Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-02-19


accomplish something more than to keel
out of the poorhouse.
Accordingly, though it nearly broke
his heart to part from the Little Chap
he crossed the Atlantic, promising t.
send for the family as soon as he hat
founded home for them in the grea
West. He begged hard to be allowed t.
take the Little Chap with him, but Kar
would not listen to that, because to hei
the Little Chap was kind of pawn, {
guarantee that her husband meant tc
keep his word, and send for her and the
undesirable girls as soon as his circum'
stances warranted. Her conscience was
not quite easy in regard to her treatment
of HIM, and she could afford to take nc
chances.
Amund arrived at Chicago at time
when skilled carpenters were scarce and
wages high. There was great deal oi
building going on, and he had no diff
Guilty in obtaining work. He was a mas
ter in his trade, thoroughly honorable,
frugal, and industrious. 1t is not to be
denied, however, that life is a dreary
affair to one who tolls and tolls from
morning till night, and whose starved
heart cries out every hour and minute of
the day for one whose is far away.
Where is the Little Chap nowa What is
the Little Chap doing now? How does
he look2 Does he care so much for his
dad as he did and is he as eager as ever
to help his dad2 These were Amund's
constant reflections whenever little re-
spite from labor afforded him a chance
to think.
1t was this burning heart hunger for his
boy which made him turn every penny
many times before he could persuade
himself to spend it. He grew positively
stingy, denying himself the necessary
food and clothes, always trying to do
with little less, in the hope of fastening
the day when he should be able to send
for the Little Chap. He worked sur
some extra pennies, and he got the rep
utation among his fellow-workmen of
being mean, penurious skinhint, who
boarded his wages with view to be-
coming boss some day and lording it
over them.
At the end of one year Amund had
saved $3.50 from his wages, but having
no confidence in the banks, he carried
the entire amount in gold eagles in a
leather belt about his waist. The con-
sciousness of carrying so much money
made him, however, very uneasy, and dis
turbed his sleep -Four or five times every
night he started up in terror, having
dreamed that his money was stolen. 1t
then occurred to him that the only safe
way to dispose of it would be to invest il
in cottage and lot on the west side,
where land wassyet cheap. Land could
not run away, and house not even the
most daring thief could steal. Distrust-
ing every one in this bewilderingly
strange land, he was in no haste to So
licit advice. But one day an advertise
ment in Scandinavian paper caught his
eye and set him thinking. 1t read as
follows
"rHE POOR MANS FRIEND.
/ Company sell choice City Lots, improved
| and unimproyed, on the Instalment plan
West Side Property a Speciality"
Amund cut this out, read it at leas
twenty times day, and carried it il
his pocket for week, before he sum
moned courage to call at the addres
| designated. But his hoard kept increas
ing week by week, and his anxiety grey
apace.
Finally, one day in the early spring
he called upon the Fenston Real Estat
Investment Company. He had fanciet
from the advertisement something yer,
complicated and magnificent, and wa
somewhat disappointed at being con
fronted with "a sandy-haired and yer
pimpled young man, who sat in hi
shirt sleeves in scantily furnished bac
office, chewing a toothpick.
SIS this-the-the- Office of the Fen
ton Real Estate Investment Company?
queried Amund, respectfully.
Eyes, " the young man replied, takin
his feet down from the table. "Wh,
can do for you3"
'I-I-should like to see the-the-
president of the company, if-if-yc
would be so very kind as to call him
Amund remarked, apologetically.
, 81 regret to say the president is out
town at present." said the plausib
youth; "but won't you sit down, pleas
| think, perhaps, | can give you all IL
information you require; and need n
say ! shall be very happy if l can be
service to you."
There was something so insinuating
the young fellows manner that Amunc
though he had resolved to be very cal
tious, soon found himself talking frcel
with him.
The next day the young man-Farle
was his name-dropped in upon him, b
pure chance, it seemed, while he wa
having his noon rest; and they becam
better acquainted. The following Sun
day they met again; and Farley tool
Amund about in buggy, and showed
him all the property he had for sale OF
the west side. He invited him to luncl
with him in his little cottage on Wes
Indiana Street, where he was living: anG
the uEshot of many interviews and con
versations was that he offered to sell this
cottage, with lot, to Amund for 50, 0OO
possession to be granted when 81, ,20C
had been paid, and a mortgage to be
given for the remaining amount. 1t
seemed all so perfectly fair and square
that Amund, after having got the price
down to 81, 800 and the furniture thrown
in, had no hesitation in closing the bar
gain. He paid over to Farley the $500
which he had then accumulated, and re-
ceivcd an acknowledgment of the
amount from him, with promise of d eed
of payment of S400 more
Then another year passed. Month by
month Amund handed over his say ngs
to Farley, who pocketed them in cool,
business-likc manner; and at last, when
the 81, 200 had been paid, he kept his
word, and gave deed of the property
to the carpenter. Joyously then Amund
wrote to his wife, telling her to make
no delay in coming, for he had now 8