The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-05-06
Il. SOMERSET. PA. WEDNESDAY, MAY g. 1896

animation when the next college term
began.
The months passed swiftly by. SIlas
had added another hundred dollars to
his savings, had triumphantly passed
the preliminary examinations, and
was all ready to begin his collegiate
course in a few days more, when all his
high hopes were dashed to the ground
by the receipt of the following message
from his mother:
DEAR Son:
/ have bad news for you. The horses
ran away with your father to-day, and
he was thrown from the wagon, injur-
ing his spine. The doctor says even if
he RECEIVERS he will be a cripple for life.
You know, of course, how this will
leave things on the farm. Ii is too bad
To sacrifice your education, but there
will be no ene to take charge unless you
come home. Your father has not ask
ed for you, but he needs you. He is
perfectly helpless, and can speak only
in a whisper. Please come-if not to
stay, to make your peace with him.
Your MOTHER.
l.. ;. Your father has been worry
ing over something of late, but did not
tell me what the trouble was until to-
day. Ii seems he has drawn out and
unwisely invested the money he had in
the savings bank and lost il all, besides
slO0 that he borrowed of Mr.. Brown,
he village storekeeper, the note for
which il now due. | am afraid that
the worry and his injuries together will
kill him.
Two days later the stage that con-
nected Mapletown with the outside
world drew up at the Stone farmhouse,
and a stalwart, handsome young man
jumped out, and went up the grass
bordered walk without waiting to see
10 his baggage, which was bundled out
after him.
When the meeting with his mother
was over, Silas went with her into the
room where his father lay propped up
in bed.
Hiram" said Mrs. Stone, "here is
Silas, come home to see you"
"Yes, father, I'm here, bag and bag
gage, and I'm going to stay as long as
you need me-" said Silas, stepping to
the bedside and grasping his fathers
hand. "lOu mustn't worry or think
about anything except getting well. /
will attend to all the work, besides help
ing mother take care of you, and We'll
have everything running along like
clockwork in a day or two. by the
way, stopped down in the village and
paid that note of Mr. Brswn's and I've
got little money left, if you need it.
I've been saving it up to pay my way
through college, but it won't make any
difference if | don't go. My first duty
is here now"
For the first time in years, Hiram
Stones eyes filled with tears, and he
whispered:
81 was in the wrong, Silas, and I've
bin sorry ever sence that night, but l
was too stubborn TO own up To it-t-till
now. Ii almost seems as if my gettin'
hurt was a judgment on me for actin
the way | did. But I'm glad it has
brought you back, 80 | could tell you /
was wrong. can die in peace now"
Don't talk about dying father.
Mother and can't spare you just yet.
Just take things easy and keep your
courage up. I'll have a city doctor here
as soon rs | can get one, and we'll see
what he thinks of your ease"
Silas was rs good rs his word. He
procured the services of a specialist,
who said with proper treatment, his
father might be cured. And cured he
was, though it took all Of Silas's re-
manning capital and year of unre-
mitting care and nursing to accomplish
il.
For one year after that Silas remain
ed ut home, tOiing early and late, and
studying rs he found opportunity, and |
then, when his fathers strength was
fully restored, he went To college rs he /
had originally intended, and not only |
with his fathers cordial consent, but |
with all the financial assistance that |
he could spare him from the income
of the farm.
In later years, when Silas had won
his degree and a professorship along 1
with it, the proudest and happiest mo-
ments of Hiram Stones life were when 1
my son, Professor Stone"-as he was 4
wont TO introduce him to strangers
was spending his annual vacation at /
the little Vermont farmhouse.