The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-15
JARED HARPWICKS TASK

L
Harpwick by letter which came to hin
one September afternoon as he sat read
ing on his vine shaded porch. He ros,
promptly, lifted his straw hat from tn,
floor and put it on, and walked through
the front gate to the pike
Through the long village street and /;
half mile along the dusty pike hi
trudged; then, turning aside into {
narrow byroad that branched off at the
foot of steep hill, he came to a rude
sawmilL A stalwart man sat upon q
large moving log, from which a perpen
dicular saw was rasping board.
GOOD afternoon, neighbor Gray
said Jared
Gray eyed him keenly from under his
shaggy brows; then rising, he walked to
lever, pulled it aside and stopped the
saw.
Sit down on the log, Jared" he said.
"We can't hear each other when the
saws going. l see by your face that
something unusual has happened"
I've got letter from Joe. He's in
trouble"
"Just as l supposed. Bankrupt, I'll
warrant"
That's about it."
"And he has written to you to get me
to help him?'
That's true; but, John, don't be an
cry. This matter must be considered
with our coolest judgment"
III not consider it with cool iudg-
ment nor any other kind He'll get no
help from me, Jared"
Very well, John, very well; but you'll
hear what the trouble is, won't your"
"Oh, suppose l can hsten," replied
the father, taking piece of bacon from
shelf and proceeding to grease the saw.
well, Gray, it's a bad embarrass-
ment A customer bought a thousand
dollars worth of Joe's patent machines.
promising to order twice as many more
soon. Joe supposed he was perfectly
good for it, and on the strength of this
ordered two thousand dollars worth
from the man that manufactures them
Well, the customer turned out bad; he
didn't pay the thousand dollars, nor
order more. Joe lost the machines, and
owes the manufacturer two thousand
dollars, which he is unable to pay.
Joe writes that he might have stood
this if fire hadn't broken out and
burned up this two thousand dollars
worth Of machines"
He glanced up quickly, and caught
shade of sympathy upon the sawyer's
face
1.-The manufacturer is unluckily in a
tight fix himself, and he is pushing the
boy. Joe writes that this will ruin him.
and just when his business was most
promising. l tell you, Gray, it's hard
On your boy"
We'll, don't pity him bit-not a
bit. He was determined to go to the
city; now let him dig for himself. | gave
him Thousand dollars to start his crazy
business, mortgaging our little place
here, and that's enough Mother has
Dinched herself and worked her fingers
almost to the bone, and have shaved
Early and late to pay it off, and now that
It's paid, do you think I'm going right
pack into that struggle again?
No, Jared, not for boy who forsets
us old mother as Joe has done. WHY.
le hasn't written a Ene-not a line-to
mother or me for year, and now, when
le wants help, he writes 10 you, Jared.
Does he deserve help? Just answer
ne that; does he deserve it? | don't
want to hurry you away, but I'm going
@ start the saw"
He turned decisively, and pulling the
ever set the saw rasping again.
Very well, John" said Jared. coming
nearer. If that's your decision I've
lotnlng more to say. / shall have 10
write TO Joe that you refuse 1t does
eem pity to leave him in his trouble. |
des not bad boy, but dear knows !
where this Will drive him. Good after /
loon, John"
AT home he sat down upon the porcb /
gam TO think 1t out. He knew well the 1
haracter of this father and son. Since
Toe had been old enough to assert him
ELF there had been antaconisln between
hem. The father was arbitrary in his
IDEAS of right, the sen obstinate and in
lined TO waywardueSS
JaTed's relation TO the family was al
most that of son He was to have
harmed Sallie, the daughter. five years
'efore, but she had been taken Ill three
Eeeks before the appointed day, and died
en- days later. Her last request to Jared
a6 been 20 watch over Joe as an older
rother, and to help to keep him from
VII ways
Father il growing Old" she had said,
and if ever you have chance TO bring
i'm and Joe TO q good UNDERSTANDING do |