Middletown transcript., 1897-06-12
A Mortgaged Boy

Il
father refused t
discuss his troubles even with his wife
who, for that matter, was as silent ant
forlorn as the farmer himself. It hur
the boy in tender spot to see Mr.. Pos
sett walking about, unshaven, slouch.
ing and thin, quite different creature
to tte smart and able man who ha(
stepped upon these new lands trinm.
phantly, coming to conquer. It began
clearly TO dawn upon Jim. that nc
triumph had come to Possett, that the
farmer was conquered by the land
That came to him very clearly upon the
day when Possett met Jerebaum Mat.
thews by tie wire fence, and that neigh.
Dor agriculturist, a well-to-do man,
with every one Of his ten fingers in a
different pie, asked Jim's father how
he was coming on.
Possett looked at his richer neighbor
in way which scared the boy, looking
wildly almost lnsanely at him.
"Coming on!' he shouted. do ]
look as thought I was coming on? Pm
going of, man, going off like a house
on fire to blazing. and burning ruinl
Going off mighty fast, Matthews, with
wife and child and house and farm,
and wagons and mules and my last
horse and all else, dye understand all,
body and soul mortgaged deeper than
wot you gaping for, boy?"
Jamie was looking at him, open
eyed, amazed at the sight of perfectly
new father to any he had hitherto
known. He shrank back, without
answering, and walked silently away.
"Aye," growled Mr.. Possett bitterly.
"He slips away from me. Thew all
will. My horses went off as cheerful
ly with the Sheriff's man as ever they
had gone with me. And Jamie, he'll
be leaving his mother an me an look
in for his supper to some one as can
afford to give him it. My heaven, man,
don't look at me as il were mad,
but tell what I'm to dol"
Jerebaum Matthews flushed little,
put his hands deep in his trousers
pockets, and looked grimly far across
the quiet, gray -clouded, western plains.
SIS it as bad as thatP" he said.
''As bad as thatp It's bad for al
most all in the country, but worse foI
me than most. for I'd hardly got on my
feet. Two years it was drought, and
rninous freights. Now it is rain, light
ming, hail, snow, floods. And where's
my cropsp Beaten down TO the clay
crushed to deathl RuinedI There
would, with a fair season, have been
enough to pay off the interest and re-
new the mortgage, and next year I
might bave got on my feet. There's
nothing now to look forward to but
stark nakedness and cold starvation. 81
And with misery in his eyes the farmer
walked away.
"I'll do you yet, - Possett muttered
"and it will be no sin. No real sin
You have taken everything had, and
my misfortune is good luck for youI'
Now, Jamie had gone away from his
father in a state almost Of despair
But be had plan. He determined to
go right away and see the banker him
self. But, though . small boy, jim
had grown up somehow with a great
belief in the power of appearances.
He saddled Bolivar and then dressed
himself. His dressing was brief. He
took his fathers old wargun a Sharp'l
carbine, which was very rusty, and
which no cartridges in the house would
fit, and cartridge belt and horse
pistol which had probably known Geo
Washington. These he could safely
borrow. Then he rode out bravely In
the dull afternoon, under the threaten
ing skies, past the stormbeaten and
ruined fields. But, though equipped
like pirate, Jamie was not altogeth el
bent on war; he had defined use fo
diplomacy. He had conceived plan.
"How2" be said politely, as he en-
tered the bank, in no wise abasheo at
the brass rails and the clerks boiled
shirt. ''I want to see Mister Banker. )
The teller looked at him with wide.
open eyes, aud, at the sight of that
funny scarecrow figure with the rusty
old pistol and ancient gun, laid back
his. head and shouted with laughter.
Jamie's lip pouted and quivered,
and he felt sorely wounded. In good
faith he had prepared himself to Gre
ate an impression such as his own
stout heart demanded-to enforce re-
spect. II hearts alone were seen, and
not their outside coverings, many a
boy and man would command differ
ence they never will get, but the tel
ler's eyes were blind. He wiped the
tears Of laughter away and looked
again with giggle at the tattered ant
attenuated figured.
| "What do You wantP'' be said. 9Th,
boss, as you call him, is too busy t.
talk to every ragamufiin.
Jim's cheek flushed and his heart
grew strong again at the insulting
words. With a rather clumsy perfor,
nance of the motion be raised the Ole
gun to his shoulder and took aim.
II want to see the boss" he repeat
ed.
| The teller threw up his hands atonct
| with quick pallor.
/ ''Don't shooti'' he shouted.
4 An inner door behind the rails open.
ed and an elderly gentleman appeared
What's this?v be cried with stern
eyes. and dashed out q revolver. In
stinct told tho little Western farm boy
4