Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-07-26

as he lifted hin up Oh his shoulder.
How could dad get along without
his Little Chap"
Many time, too, when his comrad,s .
whistled for him under the window,
and he was sorely tempted to accept tie
invitation to join in their games, Il 9
thought would occur to him that h !
dad needed his help and gravely lie
would go to the door, and with a droll
sense of responsibility explain that lie
had to help his dad.
Thus winters passed and summers un-
tll the Little Chap was years old. He
tyrannlzed over his sisters, as usual, and
accepted their worship as nothing but
his due. He was sore trial to his
mother on account of his stubbornness
and because he was $50 hard on his
clothes. But to his father he was q
stanch and loyal friend-I could almost
say an older friend, for he began early
to feel kind of responsibility for
Amund and a droll kind of protector
ship. He made him go back and put on
his coat when he started out in his shirt
sleeves in chilly weather. He would
send him back to shave of Sunday
morning when he proposed to go tc
church with two days beard, and he
would take his dads part at the table
when the mother would scold him or
make unpleasant remarks implying dis
respect.
Mother always thinks that every
body can do things better than my
dad, " he would observe in his slow
drawl, when his dad had been unlucky
enough to arouse his wife's displeasure,
and straightway dad would feel little
horny paw under the table grasping for
his own. That was his way of consol-
ing his dad.
He believed fully that his dad was
the wisest, the cleverest and the best of
men, and however unworthy he might
feel himself, what comfort, what hap
piness it was to this poor overworked
carpenter to have one creature on earth
who reposed this touchingly unquestion-
ing trust i'll him! What my dad'
said that was law, and what my dad'
did was always admirable, and though
dad was conscious of many failing he
would not for the life of him have the
Little Chap suspect them. He strove
manfully to live up to the Little Chaps
idea of him.
People said he spoiled the boy, and
the mother particularly, who was trif]e
jealous of their intimacy, declared that
it was time the Little Chap was sent to
school and learned something besides
whiting and cutting his fingers This
seemed SO perfectly rational that, out of
consideration for the Little Chap,
Amund was at last persuaded to send
him to school. 1t was of no use that the
boy wept and declared that he wanted
to be with his dad. How was his dad
to get on without his help? What would
become of dad if he did not look out for
him? This idea that he was helping
dad became so rooted in his mind that
he harped upon it early and late and
grieved himself thin and pale for fear
that his dad might como to harm with
out him.
Somehow life was no more the same
to Amund after his loss of the Little
Chaps companionship. There was no
joy any more in his work, and it seemed
too, that his luck had deserted him.
Once he ran file, the handle of which
broke, into his hand, and another time
he nearly split his kneepan with an
adj. Then he was laid up for three
weeks. Provisions ran very low in the
house. Kari, his wife, began to talk
about applying for help to the guardians
of the poor. 1t was then the plan ma
tured in Amund's mind to cross the
ocean and begin life over again in the
new world, where a man of his skill
certainly could accomplish something
more than to keep out Of the poorhouse.
Accordingly, though it nearly broke
his heart to part from the Little Chap,
he crossed the Atlantic, promising to
send for the family as soon as he had
founded home for them in. the great |
west. He begged hard to be allowed to |
take the Little Chap with him, but |
Kari would not listen to that, because
to her the Little Chap was kind of q
pawn, guarantee that her husband |
meant to keep his word and send for |
her and the undesirable girls as soon as
his circumstances warranted. Her con-
science was not quite easy in regard to
her treatment of him, and she could af-
ford to take no chances
Amund arrived in Chicago at time
when skilled carpenters were scarce and
wages high. There was a great deal of
building going on, and he had no diff
Guilty in obtaining work He was mas
ter in his trade, thoroughly honorable,
frugal and industrious. 1t is not to be
denied, however, that life is a dreaIy
affair to one who tolls and tolls from
till night, and whose starved
heart cries out every hour and minute
Of the day for one who is far away,
Where is the Little Chap now? What is
the Little Chap doing now? How does
he look? Does he care so much for his
dad as he did, and is he eager as ever to
help his dad?
These were Amund's constant refee-
tions whenever a little respite from Ia,
Dor afforded him chance TO think. Sit,
ting with his dinner pail, leaning
I 1 I