Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1897-11-18
asleep! His little hand slowly re-

men lily went home that after /
noon she carried, tightly held agaln,, !
Etr breast, little role Of ''inortgaga /
money that meant home and Roddv /
/ boo and all things beautiful 10 her.
Sic hid the most Of it away with care
fnl prudepee and only resor'ed TO il
under actual stress Of need For little
! Lilly Gamble carried on her narrow,
thin shoulders a wise head OF her own.
She vent patiently about among the
neighbors seeking work, squarlug the
/ thin shoulders and trying 10 look
..g-aNn mp and capable. II was
.n~a2ng quest for the most part,
but lilly kept persistentlv, stubbornly
| at II till she found here and there.
] little tasks to do that helped 10 make
Roderick Dhu's mortgage ''spend 5"
But the little hidden hoard dwindled
in spite Of Tilly. There was the in
terest money-that came out Of il
every Inonth-and every month. with
precise regularity, lilly and Roldv
Doc, shining and clean, paid il TO
Ger HON Flint
He came to anticipate their coming
| with more interest than he would con-
fess to his dogged old heart Il grew
to be the one bright, fresh spot in his
lonesome existence - the sight Of
Tilly's plain, honest little face and
/ Roddv DOCS nestle on his knee Be
tween tunes, too, he kept the children
in view, quietly and with a feeling e.
responsibility that greatly asto9is he'd
himself
Once he made them a call at the
shantv house. He had heard that It's
owner was planning to tear ii down
and rebuild In a short time The
news disturbed him unaccountablv.
lilly was ironing, piecei out bv the
salt box. The baby, pieced ont by the
clothesline, was placidly making mud
pies outside the kitchen door He
held one up TO Gershom Flint with
prompt poIiteness, pressing II upon
him.
"No, thank you, I've had my din
ner, Roderick Dhu. Where's Your
sister, ELI:
TiIly appeared at the door. rolling
down her sleeves precipitately.
ooh, Mr. Flint, she said, won't
YOU walk right in? I'll wash Roddv
/ 200 = idtt oIillt HILL W On YOU
take Il chalr?'
Gershom Flint's keen eyes looked
over Tillv's head at the kitchens bare
.@ness and tiny dimensions. He noticed
how clean It was He saw the salt
hox, aud it appealed with dumb pa
thos to him. And this was the home
they were going to be turned out of,
No. No, | won't come IN. he
said, slowly Il was going by and
thought | would stop and see if my
ah-propertv was In good condition
or needed repairs-or anything If that
sort.
He looked down at the little mutt
, pieman, with the wrinkles again
, around his eyes.
''He seems-yes, I should say he
tAyas in perfect repair am entirel )
satisfied, he aided, graz ely.
! When winter arrived affairs III the
shantv house were sorely ont Of joint
The old contingency stared IIlIy Il
the face, and new troubles anglnentc.
her alarm Roddv Docs mortgage
! that was ali gone and, OH the lntereei
. money. Iillv Wrung her than III l.
hands in despair. The interest has
q not been pail for ever 50 long. Ans
the last-uot ieast-straw was In,
sAantv house itself For they wels
a ordered ont II three days.
, L, va> interest day, and lilly muf
, fel Roderick bhu in her shawl ana
lie his little Tagging feet 10 Gersnou
Fllnt'S Not to pay II OH ~ Eu
. they must 90 and tell hlnl they colllin'
vet.
3 II can't pay it. Nr Flint ga
/. crie1. tremulouslv i cant. l;tst j
! you il wait
3 "No,s Ger~hom Flint said. dislinrt
~, II shall forecose.
r r -fo1e-e hat, SIR
). lilly did not comprehend the word
: but the sound Of i terrified her !
a sounded Ike ''svlum IN her ears
;. II shall foreclose, : said Ger not
i Flint again. And that faeaa~ -
baby belongs - me. When the n'eE
g e@t Is unpaid the posse~Sor OF ~
rnortc tce has the right - the mort
= gagged property Eodericf. phn. ca4-
Acre, Fake IT his shaw:
= lie held ont bls arms, AMI tie ~
:. leaped into them
q ..Iillv cotne-TiIlv roo!" he cr,sd /.
k his shrilI treble. lilly cornt- '"o
Tiuv stood N fixed del all IL.
: gaant little fac slowly . ~h1t"ee.
,e VIA. vas this ta4; hal happened \
re wonder ,ha; H,ari sounded iske II
IN .un4" !, wa= @rinln 1T ga
) va And I'D aelp Tor i n 81 =
/. world.