Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-07-25

pool rapids % avarfce an. greed
lowed I was III a safe haven an didn't
dream O. the stormclouds hangin' oyer
me till they bust in fury on my head.
NOW. Lord, my Father give them
hearts Of patience an forgiveness rer
the sblunders Of thy servant What I
dope L done in the bullheaded way
that I've always done things, but 4
meant good and not harm. These things
we ask In the name O. Jesus Christ,
our blessed Lord and Master. Amen
During the latter part Of the prayer
Mrs. Bishop had been staring at her
husband through her parted fingers,
her face pale and agitated, and as she
rose her eyes were glued to his face.
"Now, Alfred" she said, what are
sou goin' to tell us about the railroad?
Is It as bad as brother Alb thought it
would -be2''
Bishop hesitated. 1t seemed as it
he had even then to tear himself from
the clutch Of his natural stubbornness.
He looked into all the anxious, waiting
faces before he spoke, and then he
gave in.
"Ab made good guess. Eff I'd "a
had his sense or Alan's, I'd "a made
better trader. It's like Alb said it was.
only sight wuss, powerful sight
wussv'
"Wuss?" gasped his wife in fresh
alarm. How could it be wuss? Why,
Brother. Alb said''-
Il never have told you the extent O.
my dealin's," went on Bishop in the
current Of confession. Il never even
told Perkins yesterday. Fust an last
I've managed to rake in fully twenty
thousand acres O. mountain land. I
was gotn'' on what lowed was dead
shore thing. l secured all could lay
my hands on, an did it in secret.
was afeerd even to tell you about what
Perkins said. thinkin' it mought leak
out an Spite my chances"
But, father" said Alan, "you didn't
have enough money to buy all that
land"
Il got it up'-Bishop's face was dog
gedly pale, almost defiant of his over
whelmlng disaster-"I mortgaged this
farm to get money to buy Maybry and
Morton's four thousand acres.'
1.-The farm you was going to deed to
Alan" gasped his wife. "You didn't
include that?'
mot in that DEAL" groaned Bishop.
Il snapped that to Phil Parsons fer
his poplar an cypress belt"
The words seemed to cut raspingly
into the silence of the big room. Abner
Daniel was the only one who seemed
unmoved by the confession. He filled
his pipe from the bowl on the mantel-
piece and pressed the tobacco down
with his forefinger; then he kicked the
ashes in the chimney till he. uncovered
| small live coal. He eyed it for
moment, then dipped it up in the shov-
ell, rolled it into his pipe and began to
smoke.
80 amt a-goin' to git no yeerly
pass over the new road" he said, his
object being to draw his brother-in-
law back to Perkins action in the mat
ter.
Perkins was a-lyin' to me-" an
swered Bishop. HE hain't admitted
1t yet, but he was a-lyin'. His object
was to hep the Tompkins sell out fer
a decent price, but he can't be han
died. He's got me on the hip"
NO." said Abner. I'D ruther keep
on swappin' gold dollars fer mountain
land an lettin' it 60 fer taxes AN to
try to beat a lawyer at his own game.
A courthouse is like the devils abode,
easy to git into, no outlet an nothin'
but scorch while you are thar"
| Hush, fer the name o. goodnessv'
cried Mrs. Bishop, looking at her hus-
band. Don't. you see he's dyin' from
1t? Are you all a-goin' to kill i'm
| What does a few acres O. land ur
debts amount to beside KILN a man
ats been tryin' to help US all? Alfred,
it amt so mighty awful You know it
amt! What did me an you have when
we started out but log house boarded
| up on the outside, an now we've got
our Children educated an all of us in
good health. rally believe it's sin
agin Gods mercy fer US to moan an
fret under thing like this
That's the talk" exclaimed Abner
Daniel enthusiastically. Nov you
are gittin' down to brass lacks. I've
always contended"-
For Gods sake, don't talk that
way" said Bishop to his wife. "You
don't mean word of it. You are jest
a-sayin' it to try to keep me from
SEEM what a fool am"
"You .eedn't worry about me, ia
ther," said Alan firmly. II am able to
look out for myself and for you and
mother. It's done, and the best thing
to do is to look at it in q sensible way
Besides. man with 10000 acres of
mountain land paid for Ia not broken
by long jump"
"Yes. I'm gone" said Bishop. a
wavering look Of gratitude in his eye
Is he turned to his son. II figured ON
It all last night. can't pay the heavy
interest an come out. I was rlayin'
for big stakes an got left Thar's