Middletown transcript., 1894-06-09
nervously clasped me about the neck
Historically crying:
LGIt I Ii q.

me into the house, hugging and kiss
! ing me, and then she went to the bac
door and shouted: "George!'
Father called from the kitchen
"What do you want, Car'line p
Then he came in. He knew me in
moment. He stuck out his hand aD'
grasped mine and said sternly
"Well, young mau, do you. propos
to behave yourself now 2''
He tried to put on brave front, bu
he broke dowE. Then we three sa
like whipped scho il children, all whim
pering. AT last supper time came ant
mother went out to prepare it. l wen
to the kitchen with h r.
"Where do you live, Jimmy 2" sh'
asked.
''ln New York" l replied.
! "What are you working at now
Jimmy2
81 am working in drygoods store. ,
''Then suppose you don't live very
high, for l hear tell Of them city clerks
what don't get money enough to keer
body and soul together. So I'll just
tell you, Jimmy, we have got nothing
but roast spareribs for supper. We
amt got any money now, Jimmy. We
are pooer nor Jobs turkey"
I said would be delighted with the
spareribs, and, to tell the truth, ]
haven't eaten a meal in New Y ofk that
tasted as good as those crisp roast
spareribs did.
| spent the evening in playing check
ers with father, while mother sat by
telling all about their, misfortune,
from old white Mooley getting drowned
in the pond, to father IS signing a note
for friend and having to mortgage
the place to pay for it.
The mortgage was due in a week and
not cent to pay 1t with-just $500.
She supposed they would be turned out
of house and home, but in my mind l
supposed they wouldn't. At last 9
O'Clock came and father said: Jim,
go to the barn and see if Kit is all
right. Bring in au armful of shingles,
that are just inside the door and fill up
the water pail. Then we'll go to bed
and get I'D early and 60 a-fshing."
didn't say word. but l went out
to the barn, bedded down the horse,
broke up an armful of old shingles.
pumped pailful of water, filled the
wood box and then we went to bed.
Father called me at 4. 30 in the morn
ing, and while he was getting breakfast
skipped over to he depot cross lots
and got my best bass rod. Father took
nothing but trolling line and a spoon
hook. He roNed the boat with the
trolling line in his mouth. while L
stood in the stern W ith silver sinner
lisged on. Now, John. | never saw a
man catch fish as he did. To make d
lDng story short, he got four bass and
five pickerel, aud | never got bite.
AT noon we went ashore and father
went home, while | went to. the post
Office. Igot letter from Chicago with
a check for 81 600 in it. With some
trouble | got it cashed, getting paid in
five dollar and ten dollar bills, maki1g
quite roll. then got a roast joint
of beef and a lot of delicaces, and
had them sent home. After that l
went visiting among my old school
mates for two hours and went home.
The joint was in the oven.
Mother had put on her only silk
dress and father had donned his Sun
day-go-to meeting clothes, none too
good, either, This is where l played
joke on the old folks. Mother was
in the kitchen watching the roast.
Father was out in the barn and had a
clear coast. | dumped the sugar out
of the old blue bowl, and put the thou
sand dollars in it and placed the cover
on again. At last supper was ready.
Father asked a blessing over it, and lie
actually trembled when he stnck the
knife in the roast.
"We haven't had piece of meat
like that in five years, Jim," and
mother put in with: "We haven't
had any coffee in year, only when We
went avisiting"
Then she poured out the coffee and
lifted the cover of the sugar bowl, ask
ing as she did so: "How many spoon
fuls, Jimmy?"
Then she struck something that was
not sugar. She picked up the bowl
aud peered into it. Aha, Master
Jimmy, playing your old tricks on your
old nanny, eh? Well, boys will be
boys"
Then she gasped for breath. She
saw it was money. She looked at ma,
then at father. then with trembling
fingers drew the great roll of bills out.
Ha! ha! ha! l can see father now
as he stood there on tip-toe, with his
knife in one hand, fork in the other,
and his eyes bulging out of his head.
But it was too much for mother. She
raised her eyes toward heaven and
slowly said: "Put your trust in the
Lord, for he will provide.
Then she tainted away. Well,
John, there's not much more to tell
We threw water in her face and
brought her to, and then we demolished
that dinner, mother all the time saying
My boy Jimmyl My poor Jimmy!''
l stayed home month. I fixed III
the place, paid off all debts, had a good
time, and came back to New Yolk. !
am going to send fifty dollars home
every week. | tell you, John it's
mighty nice to have home.