The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-12

ulltl Coulu spare tHe money WITHOUT
making Any sacrifice.
Not long after this, l needed pair
of boots, and, though l had the money
to pay for them, had them charged
t. my account, for had not enough to
pay for the pumps also, and was
ashamed to confess the fact.
''To the account, 4 little later, were
added pair of slippers and a pair Of
leather leggings, and, at the end of six
months, my debt was so large that the
idea of paying it out of my allowance
was ridiculous, and, as is generally the
case with people who get things oD
credit, 1 was losing all sensitiveness
about it. My face did not flush when l
accidentally met the proprietor of the
shoe store, and on his asking me, one
day, when I could settle with him, I
turned him off with joke.
"But the day of reckoning was close
at hand. One morning in early sum-
mer, when 1 sat at breakfast with my
grandfather, old Pompey came in with
the mail.
"He always went to Danville for it
some time during the forenoon, but, as
fate would have it, he had gone earlier
than usual this morning by several
hours.
"My grandfather looked over the let-
ters, and, selecting one on which was
printed advertisement, handed it over
to me. AT the same moment, he dis
missed the two servants from the room.
81 have never forgotten how that en-
velope looked, with Bailey & Co., Fine
Boots and Shoes in big letters, in one
corner; and l can see now the ominous
frown on my grandfather's face.
"'What is that, sir?' he asked, in a
stern voice.
81 knew perfectly well that it was
bill, and l could not lie about it. So
remained silent.
"'Hand it here, sir!' said my grand
father.
81 dared not dsobey, and in less time
than it takes to tell it, my grandfather
knew my secret.
"Never before had l seen him so
angry. He denounced me as unworthy
to bear his name, and told me in the
piainest possible language what he
thought of my conduct.
"'You contracted this debt, knowing
that you had no means of paying it, he
said. You have taken this mans goods
under false pretense. You have traded
on my weL-known integrity. You were
trusted because you are my grandson.
But until that debt is paid through your
own endeavors, l refuse to recognize
you as in any way related to me. You
will keep your room in this house, if it
so pleases you; but our meals will be
served at different hours
"And, without giving me chance to
reply, he left the room.
Il was completely overwhelmed at
the consequences of my folly, and for
a time could think of nothing else. Blu,
at length the question of how was to
earn money to pay the debt intruded
itself.
81 was II years of age, but had never
earned a dollar in my life, never done
a stroke of work. knew my grand
father too well to imagine that any ar
guments | could use would have any
effect upon him. There was no hope
whatever that l would be restored to
his good graces until that debt was
paid.
| took my gun and went out into the
woods to think the matter over, but.
after tramp of four miles, turned
my steps homeward without having ar
rived at any solution of my difficulty.
81 had to cross a ferry in order to
reach my grandfather's plantation, and
] shouted to old Patrick, who kept the
ferry house, to bring the boat over.
But it was old Patrick's son. who lived
several miles away, and whom seldom
saw. who came across.
"Father's laid up with the lum-
bago,' he said, in answer to my iE-
quiries. TT looks as if he was going to
have bad spell. He'll have to get some
body to tend the ferry. for I cant stop
any longer than to-day
81 suppose you can guess who the fer
ryman was for the next three months?
was ready to grasp at any chance, and
here was something ready to my hand.
was strong and hardy, and old Patrick
hired me willingly, though greatly sur
prised that | should want the work.
"Of course it wasn't pleasant. ! had
to be at the ferry house every morning
by five o'clock and stay until ten, and
sometimes had to ferry my young lady
friends across, which made my heart
nearly burst with shame and chagrin.
But lived through it, and learned les
son | never forgot.
81 was as proud as king when-the
very day before my tutor was expected
back to begin the fall term-I went to
Bailey and paid that bill.
II ate my dinner that day at my
grandfather's table instead of in Old
Patrick's cabin. Nothing was said of
the past, no allusion made to my re-
turn, but my grandfather was kinder in
tone and manner to me than ever be-
fore, and on my eighteenth birthday,
which occurred soon after, he increased
my allowance.
occasionally we crossed the ferry
together, and once, as we stepped on the