The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-01-28
fCnntinued from first PAGE

like to complsin--Tim has about al
he can bear now-but they was dayi
this week when Jest wanted to las
right down and die"
"Waal, now, I'll tell ys." said
Council from his side OF the stove,
silencing everybody with his good
naturei roar, "I'd 60 down and see
Butler, anyway, If ! was you. I gus, a
he'd let you have his purity cheap:
the farms all run down. He's ben
anxious to let = eomebuddy next
year. It 'ud be a good chance fer
you. Anyhow, you go to bed, ana
sleep like a babe. I've Tot some
ploughin' T. do anyhow, and we'll
see 1T somethin' can't be done about
your ease. Ike, you 60 out an see
II the horses is all right, an. I'll
show tn. folks T. bed"
when the tined husbann and wife
were lying under the generous quilts
OF the spare bed, Haskins listened q
moment to, the wind in the caves,
and then said, with . slow and
solemn tone:
There are people in this world
who are good enough - be angels.
an only Ia IF T. die to be angels.U
Jim Butler was one of those men
called in The west "land poor.n
Early in the history of Rock River
ne had come into the town and
started in the Grocery business in a
small way, occupying a small build
Ing IN a mean part of the town. At
this period of his life he earned ali
ne got, and was up early and late,
sorting beans, working over butter,
aud caring his goods to and from
the station. But q change CAFE
over him at the end Of TIE second
year, when he sold lot of land for
four times what he paid fer it.
From that time forward he believed
In land speculation az the surest way
OF getting rich. Every cent he
could save or spare from his trade
he put into land at forced sale, O.
mortgages On land, which were "iust
as good AS the wheat" he was &C.
customed to say
Farm after farm fell into hi,
hands, until he was recognized A one |
Oh the leading landowners of the |
county. His mortgages were scat
tered all over Cedar County, and a.
Ihey slowly but surely fell in he
sought usually to retain the former
owner as tenant.
He was not ready to forclose: in.
Iced, he had the name Of being one
IT the "easiest" mon in the town.
He let the debtor of again and again,
extending the time whenever posi-
lie.
81 don't want y'r land,n he said.
sAil Pm after is the interest on nv
noney--that's all. Now if VI want
o stay on the farm, why, I'll give
p good chance. I can't have the
and layin' vacant" And in many
asses the owner remained as tenant.
In the mean time he had sold bis
tore; he couldn't spend time in it;
le was mainly occupied now with
lifting around town on rainy DAYS.
moking and ''gassIn' with the
'oys," or in riding to and from his
hihS llUuc Hc uSIl6U
,ood deal. Doc Grimes, Ben Ashley
mi Cal Cheatham were his cronies
n these fishing excursions or hunt
ng trips in the time of chickens or
In winter they went to !
orthern Wisconsin to shoot deer. II
In spite OF all these signs of easy
re; Butler persisted in saying he
hadn't money enough to pay taxes |
n his land" and was careful to con-
ey the impression that he was Door
a spite of his twenty farms. AT one
lme he was said to be worth fifty /.
nousand dollars, but land had been
little slow Of sale Of late, so that
e was not worth 30 much. A fine
'rm, known as the Higley place,
ad fallen into his hands in the usu.
way the previous year, and he s
ad not been able to find a tenant /
,r it. Poor Higley after working
lmself nearly to death on it, in the
tempt to lift the n1oatgage, had
one off to Dakota, leaving the farm '
nd his curse to Butler.
This was the farm which Council
1vised Haskins to apply tor; and
le next day Council hitched uL his
am and drove down town to see a
utler. "a
a. CONTINUED next week. b