The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-02-13
CHAPTER III.
OFF FOR THE HoP-FIELDs.


"You see it's like this" Joe Be-
craft was saying as the three
trudged slowly in the blazing sun
across the meadow towards the city.
"The mill where I've been workin'
these six years, an where Jim's just
startin' in, has shut down month
for repairs, so we're gettin' holiday.
Ma always goes pickin' hops, an
Mame-she's my sister-but Jim an
me, we amt so lucky every year"
''You like it, then?" inquired Ros-
sitter.
you'd better believe I do. Sod
you if you were shut up in a mill all
the rest of the time"
Haven't you good position?"
ooh, yes, Pm not kickin'. I'm
under-overseer in the cardin'- room.
I'll get to be overseer, perhaps, one
of these days, an then" He broke
off. There was happy look in his
eyes and he gave little laugh, while
Jim chuckled audibly.
"What are you snickerin' at, you
young jay?" cried his brother, MAX
ing a pretense of being provoked,
and vainly trying to cuff the offender.
The more Rossiter talked with the
elder Becraft the more did he grow to
respect, if not to admire, him, he
was so wholly natural, so independ-
ent, so self-poised, and yet so en-
tirely without conceit. He was un-
oJ, nl in, foy
having been the mainstay of the fam
lily for eight years, yet he kept him
self informed on the topics of the
day, and had his opinions on public
affairs, which were more free from
Sias than the views held by most Of
those in his station in life. Crude
he was, but earnest, frank and warm
hearted, and Rossiter was shamed
when he contrasted his own weak
ness and lack of purpose with this
young fellows unassuming strength.
AS the three reached the square
beyond the railway tracks, Rossiter
noticed that Joe Becraft was begin
ming to lag and show signs of ex-
haustion.
"You'd better have a drink of
whisky to brace you up" he said.
"a milk-shake will do the busi-
ness," Becraft replied. Its too hot
for whisky. May be you'd like nip,
though" he added, with a peculiar
sidelong glance, which the vagrant
caught. 1t was as though the young
er man was surmising what the
elders habits might be.
"Oh, no." Rossiter said, not be-
traying the fact that he noticed Be-
crafts scrutiny, "I'm not much on
whisky myself. 1 like a little beer
now and again, however"
"Yes, beer amt bad, but the shake
is what 1 need now. 1 feel bit
empty"
They stopped at small corner
drug store, where all three had the
drink which Joe Becraft craved,
though the clerk looked askance
when he came to serve Rossiter.
"My mothers waitin' at the Cot
tage hotel" said the elder Becraft,
when they again stood upon the side
walk. "That's where the hop
wagons to come for us about two
o'clock. Now before we go up, for
we want you to come along with us,
I've got something to propose.
You'll take it all right, won't you?"
perhaps 1 know what it is" an
swered Rossiter, for several times
he had seen Becraft furtively regard
ing his hair and beard.
do you?"
81 can guess"
"Well, if that's the case, you amt
a-goin' to mind, are you? You can
pay me back, you know"
You'll trust me to pay you back,
then?"
Trust you to? Why, of course I
will. You'l pay me if you've got
anythin' to pay with, an you'll have
it all right after little"
81 don't believe there are many who
would take your view of it."
"P'raps not, for, to tell the truth,
you amt what the boys would call
"a swell But shave an hair cut'll
make a sight of difference. l know
of a place close by where Wen go.
A chap from our town keeps it,"
AS they turned from the main
thoroughfare, which was called Ken
eseo street, puff of warm wind blew
cloud of dust in their faces.
"Thunder!" calculated Joe Be-
craft, "I've swallowed enough nasty
stuff for one day. Do you know" he
added, ''for a decent city, this town
is one of the dirtiest goin'! 'Taint
as bad as it used to be, but it's plenty
bad enough"
Rossiter was not posted in the mat
ter of municipal street-cleaning, so
he did not reply to these observa-
tions. They had not walked more
than a block when they saw bar