The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-01
For OaLue Received.
BY EDGAR WELTON COOLEY.

But he had not been discouraged al
though of evenings, when his hard days
work had been finished, and the lOnel1-
ness came with the twilight, he was wont
to sit on a bench beside his cabin door
and, gazing absently across the field,
thinks of Christina and his dear oId
home in the fatherland.
Over and over again he read Christmas
letters, and when they were all but
worn in two by frequent handling he
placed them in a little box under his b5d.
Dear Christina, her letters were always
full of affection and hope and encourage
ment. She was waiting for him to seno
for her-was waiting patiently and was
ready to come whenever he bid her to.
And at last he had saved enough TO
send for her! This Sunday morning he
had written Christina, giving her full
details Of the long journey she was to
make and tomorrow he would drive to
town, purchase exchange, enclose it i'll
the letter and mail it to her. Then, all
he would have to do would be to wait
to watt
Soon day das acres Will all bane mine,"
he said again-"mine and Christmas"
Then he climbed the fence, letsurely,
and walked across the field to his cabin.
Whistling softly to himself. he got his
supper and when he had eaten it, sat
down in his DOORWAY to watch the
twilight deepen into night and to think
of his old home in Sweden. of Christina
and of the many. many miles between
them.
The following morning he hitched his
team to his light spring wagon and
placing the letter he had written to
Christina carefully in the inside pocket
of his coat, drove over the eight miles
of dusty road to town. And all the way
his honest face was frightened with
smiles and his calm, blue eyes sparkled
with JOY for he was thinking Of Chris
tina and endeavoring to calculate the
probable number of days that must
elapse before she would be with him,
and they would be married in the plain
little Swedish Lutheran church that stood
in the village.
When he arrived in town he tied his
team on a side street and, having salts
fed himself that his letter to Christina
was still in the pocket where he had
placed it, started for the bank wherein
he had deposited his savings.
AS he turned the corner Of the main
street, on which the bank was situated,
he saw a large crowd assembled in
front of the institution. The majority
were greatly excited. Some were gesticu-
lating violently, others were running
aimlessIy about and still others were
standing motionless, dumb, quiet, their
faces ashen.
Larsen quickened his steps. and soon
he. too, was in the angry throng in
front of the building. Pushing his way
through the crowd, he stood at last in
front of the closed door, upon which a
written notice was posted. Slowly he
spelled out the words:
This bank is in the hands of the bank
examiner
Larson turned puzzled face to man
who stood al his elbow.
'Ay doan understand about eet,' he
said.
"The bank has failed" the other re-
piled.
But Ay haf may mooney in das bank. -
/ said Larson, "an Ay want eet.''
The other man laughed.
your money is gone, them he said.
1.-THE banks busted"
'Das bank boosted?" asked Larson, in
nocently Den vat Ay do? Ay haf all
| Ay saved in five sax year, two hundred
| dollar. in das bank. Ay tend send das
mooney to Christina
He held out his hands as though be-