Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-04-13

mates and have Kept up our triendSh hip
We used to call him Truthful George,
because he was always SO afraid of eX
aggerating. He seems to have keH
track Of you while you worked il BrowI
C Bogg's. Too bad they failed. YOU'RE
not the only one that was thrown out by
their going to the wall. We don't ex
pect any crash here" Mr.. Sanborl
smiled. 80, Mr.. Burns, it won't be orl
fault If you don't stay with our firm til
your head is whittier than mine. All you
have to do IS to live up to what DR.
lowering says here of you"
AS FraSk's position thus obtained was
a higher one than Jeffrey's. his ehagrir
over the successful failure of his April
Fool joke soon became envy and disllt
of Franks boundless gratitude to him
So Jenrey was very glad to go when hi
uncle in the west sent him an offer of 9
place with him.
Fifteen years passed by, bringing pros
perity to both jeffrey and Frank, and
very rapid advancement to the latter
But in the financial crisis of a certain
year in the west, Jeffrey's uncle failed
and involved him so heavily that the loss
OF everything stared him in the face.
"If could only raise few hundred
dollars l might still save the business
he grOaned.
But drought and cornering in cattle
and banks closing had made it impossi,
BILE to borrow ready cash except st enor
nous interest which he could not nav
jeffrey looked around his COW littl,
STUDY and thought CT losing the pretty
nome that his wife and children lover
so we'll. His little daughter opened the
door softly, saying:
Papa here's letter the postwar
! left"
His face lighted up so as he read /
that she clapped her hands, exclaim.
ing
On. It's some good news!" But sud
denly he smiled bitterly, threw the let
ter In the crate, and said: mo, til
notnlng, jeanne, run out. So" he con
tlnued to himself. "he has waited al
this time to pay me back for tina
| Joke. l didn't suppose he would eve,
ind 1t out; he thinks I've forgotten
but I'm too sharp for him. 1 nevel
was caught yet on first of April trick
and I'm too old a bird to be taken il
| now"
The letter was from Frank Burns
stating that he had just learned of JEFF
frey's financial difficulty through {
stray item in western paper. which
did not give his address. After mucl
inquiry he sent this letter to the ad
dress named by former friend of JEFF
frey's, but of which he was not sure
Il have placed a check OF $4,000 t.
your order in Blank & Co.'S bank, il
b City. DO hope it will help
1t only partly expresses my gratitud,
to you for your favor to me years ago
! which gave me my start in life:" st
ran Franks letter; that it should reach
Jeffrey on April 1st was entirely IN
! thought Of by Frank. After few days
: he wrote one to the pastor of Jeffrey!
town inquiring if he lived there still
and if not, where he was When JEFF
| frey learned of this he wrote a posta
card to Frank as follows: Your favor
, Of April LIST came duly to hand Hav
ing a good memory, am able to de
cline your offer"
Frank was puzzled about the odd ex
preston about memory. and was 81
hurt by the discourteous refusal of hi
! proffered aid. that he called in h.
check and did not reply to Jeffrey.
Jeffrey lost everything and wal
obliged to start life over again. H,
became travelling salesman. and wa
often in B City. One day when h,
was in Blank & Co.'S bank the cash
Ter said:
did you notice the death of Francis
NJ Burns in the morning paper? Hi
will leaves very large sums to charity
Do you know, 1 always wondered VIII,
you didn't take that check for SIS 90,
that he deposited here for you TIVE
years ago? He wrote us confident!
that you would call or send soon
So Jeffrey could not ask Franks for
giveness for his selfish suspicion. as h
sincerely wished he could do, for hi
! better nature asserted itself. But h
went to the kind old minister to WHOM
Franks letter of inquiry had been sent
and told him the whole story, nc
sparing himself in the least.
Jeffrey's sons and daughters hav,
been brought up to think the thought
less folly Of practical joking not on.
hurts the victim, but hardens ant
narrows the heart Of the perpetrator
Christian Work