Evening journal., 1891-08-07
JOE PAID THE INTEREST

Q, but still little Joe Petersham, VIII,
usually dropped asleep as soon as his hear
touched the pillow, lay with wide oper
eyes staring into the darkness in his littl,
bedroom just Off the kitchen, where Mr.
and Mrs. Petersham were sitting talking
Joe's ears were wide open too, for he fell
great interest in the subject which wa.
being discussed.
ITS no use, Mary" he heard his father
say in low voice. "rhe place has got L
80. Morrison says we must either pay tht
money or he will foreclose He won't wait
any longer. We might just as we'll talk Of
flying as of raising 500 in two weeks, and
II this strike keeps on we will have to use
the littlew 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 us" said Mrs.
Petersham, with a sigh, "but / suppose il
must come to that, for / don't know where
the money can be raised"
1T can't be raised, and that's an end OF
it, said Mr. Petersham, getting up and
walking back and forth across the room.
I'VE must just grin and bear IL, and
there'll be worse than this TO bear il om
side doesn't win. There's not cent com.
ing in this month. I'm 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 60 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 60 too
far, and then Joe heard his father tramp
heavily up the stairs, his thick boots max
ing great clatter. Presently his mother
blew out the light, and with a weary sigh
she also went mp 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 tC
tell his wife that strike had been ordered,
and that he would not 20 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 Il
fill the vacancies and the pinkerton men
were on hand to prevent their being inter
fered with. One day Joe and two or thre,
other boys had walked up the track all the
way TO the city to see the tiny boxlikt
houses put up at intervals along the track
as 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 ia, they did not feel as hopeful.
and even ten-year-old Joe felt oppressed by
the general gloom. But tonight worst
trouble weighs upon him. He could un
derstand enough Of his fathers converse
tion 70 know that unless hundred dollars
could be raised nc once their pretty houst
and garden would be taken from them
He wondered il 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 al
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 corner of the sheet. A hun
dred dollarsl What pile that would bel
If he could only think Of some way to earn
it; but there seemed no chance to earn even
a single dollar, let alone a hundred Of
them, and poor little Joe laythere puzzlina
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 heai
some one rapping loudly at the outside
door. A moment after his father opened
the upper window and called out loudly,
who's there2n and then Joe heard old
Mrs. Jenkins, their nearest neighbor, say,
Jim is CROWN worse, an come over to
see II you or Joe would go for the doctor. "
Don't you worry yourself, Mrs. Jen
kins," was Mr.. Petersham's reply "My
rheumatism is that bad this damp weather
that / don't dare TO go out myself, but
IL won't hurt a boy like Joe. He Gun 20
down in no time and ride back with the
doctor" Mrs, jenkins murmured hel
thanks and hurried or, while Joe, in re
spouse to his fathers call, tumbled out Of
bed and into his clothes with all haste. II
was about three miles 70 the village by the
road, but by going down the railroad il
was only little over two miles Joe was
a brave boy, but the prospect Of two mile
walk down the track in the pitchy dark
ness did not look nc all enchanting to a
sleepy little fellow, and it was not with
out some grumbling that he started out.
He went down through the garden and
cut the back gate, and then, climbing
down the steep bank, he found himself
upon the track, down which he started on
brisk walk, whistling cheerily.
Everything was so still about him that he
soon ceased TO whistle, and no sound was
heard but the shrill chirp Of the crickets
and now and then the baying Of a dog
somewhere in the distance. Not star was
70 be seen, and the trees and bushes loomed
up grim and black on either side Of him.
He buttoned up his jacket closely, for the
damp night air was chilly, and trudged on.
He had gone about mile when as the
road makes "a slight bend, he saw some
thing on the track just ahead. IL looked
big and black, and he could not make out
what it was, so he prudently halted and
stared forward into the darkness with all
his might
Presently the object moved, and then he
saw that there were three men bending
over something. He was almost afraid To
move lest they should hear him, but he was
also afraid to stay where he was, so he
crept softly up the low hank and lay flat
down under the bushes.
The men were talking, but in such low
tones that he could not hear what they arc
saying. What could they be abouts The,
seemed TO be lifting up something heavy.
and to be placing il upon the rails, but
1 this was all he could see Joe knew
enough about the trains to know that the
down express train would soon be along
and he shiyered with the thought that per
haps it was mans body that they wer,
i putting on the track
Oh, il they would only 90 before the ex
press comesl And, as il in answer TO his
wish, they did finally start up the hill ant