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

,li's AZ uEcommOnly queer world"
soit Xedekiah. He leaned Lack
,gain,t the broken gate-pOst and
stared hard IT the setting sun. The
r,med.looking cornticlds stretched
iesolatcly away at his feet, and wore
AN ~apologct:c aspect, as though
ashamed 10 call attention to the
mcager array OF corn-stocks ard d.
minutiyc yellow pumpkins, which
was their utmost effort in the way Of
rrops. II was a pOverty-stricken in
beritaucc enough: land that had
.run out" from lack OF enriching: a
belt Of once glorious woodlands, now
sadly shruns and spo.lt by repeated
telling: and the low, gray farmhouse,
rnpainted tor many Il long year and
showing the ravageS of time and
weather Ia aD alarming extent de-
spite all /edek abs unilagsing efforts
at patching and repairs.
Yes, it was a poor p%atrimonv, and
get Xcdckiah loved every tree and
eycry Stone-there we're plenty-on
the place. and his heart within him
>velied with sorrow and passionate
rgre at he thought that that ter
rlllc mortgage must he tOreclOSed
next Monday, and Birch Brook Farm
lost 10 the name of Barnes forever.
1t had been Il desperate struggle
To- keep their heads above water ever
since their fathers death, two years
before. Farming carried Oh by Il
delicate widow and Il boy Of Is, how
ever much energy and good will they
bring TO bear hct Wecn them on the
work in hand. can hardly lie expected
10 ai'Grd brilliant results, and the
Wct season iIst passed had FINISHED
tie 'ob. ' a. /euckiah himself wouI
have said. The hay was sp tilt aad
tie wheat spr0utcd. and where the
magnificent incomes Of the owners
>trahout which the ruined corn
>Ao1lt nave supplied, that meant ruin.
Aud 50 tie mortgage was to be
1oreclo>ed next Monday, and the
Bainc>cS were to he homeless.
=" ed. &C." 1t waS a gentle voice
that called, and edekiah, with a
shake of his shoulders, forced a
gha-tly smile Of assumed cheerful
hess and turned to greet his mother
at the open door.
She bad Gacn a pretty woman once,
ana even 2Ow. faded and worn
though she was, there was Il certain
grace and gentleneSS about her. which
accounted COR her sons devotion,
even though the little plaintive voice
ana manner showed, Door woman,
That life had been a pretty hard and
litter struggle.
"Fome ~ TO your supper. Zed," she
'dIItI aGalr as he came upthe Jagged
w1!k with an air of intense iaunti-
Ness 10 hide the fact that he was
lo"t>ofe and lame where the flints
llal bruised through the worn boots.
line children are that hungry that
icdh keei' them uiet. and they
o'9ht to lave Teen in bed, poor
things"
Two yellcw-haired little girls ran
W as they entered.
AN CO. cried little Mamie. Il
any mad no supper yet; wasn't you
rai u stay away so long, While
'Mpl carry chimed IN: ''Ieth, led
,eIIy bad boy: sha'n't have no supper
h~i>>elf."
"llu>h. hush" said the mother.
."Hareh, how YOU talk. One would
u''nN vou were beggar children to
ID" Ike that
Icu forced smile ia ed in aquicK
look Of pain.
ihcy ought to 90 TO school," he
SAUL then checked himself at the
- erection Of the cot of school
books.
lie was staring hard at the red
,'I'ef> OF the fire as his mother re-
r'laeu if"r2 giving the little girls
u"V'' good night kiss and sat down
ueT >IIanby rocking chair to the
"'"i''- am patching, which was the
rrh'"' clehlhg occupation. He reused
! u"l>ell again at her approach; he
WAS always trying to be cheerful for
u SAKE ..oor fellow,
CUES I've got that place,
o.nei, lie said. II went to the
~ W. Norton told me of and
80 p tty wei settled to take
W Ire wages 1on't seem fabu-
~ ne "ure. but they'll be some
:, ana 'hen there's the prospect
= lef'" The darning fell into
pafh's' lap. "iou poor boy.
wye are something, aud
take but cau't bear to think
you pcor fatt.r'S son, Just a