The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-11-24

tAke what they can git for hos now
adayA Tain't no use settin price.
Some people who saw old Cissel 60
ing into Ann Earp's said that he walk
cd al II he were growing young again.
but his former landlady's face was se-
we're and unapproachable as she answer
ed his knock.
81 have come 90 pay the bill, +" an
nounced the old man. whereupon Mrs.
Earp's face relaxed, and she invited
him into the warm dining room.
Pore people, she said apologetical-
ly as she received the money, lis some
times forced to do hard things, but if
you've sold the boss I'll be glad to give
you the room again
The room in question was back of the
dining ROOM The door between was
open. 1t mast be warm too. Old Cissel
bowed and thanked her, but he did not
accept.
Mrs Washington smiled benignly
when she in turn received her money.
"It's the last day of the week s board, I"
said old Cissel II git my supper F"
claws, you amt gunno leave?" cried
Mrs Washington. "You amt mad at
what said yesterday? l was called on
for money myself and was put to- If I'd
know you was gunno sell the boss So
early, / wouldn't said word. Washin'-
ton won't half like it if let you go. &"
1--WE made other arrangement, said
old Cissel II jest git my supper that s
all. "
To laf ha of
'Goin back to Ann Earp's, l s'pose, Z"
said Mrs. Washington sneeringly, ito
have the tick took off again when the
boss moneys spent Well, reckon it's
best to be shed of him now"
The old man sat in the gentlemen S
waiting room until very late. He was
congratulated several times upon the
sale of his horse. He was told that he,
at any rate, had something to be thank
full for, but he looked very, very old.
"Bub best take him eff he wants
him." said the cowboys among them
selves. Hes holdin out pretty study
for 17-year-old boy"
When old Cissel quilted the station,
he did not go to Mrs. Earp's, as Mrs.
Washington had prophesied. He went
up TO the bridge and stood there, look
ing down mechanically at the railroad
track. There had been two light falls
of snow, enough to cover the ground
several inches, and the people had
brought out their sleighs for Thanks
| giving. The old man, leaning against
the rail Of the bridge, heard the sleigh
| bells as in dream, but he knew that it
was Thanksgiving. He brought his
hands out of his empty pockets and
folded them upon the railing. He looked
up at the moon lighted sky.
I'm thankful, he said slowly,
THAT I've been able to pay my just
debts-$12 to Ann carp, $40 for the
boss and $lS to Eliza Washin ton.
Tain't no use settin price on boss.
What you can git for him, that what
he's with. Forty dollars for fine,
sound, young horse! Lord, is the times
SO hard as that?"
Then he must have heard the sleigh
bells distinctly, for there were two
strings of them upon a horse that was
springing and dancing behind him. He
must have heard the energetic "WhoaW
and the tingling and jingling of the
sleighbells shaken afresh. And yet it
seemed as if he heard nothing at all.
His head had fallen ON his arms. He
shifted his feet little to make surer
prop as he prepared to spend his second
night without home.
The old head was lifted gently by a
pair of strong hands, some one said
To in nl, vol nd o1I
| Cissel turned and stared into the boys
face.
Father" cried Bub again.
But the old man drew back. Leaning
heavily against the bridge railing, he
announced that the "hoss" was sold,
given away.
You re- cold, said the boy gruffly.
"You git in thar. You're goin whar
you'll be took care of. heerd all about
you"
He helped the old man into the sleigh
and drew the robes about him. Then he
whistled to his horse, and the sleigh
bells resumed their jingling
The sudden change from the homeless
and destitute feeling of spending the
night upon the bridge, with no future
prospects whatever, with the knowl-
edge that it was Thanksgiving day and
that he could only be thankful over the
fact that his empty pockets meant that
each honest debt had been paid-the sud-
den change from all this to the comfort
able seat in the sleigh, with the spirited
horse rushing him on to warmth and
light and home, was too much for old
Cissel. He sat in the sleigh beside Bub
whimpering like little child.
The boy leaned over and very quietly
saw that the robes were rightly placed.
Then old Cissel reached out his hand
and touched his sons coat sleeve.
"When man gifts to be nigh ON to
80, Bub," he said humbly, she ought
to have sense enough to know that
young blood's hot Though I'm the first
Cissel that ever done it, I'm gunno low
I'm sorry"
The boy turned about. "No, you're
not, fatherl' he cried quickly. You're
not to low you're sorry. You're not to
be sorry. It's me that's both sorry and
| ashamed. "