Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-11-20
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
: WHAT JACK LOST :
= BY Florence 3. Hallowel. 4:
AANA0nRA.1.A 1i3.0;ASASTAy


often brought trouble, not only on him
self, but on others as well. He was
needless to the last degree.
Somehow or other Jack always man
ages to forget every commission give
him." said his sister Kate one day. lie
listens to me, mods Understandings.
goes off whistling and-that's the last
of It,"
"IIe listens, but he doesn't pay atten-
ton," said Mrs. Hawley. "What you
say makes no impression upon him. He
is irredeemably needless"
"Perhaps he is thinking all the time
of how he can get to college" said little
Fan. ''IIe wants to go to college awful
lv, mamma. lie told me the other day
that it was the dream of his life
ut seems hard that his dream cannot
be realized" and Mrs. Hawley sighed.
"But it is all | can do to meet our pres
ent expenses, and dare not mortgage
the farm. l must keep a roof over our
heads, at all events
Neither of the girls spoke in reply.
Fan was thinking of the long illness
from which she had only just recovered,
and mentally bemoaning the money
which had been spent in medicines and
in paying doctors bills.
Hates thoughts ran in different
channel. From childhood she had had
passion for music, and her indulgent
father had made many sacrifices TO cul-
tivate it. His best horse had been sold
to pay her music bills at Nine. llopper's
select seminary, and 40 acres Of the
farm had passed into strangers hands
that she might attend first-class con-
servatory for three years. He had
planned to send her to Europe, too, for
year, at least; but his death had ended
all thoughts of that.
Kate had come home at 81 years of
age a proficient musician, with con-
servatory diploma in the tray of her
trunk, but she had not thought of turn
ing her skill into dollars and cents. She
had had enough to do in helping to
nurse and amuse Fan and in attending
to the housekeeping and dairy.
But now Fan was getting well. and
could amuse herself. and Mrs. Ilawley
had taken the household reins into her
own hands again, leaving Kate at lib
erty to sit at her dear old piano from
morning to night If she so desired. And
she practiced great deal.
Jack declared that even in his dreams
he heard the sound of that piano, and
that if Kate would put half as much
energy and perseverance into raising
onions as she did into her parcticng
they would soon be in independent cir
cumstances.
MY hanGs wouldn't be fit for the
piano II l weeded onions," said Kate.
but what is the use of it alp" asked
Jack. ut seems n reckless waste of
time to me. If l had only half as much
money to spend in going to college as
you have spent in learning how to run
scales Id make something of myself.
AS it is, I suppose I'll have to be farm
er to the end of the chapter"
Jack didn't like farming. He wanted
to be n lawyer, and thought he had a
special talent for oratory. But the farm
was small, and just paid expenses now.
Wringing enough from 1t to pay for q
course at college was out of the ques
ton.
But this morning plan was shaping
itself in Hates mind by which her
brothers darling ambition might be
gratihed.
She thought 1t all out and then con-
fGed it to her mother
"If you only could, Kate" said Mrs.
Iawley, show pleased Jack would be!
And can spare You now as well as not,
though of course Fan and would miss
you very much
"I'll try it, anyhow" said Kate.
" Nothing venture, nothing have you
know, and if l only succeed Jack won't |
say again that my practicing is reck-
less waste of time"
And off she ran to her own room,
inging like bird.
She spent ten minutes in writing a
postal card and then ran downstairs
and out to the gate to watch for a team
on the way to town. Jack was going
in that afternoon, but for very particu
lar reasons she didn't want him to see
that card.
1t was intrusted to Mr.. Piling, near
leighbor, who was the first to pass, and
he was cautioned to "be sure not to for
get to post it, for it was very i'm.
Dortant."
A week later Kate received seine cir
'ulars, and was busy ever them for an
lour, filing out the answers to the
printed questions. And then Mr.. Pill
ing was asked to post letter.
One evening, week subsequent, on
his return from town. Mr.. Pilling
her an answer to the all-im-
,ortant missive.
AS soon as the letter was in her hands,
Kate made a sign to her mother to fol-
ow her. and then ran into the paror
o read her epistle undisturbed.
"Mother, mother. isn't this SPLEEN
lido" she cried, when Mrs. IIawley
anne into the parlor few minutes
alter. "The agency writes me that
eacher of music is wanted in school
t Camden, Mo. The salary is $500
ear and home. Isn't it good?"
"But perhaps you won't be able to
et it. Kate. Don't be too sanguine."
"Oh. feel sure III get it; something
GEMS to tell me l will" cried happy
Kate. "My diploma makes me as COM
etent an applicant as they'll be likely
o have. Won't dear Jack be surprised
Fhen l tell him to get ready for col
rye? l can let him have at least $500
: 1uy salary. l shall need to spend so