The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-04-15

Q1en to talk like thatF
Zed's forced smile faded in a quick
look of pain.
"They ought to go to school" he
said, then checked himself at the
recollection of the cost of school
books.
He was staring hard at the red
embers of the fire as his mother re-
turned from giving the little girls
their good night kiss and sat down
in her shabby rocking chair to the
darning and patching, which was
the usual evening occupation. He
reused himself again at her ap-
proach. He was always trying to be
cheerful for her sake, poor fellow!
II guess I've got that place.
mother" he said. Il went to the
store Mr.. Norton told me of and
they've pretty well settled to take
me Oh. The wages don't seem fabu-
lous, to be sure, but they'll be some
thing, and then there's the prospect
of a rise"
"Oh, Zed" The darning fell into
Mrs. Barnes lap. you poor boy!
Yes, the wages are something and
no mistake, but l can't bear to
think of you, your poor fathers son,
just a common errand boy in a
grocery store!"
Zedekiah's sallow cheek flushed.
II don't see why!" he said stoutly.
"Groceries T. honest enough, and
they're clean, too-a great deal nicer
than a good many other things, l
think. Besides, errand boys always
make their fortunes right away.
Did you ever hear of a millionaire in
a book who didn't begin by sweep
ing out a storeI"
"Ah, if your Uncle Zedekiah had
only left you all his money, as he
promised!" sighed the widow, taking
up the tattered sock again.
Instead of only his name and the
old clock, ell, mother!"
ooh, yes! 1t was too bad of uncle.
He ought to have been ashamed
and after making us give you his
horrid name too"
"Never mind, mother! It's an
honest name, even though the first
man that owned it wasn't much in
the way of a king. He's been dead
so long that the name ought to have
grown respectable again by now"
"And then to leave you nothing
after allI'
Il don't believe, do you know, that
he had anything to leave. Folks say
he was really very poor"
Poor? Not he!" Mrs. Barnes
was reused to Indignation. II guess
he wasn't! But he was an awful
miser for years before he died, and
he lived for all the world like a beg
gar! We fancied he'd have left you
hundreds-and there was nothing!"
Don't forget the clock!'
THE clock" scornfully. "Ah, by
the way, that reminds me; there
was a peddler here this morning
not that it is much good for anybody
with anything to sell to come here
he saw the old clock and seemed to
fancy it somehow. He said he'd
give you a couple of dollars for it if
you liked, and / thought you'd be
glad enough to let him have it,"
Zed looked rather taken aback.
THE old clockl Why, y, mother.
l guess / wouldn't!"
You wouldn'tl" echoed his mother
in surprise, mingled with reproach.
''The children are badly off for
boots, and So ne 81. Besides, it'll
have to go next week with all the
other things, and maybe it won't
bring as much as that at the sale
This with a little sigh.
Perhaps l shall not sell it." said
Zedekiah slowly.
"Zed, you must be crazy"
No, I'm not" He had risen and
was wandering about the low ceiled
room, his hands deep in his pockets.
"At least, | don't think | am. But
somehow it goes against me tc
part with Uncle Zed's legacy. Hasn't
it been in the family as long as
there's any record, and didn't my
| REORGANIZATION, generations back
bring it with him when he came tc
Americal"
so I've heard tell, led"
His ~wanderings became more en-
ergetic.
We'll, then" he said, II don't be
lieve we ought to let it go while we
can stick to it. 1t isn't just because
it is the only thing we shall have
left when we leave here to let the
children know that we came of ;
family that was well to do once. L
they don't make people respect then
for themselves, it isn't much use hav
ing a tail of grandfathers behind
them, but when l think of the poo
old great-grandfather bringing tina
big clock across the sea to his HON,
in the new country, because h,
priced it more than anything he had
and when / think of all the genera
tons it has licked for l can't find tn,
heart to let it go into strangers
hands" He brought himself up shor
before the tall old clock in the corner
No, the clock shan't go" he said.
"Zed, you're the q~ueerest!" sale
his mother, with an unspeakabl,
CONSERVATION. 'Queerer even tina,
your poor father, and l never coult
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