The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-09-14

4. .e ~ # : Z / S Z 20 &
had found his chief occupation in trac-
ing his own characteristics in the
growing boy.
He's a Peters, every inch of him..
gran'ther would shout when Jared's
boyish achievements creditable Or
otherwise, came to his notice.
Gran'ther Peters had always liked
Rose; and of all the girls in the coun-
try round, he would have chosen her
for Jared. When, therefore, at the
age of sixteen, Jared first walked home.
from church with her, gran'ther re-
tired to the grape arbor and chuckled
till he was black in the face. He did
all he could to foster the budding
romance and when the engagement
was formally announced, his rapture
nearly caused a ft Of apoplexy.
When tattling neighbor brought the
news Of Roses double ealing, the old.
man fatty refused to believe it,; but
when with his own eyes, he saw Rose
and Harold strolling by, arm in arm,
in the dusk, he took to his bed. After
two or three days of misery, mental
and physical, he arose and spent an en-
tire afternoon in inditing a letter
which struck CONSERVATION. to Jared's
soul. It was vague in manner and
matter, but he gathered from it some
inkling Of the truth; and Immediately
Wrote-not to Rose, but to one of her.
girl friends. By return mail he re-
ceiEed spicy and perhaps not unex-
aggerated account OF Roses carry
ings on. :.
Now Jared, absorbed in speculation
as he was, had kept a little corner.
I of his heart for Rose; and thought
himself a miracle of constancy because
ne had not allowed another to share
it. There are pretty girls in Kansas;
and there was one in particular. with
wondrous dimples. that he had noticed.
just barely noticed, you know-rso he
made the customary remarks about fe-s
male perfdy. He wrote Rose a biting.
letter-and tore it up; for subtler
revenge had occurred to him. He di-!
vined that Rose preferred him to
Harold-if he succeeded in making
money; and he plotted accordingly.
From this date his correspondence
took on a dismal hue. The boom was
declining; and there were vague hints
Of pitfalls that ensare the unWary and
the inexperienced. Close on the heels
OF these dire forebo odings, followed a
rumor that Jared had come home un-
expectedly, looking very seedy; and it
was surmised, dead broke. z
Friends and neighbors, Rose and
Harold among them, promptly gath
cred on the broad piazza to greet the
home conner, and learn the truth Of the
matter. One glance at the young
mans doleful face was enough. Dis
aster was written on it.
At first he seemed disinclined to
talk; but numerous well put queries
finally loosened his unwilling tongue.
Among the friends Jared made in the
west was one who had been born un-
der an unlucky star. He was intelli-
gent and shreWd; but everything he.
touched turned to ashes. Where others
reaped golden harVests, he reaped mis-
fortune, and his affairs became serious
~ involved. He was too young to.
know that while there is life there is
hope: and one night, Jared, who room.
ed with him, came home to find his
friend stretched on the floor with q
bullet through his head, and the
empty revolver in his own stiffening
right hand.
With the callousness of youth, Jared.
adapted this young fellows story to his.
own uses. Up to the eliminating
tragedy, he told it as his own, and told
it well He was a clever actor, and
fully realized the dramatic possibili-
ties of the situation
The stage setting was perfect A
rising thunder storm had dyed the