The Red Cloud chief., 1892-06-10
RED HORIZONS PLucA


TOW n Ida Mot and Overcans
\Adversity.
Few boys lwould have undertaken
ltl'at fred Morton did at his fathers
ath. lie quietly assumed tho man.
! cmcnt OF tho farm, and tho support
his widowed mother and LITTLE sister.
Tho husband and father hnd gone
til one Marcel, morning IN henlth and
rcngth n nh hour later had been
\ ought back lifclcsa. The tree he vwas
klliing had In homo way csaght VIA
ushed him ben ksGh It's weight.
u was with sod heart that tho
pther returned with her tethcrlcss
udren from the grave to the soclusion
her modest home. She had no rel
J ives; there was no one TO whom she
n uld rightfully turn for sympathy and
Up. Long after Fred had gone to his
bonn, and Lcttic, the Hvc-yesr-old pct
the household. had lost her childish
IPrrow In slumbcr, she sat before tho
|'tting-room fire thinking that dark rs
. present was the future looked still
lirler To her.
Zen years before Edwin Morton hnd
|, me there with his wife aud boy, pay
We down ono thousand dollars towards
n Q farm, and givingn mortgage for tho
\ ,oance--a paltry suin, as u seemed TO
\. IN then, Of five hundred dollars. lilo
n d felt sure that three years, or four
most, would see the farm oil his own.
u II had been the old story. There
b I'd been sickness; the seasons Ind noe
Y why's been favorable; unexpected ex-
nses had come, and unexpected losses.
.he ncighbors declared that Edwin
\ ,rton, though a great worker, did no<
y we the faculty Of gcttinghhcad. And
was certain that the tdn years had
mo and gone, and now no had
y me, and not a dollar Of the
ortgage was paid Moreover, the in.
rest would be duein q fdw weeks. end
rs. Morton could thinle Of no way 70
Nay It. She was confident also tha{ tho
count Mt the village grocery wSald
owe to be against them. and there
light be several smaller accounts ttill
Unsettled. So far ~ she could cstimstc.
would take thrss hundred dollarsto
,cst her husbands indebtedness out
u Of the mortgage on the farm. Her
W health was poor, and she could no.
Ito more than aer household duties.
4 red, II was true, though but sixteen
Y ara old, wus strong and willing, and
ould earn something. but to the
bothcr, in thu. hour Of darkness and
,rrow, that soncthing seemed almost
othing. ma
However, II tho farm could be- sold
r its real value, and I'LL tho dsbts
\ I'D. there would still be something
4 ,ftfor herself and The children. ut
Now could SHE leave the roof that nd
10 hing sheltered her, and Ind beeibo
II to her hasband9
Meanwhile Fred, who had gonslto
4 IL room, had not gone 70 sleep, He
lad always been q quiet, Thoughtful
~, wise in many things beyond his
ctrs. He sat down by the win4ow
1 I'd thought over tho sad events OF kho
{ss& few days, 1t oil seemed SO strnSgc,
unreal, TO him. II was SO had 70
\ ,olizc TINT he WINS fathcrlcss. BIZ Mt
1 ,ngth his thoughts turned from Sim.
4cl4 to hts mother and little ~Isistcr, md
! . felt TINT he must care forlthcm He
1 nlcrstood NIL about tho debt or| the
eaym. He knew there we're pther BILLS,
yutluding those incurred by bis fsher's
4 cath, that must DO pad sooh.
After thinking for somc MINUTES he
Fspclt by his bedside AID asked 0od TO
how him what 10 do. When he nrose
ma prepared for bod q new look In his
YES told lofla purpose already born in
u soul.
The next morning Frd was up early,
|y,ud when Mrs. Morteh entered the
sitchen the fire was burning brightly,
- coffee was made, ard tho chores nj
l. barn were done. TIE outh greet
l.dhis mother tcndcrlyt and FASTENED
SEvith s'quict determination in every
qfion'so'assist hor In thS morning du'
i Us. <BysS -e tytdAI tfeM
A teck passed. Froa had busted
iimshf about tho farm and going Il
village as crrands required. Ous
~ no entered tho house ~ saids
Fyother. Mr.. Ford hasIgot home.
Id him ut the village to-dsy. III
,1ke 70 me about fathcsp death, md
i,k3 he would call here tomorrow"
t1kis Mr.. Ford was An bid frisnd o.
h6family, and held the mortgage or
farm. A few days before Mr.. Nor
"a 8 death no r..a gone 10 New Yori
h business trip. II Nd been Mr.
Z brton's intention 70 cdl upon, him q
CON ns she learned Of Sis return, and
! 'oysak with him CONCERNING her hus
DDS affairs.
Tho next day, whenHfr. Ford called
sssed WINS repairing ; fence, so Mrs
SNprton received hirinlone. She toll
Z i'm OF her hopes aad fears, and thcl
3sppko Of the ono plaA|that seemed TO b.
typen TO her. Ho wa3 silent few min
1 tlos, and then rcplid:
tCertainly. Mrs. Norton. this Gun b
Lone. What does yredthink about It?
al have not mcbyioned II 70 him yet
could not bear TO speak 70 him abou
he loves the farm TO-"
f'Elow old Is he?"
3tSixteen."
III would speak 70 him about - q
,Dco,", said tho gentleman. thought
lly. ts6u6h 3 by oan' be agrsnt help
The ch0oses." "
Fred was caficd IN ne listened q
u. Ford explained his n6other's project
nd then said, quietly:
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