The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-09-30

When Farmer James Thompson mort
gagged his farm to old John Doan that
he might raise money To 90 into the
dairy business he could figure out that
lie had twenty chances of success
against one of failure Inside of three
years. however. misfortune had come
to him in half Il dozen different direc-
tions. Most of his herd had persisted
when his barn had been struck by
thundcrbolt. ana following that his wife
had died and lie had fallen and broken
a leg There could he only one more
calamity in store for him. and that put
III IN appearance i'll due time One day
when Il letter had come for him he call
Ell his daughter Bessie in and SaiT:
We'll. it has come. Old John Doan
is going to foreclo>e the mortgage on
ne. and i'll few weeks we shall he
homeless. Here's the notice from his
man of business
Bessie Thompson was girl of twcn-
ty. In addition to being good look
ing and having IL good education, her
acquaintanccS called her IL brick"
They said so because she had faced
misfortune with Drawer heart than
Ter father and had displayed Il level
head and much shrcwdEcss in trying
10 stem the tide and eXtricate him
from his unfortunate situation. She
had even taken trip of fifty miles to
Sc oh Holm Doan in person and try
to soften his Heart. but had only found
his AGENT and been =rUflly told that
her father .ni:st pay UP Or 20. She had
expected I'll" blow. and her answer to
her father was:
We'll. if we can't pay We'll have
t. 30. of course. but we shall he allow
cd Il few weeks grace. and who knows
what may Happen in that time:'
Something did happen. but it came
about in a queer way. Two weeks had
passed. and Miss Bessie had started to
make soft soap i'll Il big kettle in the
back yard. Farmer folks would make
soft soap in the spring even though as
Sured that the world would be no
more by midsummer. The big kettle
had been filed with I've from the beach
and a fire started under it. and the
hour was o'clock in the afternoon,
back doorstep out of the smoke to
think and plan for the future. In the
course of Il quarter of an hour she was
so lost i'll her thoughts that she was
oblivious Of her surroundings and was
jumped to her feet by hearing a harsh
voice saying:
Young woman. don't you know that
lye?'
1t was man of sixty who had en-
tered the front gate and PASSED around
the house. He WAS decently dressed.
but he waS boWhackCd and lame. and
his Snarlin%. stingy disposition could
be read in lis face
Il say thai the kettle IS boiling over
l:c repeated as she stared at him and
wondered who he could be. 1T seems
tn ne that Il girl of your age ought to
know enough to put Il stick across it,
Perhaps, though, You've got I've to
throw away or you had rather think
of marrying some prince than of max
ing soft soap"
II was thinking she stammercd.
CS, KNOW, Dul IL WISH | ABOUT
the soar. Young woman. when you
have ;'nytEin% on hand attend to it
and let castle building alone. Thinking
wont bring bread and butter"
Miss Bessie walked down to the fire
and rpurran"cd it :; bit and then laid Il
site: a,.rDS>; The top of the kettle to pre-
vent another accident. While she was
GoiM:, this the old man sat down Oh
the steps. with Il grunt and looked
aruurl and Iuttercd TO himself. Pres
e4;I.y lie called to her:
''Y2!ny woman. is your father at
v;Grl: ;tnywhcgcS about the FARM
No. sir. Father is in bed with
E.o!;c:: IT,
- .;'pHsr he was doing some fool
ding when he broke it,"
II" Vas drawing up wood last Feb
r,!ary."
"Jt4. Where's your mothcr:'
dead.
I'm. Who runs the farm
Tin doing my best to care for
things. but it won't need anybody
long. rs we shall soon he leaving"
Got to leave. ch:" lie chuckled.
Say. young woman, I'll bet you Il hair
pin there's Il mortgage Oh this farm.
Isn't it So: