep bank, he found himse
upon the track, down which he started q
brisk walk, whistling cheerily.
Everything was so still about him that
soon ceased TO whistle, and no sound WI
heard but the shrill chirp Of the cricke
and now and then the baying of a dc
somewhere in the distance. Not a star vi
to be seen, and the trees and bushes loom,
up grim and black on either side Of hiI
He buttoned up bis jacket closely, for d
damp night air was chilly, and trudged o
He had gone about a mile when, as q
road makes a slight bend, he saw som
thing on the track just ahead. It look
big and black, aud he could not make o
what 1t was, so he prudently halted al
stared forward into the darkness with
his might.
Presently the object moved, and then
saw that there were three men bendi
over something. He was almost afraid
move lest they should hear him. but he W
also afraid TO stay where he was, so
crept softly up the low bank and lay q
down under the bushes.
The men were talking, but in such |,
tones that he could not hear what they
saying. What could they be about I'll
seemed to be lifting up something hea'
and to be placing it upon the rails, /
this was all he could see. Joe KIN
enough about the trains TO know that
down express train would soon be aloi
and he shivered with the thought that ?
haps it was a mans body that they W
putting on the track.
Oh, II they would only go before the
press comesi And, AS IL in answer to
wish, they did finally start up the hill a
were soon out of sight He Jared not me
for some time lest they should return, |
at last he summoned up courage, a