Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-06-17
OLD BLACKBuRN's NOTE.

OLD MACkBUnN'S NOTE.
You will not acknowledge the debt
and pay me-"
The words were spoken by a young
lady as She rose from Il chair i'm old
Amos Blackhllrn's cherries sitting
room. There was IL note of despair
in her tone: but nevertheless. her
pretty black eyes flashed scornfully
and her hands inside hermutfdoublcd
up into fists.
"No, l wont. have said so. and
That's ALL" snarlcd old Blackburn
from his rustic rocking chair, in
which he sat shivering before IL hearth
whcrcon he was trying to force two
slender hickory sticks to yield sutii-
Gent heat. He was a very spare and
wrinlllcd old man. with II hard face
and little eyes that glittcred coldly
and cruelty. His clothes showed
miscrly neglect, and the knit zephyr
cap which protected his bald head,
looked tired and discouraged with it's
misz'pcmt life.
He accompanied every word of his
snarl, with an angry tap OF his briar
cane upon tie hearth bricks; and
when L. had finished, pointed it
toward the door.
'.Nery we'll" answered Alice Car
don. III 500 what can ln done to.
in..kc y":i acknowledge it,"
Thele VS. some Indication of a
pretty 'o..j Il Ing stamped, and the
certainty n. Il door being slammed us
she wsl1t out. Iiut once outside the
shacfi4 gaze. and in the street, her
spi"iss .a.esiy vanished, and. but for
llrr veil. ts.!r> could have been seen
slipping down her fair checks.
:s.lc con- Int endure the thought of
50 ng honae IL her mother and little
si>t5i E.cai!or with news of her fail
ar. li,e niothcr had failed, and now
she, %l.o Altiilelicycd and assured the
piR W sns could coax the hard old
man INTO compliance, had failed too.
WIN. ,l'nH we:c to do now She did
Mt Mluw.
iilis WAS the situation of the little
fa",i'": NJ. Carbon had been Il we'll
tn.eia !a".iei. and they had lived hap
,lli'S without IL thought of the dark
day, that were to come. Misfortune
and the fathers sickness had clouucd
thci. skies. crops had failed, cattle
had been swept away by disease and
they had been compelled to sell part
OF the old farm. Old Amos Black
burn had been IL of the purchasers.
but had made so poor IL mouth about
his poverty. that Mr.. Carbon. hard
pressed, had accepted $500 i'm cash
and a promi>siory note for $1,000 at
two years for the balance.
But alas. before the two years were
gone, the father had succumbcd To
his calamities, leaving the three wo-
men to fight them alone. BARELY
enough ready cash was left To live
upon They rested easily, however.
in the expectation of the payment OF
the note: but. mis!ortuncs like birds.
lily in tlock>. When the rent became
due, the widow looked through Mr..
Gardens papers and failed to lind it.
She and Alice hunted everywhere but
ii could not te traced.
They knew old Amos reputation
for miscllincss and cruelty. buu tn,
imolher could not believe that h,
would rctii>c To recognize so honest {;
debt. She had called upon him Il Few
DAYS atte! the note expired, and llat
found him Sitting upon the old rustic
GUAR.
,Mr. i;,ae.burn," She had said,
''yca. note tor $500 is due
.Ncs." ha crowded, looking arount
Ht her. and waving his cane as If h,
wished he cauid strike her for remind
ing him Of il.
"Hul, si.." she had said, with al
utter iaeN o: tact. ''wc have lost you
note. We couldn't find it any
w! ere"
"Oh' all" he said, with an ugl,
grim OF delight. ..you have lost Ill,
note. have ynu?"
'.ics. sir, tut ofcourSe you will nc
knowledge the debt anyhow and pa,
5 the money. We need it so sorclv.
.'Ot course, I'll acknowledge tn
debt and pay you the money! he ha,
repeated. trying to mimic her plead
ing with his cracked voice. 80
course l won't do anything of tn
sort"
..You can't mean that you will no
pay us the money you SO justly owe.
"Why can't II"
"Because it isn't right. You ow
It. anG III you have any conscience
sir, yCs VII"