The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-22

iclU 100 D'iui' 0Ver The Way ncIe
led had deceived Us. Whatever are
you after my boy:'
Only going to see what l can do
to it," said Iedekiah, with calm resp
tuition. ut seems too had. some
how, not to have a try. l0or old
C ock, how could it be true to us
when we weren't true to it? I'll
fetch the too S and have il to pieces,
anyhow
You'll only make bad worse"
Mrs. Barnes rose in some meek en-
ASPIRATION and went t. the outer
kitchen. There were plenty OF
small chores" to do for tomorrow.
and she felt unreasouably vexed with
Iedekiah tor his refusil to sell the
clock. Dearly as she 'oyed her only
son. she was growing dimly war
that in strength of MAD and will n,
was leaving far behind the little
rcd-haired urchin who used to lean
on '.M0vvcr' for everything, and
then he WIS becoming as Queer"
and fancirul rs his father had been
before him.
The sound of gentle hammering
came from the kitcheS without. fol-
lowed by the rattle Of the ponderous
weights on their numbering old
chains. Then <eb's voice sound d
eager and pleasant
Guess what's the matter, moth
or? No wonder the old gentleman
wouldn't tick. The works are all
stuffed up with paper. I can't make
them move shall have to take OF
the dial before / can pull il OF.
What on earth could have been the
object OF feeding the old thing with
crumpled paper"
Mrs. Larres made no response.
She had paused in her work of gath
ering chips and fragments Of pine,
branches, to lay ready for lighting
the fire in the morning, and stood
theSe, half leaning against the wide
and vacant chimncy-piece, her arms
folded in her calico-apron, and her
eyes fixed drcamilv en- space.
1t had come over her" as she her.
self would have said with the cver-:e.
curing shock it never failed to bring
with it. She thought + how seldom
again should she do these dear and
FAMILIAR household tasks under the
old brown roof that had been so long
her happy home. Soon strange
hands would he busy in the low
rooms she had known and loved so
well. and unfamiliar steps would
sOG"d upon ;hc wooden i.oors where
the FOOTBALLS had cch ell that were
like the sweetest of m"sic to h r
listening ears. Next week it would
be al gone--the threshold she had
crossed a radiant bride, the old era
die where she had rocked her babies
to sleep, the very graveyard on the
little hill, where rested those she
had loved most on earth. The slow
tears splashCd upon her purple calico
apron. and her chest heaved with
stifled SObs.
Suddenly there was a cry from the
outer DOM
Mother. Oh, mother, What is
this?"
1t was /eG's voice. but so altered
that she hardly recognized it for his
own. Startled, stumbling, half
blinded still. with the half-shed tears,
she reached his side and stood he.
wildered. half terrified, half expect
ing she knew not what. as he held
out to her with trembling fingers Il
roll If strange, stained, tluttering
paper. There were more upon the
tn I1a ni1ns nnfl ni1nr mara WITHIN
the works of the old timepiece.
closely rolled and PACKED, She raised
her wondering eyes to Xedekiah's
transformed face and stared wonder
struck az the light il his sparkling
eyes.
Mother, oh. mother. don't you
see?:" he cried: don't you under
stand? They're bills-notcS-green-
backs. There must be thousands Of
them packed close and bar !. It's
Uncle Zcde!.iah's fortune. My legacy,
hidd Ii AVA here all these years till
some one should set the poor old
clock true TO tine again and find
their reward. There. there" He
caught her thin fora in his arms as
she reeled forward and knelt by her
side as he laid her gently in her chair.
''Mother, dear. look up. JOY doesn't
kill. Think Of it, think what it will
do. The dear old farm is all our own
still, a d that beast Of a mortg lge
can 90, and we can do all the land
needs and make the place the best in
the old 70 Dty. And school for the
little girls, and clothes and help fol
you, and bo.is tor us all. Oh,
motfer. mother"
He broke down in his wild excite
men and choked as be began to laugh
almost historically.
THE grocery store a sweep it.
SELF" he said. And we'll buy the
dear old clock 4 crown OF gold.
Mother dear, emit you glad you
didn't let the peddler have it for s.?
h1n,, - nIn1-,,h md III,