The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1895-04-04


told the lawyer, our word is given, and
it can't be taken back
"l)ree HUNDRED und Won HUNDRED und
fifteen tollars und dwenty-von toll
lars repeated old Fritz, ''dot makes
Vot do it malse?" lie pondered long,
counting on his stubby fingers: -Four
hunderd und tirty-seex dollars, goot!"
And not wink of sleep have had
for two nights said Margaret in a
whisper, ''for thinking about. the rob-
bers. | divided it up and hid it around
in so many places, I'm that fearful of
forgettin' some of EN-. | keep myself
saying all the time: Teapot, rag bag,
Johns cushion, clock"
dot bees too mooch for you to hat
init you here. Soon night dose rob
bers COON. l will take it in der morn
ing und gif you mine word to trust me
Ply. Undin der evenin' / will pring you
vat dey calls Won banlS-boolS,n declared
Mr.. Bruner, and forthwith babe them
goodnight.
Fritz called for the money on his
way down to the ferry the next morn
ing. and evening saw him back again
in the homely little bedroom which,
with the shed kitchen behind, had
been home to the billiards for half
| their lives.
Margaret took the little blue book
he produced with corner of her
apron, and regarded it with awe. To
her it represented the toll and sacri-
fees of years.
Read what it says, Mr.. Bruner,"
she whispered, gazing tits pasteboard
covers wistfully.
Mr.. Bruner shook his head. "Nein,
it bees Tchairman l reads, not Ameri-
can, But dot is all right vot it says
You gets your money any day you
wants it. Dot is we're mine sons hat
der money in dot bank. Washington
and Main streets is we're it bees NY
son tells me his bank be on der corner
of Washington and Main streets, und so
| goes dere NIT your money"
Then, refusing to listen to his neigh
bors' expressions of gratitude. the
sturdy old German picked up his lunch
basket and departed.
only six months morev' Margaret
billiard would whisper to herself in
the chatter of the great mills; then, as
the weeks went by, Now only five
months-now four
Evening after evening she and old
Fritz exchanged mods of mutual UNDER
standing as they met on the road home
from the days toll, and morning after
morning Margaret. would remind her
husband, as she washed, dressed and
fed him. that soon she would have to
leave him no more.
Then, vending her way to the great
mills, which stood opposite the big city
in village populated by the mills own
employees, she would laugh and joke |
among her companions in her tiny,
CHEEKY way, until they told her she
was actually growing young again.
And it's no wonder!' cried one of |
the girls. For didn't she tell me her |
self she'd enough money put by in the
bank to be able TO stop work soon?"
Even the superintendent heard of it,
and had pleasant word to say about
it on paying off the hands one Saturday
night:
$50, Mrs. billiard, hear you have
begun a bank account?'
Yes, sir, thank you. Mr.. Bruner, he
put my money in the bank for me some
time ago" answered the smiling Mar
garet, proudly, ''in the bank where his
sons have their money"
What bank did you put it IMP" in
CURED the superintendent, casually.
I'VE didn't never think to ask Mr..
Bruner the name of it, sir, but John,
he says the boys told him twas the
Peoples bank, where he put it, along
with theirs
ANY place but the Peoples" said
the superintendent to himself as she
passed out. II don't like the rumors
about it. Monday I'll tell her she had
better get it out"
But Monday was too late At the
dinner hour, the superintendent saw
Margaret coming toward his office.
There was wild look in her eyes, and
her lips were white.
you'll tell me the truth sir? You'll
tell me it amt so? They say the
banks broke, with mine an Johns
money; but you'll tell me it amt sor'
The superintendent was silent. Word
had just come to him over the tele-
phone that the Peoples bank had sus-
pended payments.
''Oh, sir, tell me the truth about itl''
Margaret gasped.
Eyes, the Peoples bank has failed"
he said then. Margaret crept home.
How could she tell John? But she
told him, and ne comforted her.
Poor old Fritz Bruner For days he
came around by another street. and in
at his back gate, rather than face Mar
garet. To be sure, his own sons had
lost their little all
But they bees young" he groaned,
''und she bees an old woman with a
husband like van leedle baby to care
for, und put it'in-ach himmel-I put
it in dot bank!'
But all the more the old woman must
work for her John now; and the little
bent figure that went creeping back to
the mills was still Margaret billiard,
though people who knew her we'll
looked at her twice before they could
believe it. She was forlorn and help
less indeed, for with this last blow her
faith had forsaken her.