Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-30
UNCLE JUDSON'S CRUST.

!, UNCLE JUDSON'S CRUST.
Z - ~ .s:g.-sSe~-xS-- 49,
A dapper little man. with silky
yellow mustache which curled up
jauntlly at the ends, cane out and
closed The door softly behind him.
t.l.Mr. Hardacre SAYS he vii, see you
in a few minutes. Will you be seat
ed?" and the little man turned and be-
gan to rustic the papers on his desk as
If he were very busy indeed.
Willis Everett dropped down in a
chair close to the railing, fused with
his hat and watched for Judson Hard
acres door to open. He thought it
was a rather cold reception for an un-
Gle to give his nephew, and yet his
mother had warned him what to ex-
pect.
''Your uncle Judson," she had said,
SIS very much devoted to his business.
He has never in his life had time to
give to his friends, and people say
that he is crusty and hard-hearted,
but am sure that my brother Judson
has as kind heart as any man living,
If only you can reach it,"
Willis had come to his uncle as a
last resort. He had just finished his
junior year in college, and he knew
that the completion of his own course
would depend on his earnings during
the summer. His father had been able
TO supply him with money, although
not SO literally as he really needed
for the first three years of his college
life, but hard times had ruined his
business, and it was all he could do to
pay rent and grocers' bills, not to
mention the provision of clothing for
the younger children.
Il want to see you finish up with
your class" he had said to Willis,
''but it is out of the question for me to
furnish the money. You will have to
get out and see what you can do for
yourself"
And Willis had tried his best to get
a position But he found that he was
compelled to compete in this struggle
for an opportunity to make a living
with men older and more experienced
than himself, who knew better what
the employers required. One man said
he would take Willis on trial, but he
couldn't pay him anything for few
months; another said he had posi-
ton, but he wished to give it to a man
who intended to remain with him
permanently and work up in the bust
ness. And so they all put him off.
and now he was watching for the door
of his uncles private Office to open.
He had not seen his uncle in several
years. He remembered the last meet
ing without any exuberance of pleas
ure. Uncle Judson had called on his
mother one afternoon, and he had
come in warm and excited from a ten
mis- game.
whats that thing you have got in
your hand?" his uncle asked, after
his mother had presented him.
why, a tennis racquet"
Sarah, can't you teach your chill
dren to go into better business than
dwaddling around in white trousers
with toy bat?"
Even as Willis thought of 1t now,
he felt his cheeks tingle with mingled
modification and anger.
''Mr. Hardacre is ready to see you,'
said the dapper little man.
Willis slipped quietly into the pri-
vate Office. He saw his uncle sitting
at a handsome roll-top desk and glar-
ing at him from under his shaggy
gray brows. He had square, lean
face, with determined chin and his
hair was coarse and gray.
!. well, SIR"
II am in search of work." said Will
lis, somewhat falteringly; father
can't supply me with money for my
last year in college and unless I can
earn It can't CO."
"That's just what I told your
mother before she married Everett.
Now that he has got a family of boys
he can't educate 'em. But she
wouldn't listen to any of my advice"
: The hot blood surged into Willis
face. He couldn't bear this reference
to his Woodworking, undetermined
in order that his boys might have
their schooling.
my father has done the best he
could" Willis said, holly, "and can't
listen to anything against him. II
you have nothing / can do,,-and Will
lis turned and started toward the door
with his shoulders thrown back.
There, there" said his uncle, with
the trace of grim smile curling his
lips; well let that drop. You say
you want work-what can you do?"
"Pm just out Of college," Willis said.
''and I'll have to do most anything I
can get to do"
IL suppose you are well up in ten
mis- and football and leaping the pole,
and all that sort of thing"
Eyes, sir" responded Willis, tempt
ed again to turn and leave the room.
well, don't happen to have any
of those things in my business. You
know, I am engaged In the manu-