Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-01-09

/. Jem's schooling. Jem was very bright
and a universal favorite. Who knew.
John asked himself, what Jem might not
/ accomplish in a professionl Then, if
there was half the money in il he
/ thought there was, it would enable his
mother TO try what a change of scene
! and variety would do for her
IF the machine does not do all we
expect, We'll just have to wait, Jem. 1"
But John Dunn's voice trembled as he
said it. ats best not TO be too sure
at least at the first go-off, you know.
We have all counted too much on it
maybe"
There was a pathos in his voice that
moved his mother rs she had not been
moved since the day he looked up at her
When she thought him dead She turned
aside asking herself bitterly why her
son should be deprived of the pleasure
of witnessing his own invention. She
would be there, and Jem. The brothers
talked of little else now.
The eventful day came. The new in
vention was carefully scrutinized by the
curious, the progressive, the well-wishers
of the inventor, and the secret and avowed
sceptics. The last were clearly in the
majority. They were prepared to dem
onstrate the impossibility of the success
of the invention. They quoted authors
glibly; and a few expressed their sur
prise that the owner of the mill should
surrender valuable time to tie test, be-
sides mourning expense. The mill own
er administered q singing rebuke to
these carpers.
~ take pleasure ia furnishing such aid
as lies in my power to all who are en-
deavoring to improve recognized meth
DDS, while count it privilege to con-
tribute my time and means to the devel-
opment of new methods and new pro-
cesseS."
The evening was well advanced when
John Dunn heard a step on the pave
ment he we'll knew. All that weary
afternoon he had beheld men, women
and children hurrying up and down the
street. The majority bore bundles and
packages; some were loaded down with
bundles; children scarcely able to walk
mere ''tots" tottered along, ohirping like
young birds, beside the men and women
they chung to. Everybody seemed to be
in hurry, and why not? Tomorrow
was Christmas.
John Dunn's heart suddenly sunk.
Sandy Rae's firm, deliberate step was no
longer heard. The step paused at the
entrance to the stairway.
"He brings me the news" Johns
hand was on the window; he was on
the point of raising it; he wanted to
shout down to Sandy, then he checked
himself. 1t may be failure. 1t will
keep.
Now another step, still more familiar
to Johns sharpened senses, fell on his
ear; the light springing step of his
brother Jem. 1t, too, halted strangely
as it neared the entrance to the stair
way.
"Why do they stop there?' the invalid
asked himself, as a lump rose In his
throat ''It must DE bad news, or Sandy
wouldn' t stand there. Jem couldn't keep
back" Then he began to ask himself,
"If it fails4" repeating it again and again,
and involuntarily, -unconsciously, he
supplemented it with Sandy Rea's re-
frain, ''The Lord will provide" until
query and answer were linked strangely
together, and tear dropped on John
Dunn's hand.
Now another step pproached-his
mothers step. It came very slowly; he
fancied it was more deliberate than usual
Yes, it meant failure. Now they were
talking in subdued tones. 1t was all over
then. They were celebrating how to
break the news to him. John Dunn leaned
forward, covered his face with his hands,
and softly cried. Then he checked his
tears and wiped his checks resolutely.
He would put brave face on it for his
mothers sake. It was hardest upon her
after all. A step-the step that was now
rarely out of his hearing was on of the
stairs. He pretended to be looking out
of the window when she entered. There
were tears on her eyelashes. She looked
at him SO tenderly as she closed the door
softly and approached him swiftly that
he felt like crying out.
There! Don't speak mother. I've
been repeating it over and over, THE
Lord will provide some way"
Then the door was opened suddenly,
and Jem bounced in, followed by Sandy.
"I'll bet-why, look at him, DIR.
Rae"
"I'm crying with joy, john" said
Mrs. Dunn.
IF Mr.. Rae hadn't held me back, I'd
been first to tell you," said Jem with
sparkling eyes.