Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-04-26

pretended to arrange something about
the trunk, and then he Strengthened up
and went over to the other.
"It's terrible for you. Your mother?"
II have a mother and sister at home,
on farm just out of Randall. 1 don't
know how
He walked over to his trunk and sat
down ON it, still sobbing. Preston look
ed ON, unable to say word. One of
the other boys appeared at the door
way and said Logan would be up in q
few moments.
"You needn't worry about the trunk
or anything. Well see about getting II
down to the station all right. You can
catch the o'clock in time"
Blake rose again and walked over to
the window. Suddenly he turned
around and faced his new acquaint.
ance with a color that was in startling
contrast with his blanched look when
the news came.
Il haven't cent with me to buy
ticket orr
That's all right" exclaimed Pres
ton, with a sigh Of relief to think he
could do something "I'll lend you all
you want" And then, to his great re-
lief, Logan, the man Of all work about
the college, came up and helped him
get the trunk down stairs. Blake fol
lowed mechanically. the crowd about
the hall looking on gravely.
"Hll go down with you and help you
off. We might as we'll ride with Lo-
gam" said Preston, and he and Blake
college grounds together.
Down at the station Preston bought
Blake's ticket, checked the trunk and
tclegraphed the mother that her son
was on the way. When the train came
in. he saw Blake Oh board, and as it
started he waved his hand sympathet-
ically to the sorrowful figure by the
window. AS he turned away to walk
up College hill he said to himself,
"Wonder how | would feel to get word
of my fathers death like that| His
face had Il curious look on it as he
thought of the possibility. When he
returned to the hall, he was unusually
serious, and it was many a day before
he could dismiss from his mind the
tragic event in the other boys life, and
yet not even then did he realize the
meaning of it all or its bearing upon
his own life in Hope college.
Edward Blake went home, and the
next few days were filled with grave
experience for him. He was 10 years
old. His mother and sister were all
the family left. the sister two years
younger than he. Edwards father
had been a thrifty careful farmer
who had passed through all the expert
cnccs of deep poverty. struggles to pay
interest. sickness and the loss of two
younger children. But this last year
matters had turned toward a more
hopeful future. For two seasons the
crops had been so heavy and prices so
his life the sturdy farmer felt able to
send one of his children to college, an,'
after long planning the boys trunk
was packed with many a carefully
mended and made over garment that
mother and sister had worked over,
while the tears fell on the garments as
they worked. And one reason why
Edward Blake had hesitated to open
his trunk in the presence of stranger
was not because he was ashamed Of
the homely clothing packed into it, but
because, with a delicacy of feeling that
marked a really poetical temperament,
he shrank from showing others the
contents Of trunk into which had
gone such lavish display of affection
pitifully bestowed on the best they
could afford at home.
When he entered the college grounds
that afternoon, anticipating his coming
college life with the keenest pleasure.
this young man from the humble farm
at Randall had only so cents in money.
After he had paid the expressman and
turned around to face the group Of
careless students sitting on the steps Of
the dormitory he had realized that he
was absolutely without cent, thrown
upon his own resources for making his
way through four years. college
course unless his father could advance
him little help. 1t had not been his
fathers wish that Edward should start
for college until certain money due
from the sale Of grain could be put into
his hands. This money was promised
him by his father and would meet his
immediate expenses for few weeks.
But it was with the definite knowledge
that he was on the whole to depend on
his own struggles that he had ventured
to start and begin his college life,
ready to do any honest work he could
find in order to pay his way. His room
had been already reserved for him, ac-
cording to the custom prevailing at
Hope college. He had great hopes Of
finding plenty Of work in the neighbor-
hood of the college, and no boy or girl
Of the hundreds that came up College
hill that September afternoon had a
more courageous or sangujne heart
than Edward Blake.
The event Of his fathers sudden
death changed in a second the boys
programme Of life. He found himself