The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-20
III


The leaves of the woods about Little
town lay thick on lonely paths. and the
cold weather had come. and the souir-
rels were busy laying in their winter
supplies and laughing at the small bows
who tried to shoot them. People were
remembering that THANKSGIVING was
within a week or two, and children were
wondering if years more growth
would insure proportionate increase
in appetite for good things Grand
mother Marcy dOZed by the stove. wax
eninS up occasionally to call for Jim.
and ask what made him so long over
the chores. Every evening she was told
Jim had gone off to work, and every
morning she forgot and wondered why
he did not come to breakfast Tom
Marshall was home, so brown and thin
that grandmother did not recognize
him. Veteran Marcy waxed sicker and
weaker and more gloomy every day, for
all the village knew that Jimmie had
run after the soldiers and never been
heard of again, and was doubtless dead
of fever in that unhealthy land.
The veteran opened his door late one
night to peremptory knock, and q
grim, gray-beaIded man entered, with q
malicious look at the stOrekeeper
80, Marcy" said he, ''and I'm told
your mainstay is dead, and you and
your old mother are hardly able to get
about You're in bad way
Marcy drew himself up without an
swerinS, and looked straight at his Wis
itor, without asking him to sit down.
ITS years now" said the man,
since L told you 1 hated you, and you
said L could do my worst. It's come
to the worst, Marcy. You aren't ready
to pay off the mortgage, and L know it.
You have no deposit in my bank"
rs it likely L would deal with you,
inc
you always Were?" said the veteran,
quietly. Not likely. Baillie. 1 told
the truth about you years ago. You
say it hurt you, but it saved my best
friend. You swOre you'd be revenged,
and you've grown rich and hold the
mortgage on my home, and you can be
revenged. My-my boy is dead, and
what care L now what happens? Do
your worst"
Baltic walked up and down the room
triumphantly.
Every stick shall be sold" cried ne.
''Tll pull down the house; I'll pillow the
land. You shan't have a place to lay
your head, Marcy. Who's got the upper
hand now, hey? You would have me
contaminated and disgraced. would
you? Man, L could would like to
strike you down. I've waited years for
this; I've lOnged for it. Why don't you
grovel honest Marcy? Do you see
these papers? You can't redeem themi
Why don't you go on your knees, ask
for mercy, you poor, sick bankrupt
Because" said a weak voice at the
door. ''he don't need to, Mr., Baillie, and
you ought to take off your hat in any
mouse you're visiting.
A thin hand rose quickly past the
bankers face as Baillie turned IN
amaze and deity knocked off the hat
of the visitor.
"Jim!" screamed the veteran My
JIM Thank Godi 1 thought you were
deadl"
He held the boy in his arms, and gran
turned placidly round in her chair and
shri1ly called:
..That you. Jimmie boy? Amt you
late for supper"
Jim tore himself loose. kissed his
gran and turned to the stupefied
banker.
About them papers, said Jim, cool
ly. Dads sick and grams too old for
business. and I'm running this family
tonight. You need money for them pa
Ders, don't you2 OF course Well, it's
not quite due, but guess III pay OF
that mortgage tonight. Get the pen and
ink. dad. and MIR. Baillie will be quite
pleased to sign d quttment. You can
pick up your hat. Mr.. Baltic"
Jim" said his father. trembling,
''have you got it?'
The Custer neckerchief? Sure" said
Jim, and produced from his breast
pocket that old relic which had given
him such a chase. He spread it on the
table. 1t was carefully sewn I'D, like
a broad necktie. Jim ripped it open and
displayed. stitched inside, three bank
bills for 500 each.
You see." said Jim. 1--WE wouldn't
trust your bank. and We knew you had
been thief, and might employ thief,
Mr.. Baillie, so we hid them in what
would have been a safe place, but for
poor old gran. There's u few odd dol
Jars needed. Here they are
u The banker. too much aStOnished and
enraged to speak, took the money, sign
ed his name to a quitment. handed over
his papers, and left the house, cursinS.
Don't hug me so, dad said Jim,
after a while. I'm weak and can't
stand it. III tell you all after supper.
1 found the Custer kerchief in the
hands of d Cuban black who nearly
killed me with his machete, but some
Americans heard me yelling, and came
up and killed him, and 1 got the neck
erchief. But l was in hospital with
the wound the Cuban gave me. and
then 1 got the fever and was delirious.
and couldn't write. But everybody was
good to me and helped me home-just
in time. dadi O! hOOrayl We're free.
never, never to be III that mans power
again"
Jimmie, boy" said gran. was it
Christmas or Thanksgiving you was
saying yesterday was close at hand?'
"Thanksgive, grant cried Jimmie
''And such a thanksgive it's a going to
be as never wasi'
And / believe it will be, for jim has
invited the whole village to eat his
Thanksgiving dinner-that is, with the
exception of Mr. Baillie. But he al
ways eats his alone with no company.
but sour thoughts.
q Na-yro-r- TT=oaTa