The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-07-16

wasn't enough in the bank to give the
house coat - fresh paint an patch
the barn roof"
"You knowel I had $4,000 with q,
stock in the Shoal River cotton mills
didn't you?" asked Bishop defant]v
and yet with the manner of a man
throwing a missile which he hoped
would fall lightly.
Eyes, l knowed that, butt The
woman's eyes were two small fires
burning hungrily for information be-
fond their reach.
"Well, it happens that Shoal stock is
jest the same on the market as ready
money, up little today an down to-
morrow, but never varyin' more'n 2
fraction of a cent on the dollar, an 81
the Tompkins heirs say they'd jest as
lieve have it, an as I'm itchin' to re-
lieve them of Their land it didn't take
us long to come together"
If he had struck the woman squarelv
in the face, she could not have shown
more surprise. She became white to
the lips and with low cry turned to
her son. "Oh, Alan, don't-don't let
i'm do it. It's all we have left that
we can depend on! 1t will ruin usv'
'Why, father, surely" protested
Alan as he put his arm around his
mother, 'surely you can't mean to let
60 your mill investment which is pay
ing Is per cent to put the money into
lands that may never advance in value
and always be dead weight on your
hands! Think Of the loss of interest
you must listen to-
Listen to nothin'," Numbered Bish.
op, half rising from his chair. no
body axed you two to put in. It's nv
business, an I'm a-goin' to attend to
it. I believe I'm dom the right thing
an that settles it,
''The right thing" moaned the old
woman as she sank into a chair and
covered her face with her hands. "Mr,
Trabue," she went On iercely, when
that factory stock leaves our hands we
won't have a single thing to our names
that will bring n a cent of income.
You kin see how bad it is on a woman
who has worked as hard to do fer her
children as have. Mr.. Bishop always
said Adele, who is visitin' her uncle's
family in Atlanta, should have that
stock for weddin' gift eff she ever
married, an Alan was to have the low
er half of this farm. Now, what wouli'
we have to give the girl-nothin but
thousands O. acres O. hills. mountains
an gulches full O. bear, wildcats an
catamounts land that it I'D break any
young COUPE to hold on to, much less
put to any use. Oh, I feel perfectly
sick over it.!
There was a heavy, dragging step In
the hall, anu long, lank man Of ST.
ty or sixty-fve years Of age paused n
the doorway. He had no beard exce~'
tuft of gray hair on his chin, and L -
teeth, being few and far between, CAV
to his cheeks hollow appearance. He
was Abner Daniel, Mrs. Bishops bac
elor brother, who lived in the family
"Hello?' he exclaimed, shifting big
quid of tobacco from one cheek to tt
other. ''Plottin' agin the whites? Eff
you are, III decamp, as the Teller said
when the bull yeerlin' butted i'm in the
small O. the back. How are you, Mr..
Trabue? Have they run you out O.
town fer some O. yore legal rascality?'
Il reckon your sister thinks it's ras-
cality that's brought me out today"
laughed the lawyer. 1--WE are on lit
tie land deal"
"Oh, we'll, I'll move on said Abner
Daniel. 81 jest wanted to tell Alan
that Riggs hogs got into his young
corn in the bottom jest now an rooted
up about as many acres as Pole Bak-
er's plowed all day. Eff they'd a-rooted
in straight rows an not gone too nigh
the stalks, they mought "a done the
crap more good than harm. but Their
aim or intention, one or t'other, was
bad. Folks is that away. Mighty few
OF 'em root-when they root at all-fer
anybody but the'rse'ves. Well. I'll git
along to my room"
Don't go, Brother Ab," pleaded his
sister. II want you to hep me stand
up fer my rights. Alfred is about to
swap our cotton mill stock fer some
more wild mountain land"
In spite of his natural tendency to
turn everything into a jest-even the
serious things of life-the sallow face
of the tall man heightened. He stared
into the faces around him for a mo-
ment; then slow twinkle dawned in
his eye.
i've never been knowed to take sides
in any connubial tussle vet" he said to
Trabue in a dry tone "Alf may not
know what he's about right now, but
he's Solomon hisse'f compared to a
Teller that will undertake to settle a
dispute betwixt man an his wife
more especially the wife Geewhilikins!
l never shall forget the time old Jane
Hardeway come heer to spend week
an Alf thar an Betsy split over buyin'
hatrack fer the hall. Betsy had seed
one over at Mason's at the campground
an determined she'd have one. Mavbe
you noticed that fancy contraption in
the hall as you come in. Well. ALT seed
a niger unlOadin' it from q WAGON, o+