The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-06-14


that Jamie Possett felt himself unable 10
bear with it any further. The chief of tho
boys woes was that his father refused to
discuss his troubles even with mis- wife.
who. for that matter. was as silent and
fOrlorn the farmer himself II hurt tho
boy in a tender spot TO see Mr.. Possett
walking about unshaven. slouching and
thin. a quite different creature TO the
smart and able man who had stepped upon
these new lands triumphanuy. coming 10
conquer. 1t began clearly TO dawn upon
Jam that no triumph had come 10 Possctt:
that the farmer WAS conquered by the
land That came to him very clearly upon
the day when POSsctt met Jerebo1m Mat
thews 10y the wire fence. and that neigh
Dor agricuiturist. "A well-to-do man. with
every one Of his ten fingers ia "A different
pie. asked Jim's father how no was COM
lng on.
Possett looked at his richer ncishbor IN
a way which scared the boy. looking Wild
H.. almost insaneIy. at him.
Coming on.' lie shouted. do / look as
though 4 was coming on2 I'm going of.
man. going OF like a house on fire. TO
blazing. burning ruin! Going OF mighty
fast. Matthews. with wife and child and
house and farm ana wagons and mules
and my last horse and ali else. dye under
standg all. body and soul m0rtgaged
Jamie was looking at him. open-eyed,
amazed II the sight OF a perfectly new
father TO any he had hitherto known.
He shrank back without answering and
walked silently away.
AVE." growled MIR. Possett. bitterly
he slips away from me. They an Will Ny
horses went OF us cu,ermly with
had gone with me. And Jamie.
he'll te leaving his mother an me an
looking Tor his supper TO some one as can
afford 20 give him IT, Ny heaven. man.
don't look at me as II i were mad. but tell
rne what I'm 80 dol"
I Jerchoam Matthews flushed little. put
7 his hands deep in his trousers pockets and
{ looked grmiy clear across the quiet gray
J olouded western plains.
els ID aS hld as thatr' he said.
''As bad as tEat2 lis bad for almost all
I'm tAe country. but worse for ma than
/ most, Tor ia hardly cot ou my feet. Two
years @ WAS drouth ana ruinous frcights-
Z %aw it is rain. lightning. han. snow, floods.
I And where's my crops2 Beaten down to
\ the clay. crushed 20 death ruined. There
! would with "a fair season. been enough 70
I pay of the interest and renew the mort
/ gage and next year I might have got on
! my feet. There's nothing now 90 look for
/ ward 40 but stark nakcduess and cold
starvation" And with misery IN his eyes
B
"I'u DO Won yet" Possett mutterod. "and
( it viii Doe no sin. No real sin. Nou have
Z taken everything / bad and ny misfortune
Z IS GOOD luck for won. You've grown fat on
/ as you and the railroads. now I'll have
small h.t back. Ii IL was not stealing for
You. 'tls NOT for me-
Now Jamie had gone away from his
father in state Of almost despair. He
Z hal never seen Mr. Possett act like that
{ before but ne refrained from running 20
I hls mother aware that she was worried
/ enough herself ITO hAd always been used
{ in h-s lonely lice 90 think for himself. ana
Pc. thought now and the result 81 his
a.. .tit wa- that. " his father would NOT
act auf his mother could not. he. as the
nest in command must. lie knew some
z thing about these horrible mortgages he
E knew the banker held them. aud he knew
+ Bolivar the one horse left. would be sold
Z Tor interest next d8y. lie determined 90 ~
Z right away and see the banker himself
I But. though a small boy. Jim had grown up
Z somehow with great beltf in the power
I Of Appearances. Tic saddl,d Bolivar and
/ then dressed himself. Ills dressing was
( brief lie took his fathers old war gun.
T a Sharns. carhine. which was very rusty.
( and W-fich 10 cartridges in the house woulu
i III and "a cartridge belt and horse p-s-
I TOT which had probably Known Hevtte
I washington. These he could safely Dor
/ row Th.n ne rode out brauvely In the duh
Z aeto-noou. under tho threatening skies,
/ n.st che storm-beaten and ruined fields.
1 But. though equipped Ike pirate, Jamie
W. not altogether bent on war he had a
{ declined use Tor diplomacy lie had CON
/ ce.ved plan
How he said politely. as ne entered
I the hank. IN no Wise aharhed M the brass
/ ,-rs and -ba clerks boiled shirt. II wan'
/ % see Mister Banker"
/ Tt. teller looked az him with wide-open
{ ewes. ami. ~ the sight Of ihat funny scare
( crow figure. with The rusty old pistol and
I ancient gun laid back his head AND shouted
I ,-fth f-tehter. Jamie's lip poufel and guy
/ .r.l and h. felt sorely wounded. ln good
faItt, b.. had prepared himself To create az
/ impress. such AZ his own stout hear'
E darnasse-,sl-to ENFORCE respect IT hearts
.lar. ,yare seen. and not the.r outside COW
erlul-s. many a hoy and man would com
4 Fuar.i a defereuce they never VIII get, bl'
th,. teler's ewes were blind. lie wiped me
tears ~ laughter away and looked again
with a giegle al the tattered and attenu-
I atti figure.
What DO YOU wante" n. said. The
.bo,s.' as you call him. is too busy to tam
/ to every ragamufiin.'
Jfnis check flushed and his heart grew
strong again az the insulting words. with
q rather clumsy performance Of the motion
b. raised the old gun TO his shoulder and
took aim
II want 20 see the boss" he repeated
Don't shoot.' he shouted.
An inner door behind the rails opened
and an elderly gentleman appeared
WHATS th;s2' he cried with stern eyes
ana flashed out a revolver. Instinct told
the little western farm boy. who knew alb
soiutcly nothing Of cities OF of men. that
was the gentleman he had come TO see. He
promptly put down his gun and took on
| hie cap.