The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-04-15
HERMANN's PRoMPTNEss.

ened his back with There that's done; now fo
another. Wen soon get this disreputable old wood
pile into some sort of shape. Anything but LOT
| of trash lying around say"
Chip, chip, chip commented a motherly spar
row, who herself energetically employed about
| her housekeeping duties i'll an apple tree near by
! Chip, ship sh-r-ree"
A turkey gobbled from corner of the fence
and dog whined and wagged his tail, wistfully
| then a troops of ducks went quacking by in search
! ofwater, The boy looked from to another with
sparkling eyes, his shoulders rising and falling
with the sturdy sweeps of the saw He loved all
these things. and he had been here only week. but
no time could be spared to them now. Already he
was identifying himself with the farm, and these
knots must be disposed of and the place made tidy.
Then he would go to the barn and put the tools to
rights, and perhaps would nd time to rake up some
leaves. 1t did not matter that he had finished his
stint of picking up stones, and that all the family
were away for the day. 1t did not to him
that he was missing an opportunity. Rather was
he thinking how tidy the place could be made to
looS-his place, that he was going to live ON for a
long, long time.
1t was only when a firm tread came around the
corner of the house hesitated, and then came di-
rectly to the woodpile that his shoulders rose to
their natural position and he stopped. Before him
a TALL keen-eyed man. whose face lust now eX-
pressed both annoyance and determination.
''ls Mr. Bates at home!" he asked, abruptly.
No. sir; he's gone to the village with load of
potatoes, an Mrs. Bates went with him to buy some
things"
Him, naturally. Raise little and buy good
deal, [ suppose, Where does the interest come in,
and the money for keeping up the farm"
The man turned and regarded the surroundings
critically, his lips curling little as he did So
Fences down, pastured in fields that
should be meadows apple trees already decorated
with caterpillers' nests. H'h hah Model farmer
hic Nv pot hand DIT hill H.
the matter with that banyard, and the bit of gar
den there! Clean and tidy as a whistle. Doesn't
belong to this place, surely H'h, hah! Did you fix
'em up?"
Eyes, a little. I've been here a week, you know,
an ought to have done lots more Mr.. Bates said
| could turn round an do whatever was needed.
He's awful nice man."
rs he!" dryly. well who are you"
The small figure Strengthened itself sturdiy.
I'm Bob Taylor, an Mr.. Bates took me from
the Children's Home He said he needed boy
there was so much work"
Really! And you and Mr. Bates are cling to
make fine, up-todate farm of this place, [ sup
pose"
Eyes, sir" confidently; "we're goin' to try to-
Mr.. Bates says the works been so hard he's had
to overlook little things, an they're what make the
profit. He's an awful hard worker, Mrs. Bates is
he gets up at o'clock every morning to milk an
then sells things to the village"
Him, yes; | know something about Mr.. Bates
Hard worker, as you say, but very-er-no faculty
for getting on. Might even call him shiftess."
The boy picked up another knot and began to
saw resolutey. The man waited in amused silence
until the knot fell apart.
Pretty good hand at the saw" he remarked,
more atfably
The boy shifted.
81 don't believe you an med better talk" he
said, shortly. II don't like what you say an do
IEa M Ro+ac atc boa,,
Why" strengthening up suddenly, his eyes spark
ling, he's ettin me do most everything want to-
lie didn't count on plantin much this year, but |
want to see things grow so he's goin' to pillow up
a lot of land, an show me how to plant corn an
potatoes, an onions, an most everything an he's
goin' to let me set out big strawberry bed an
currants an raspberries to sell fruit FROM and
more'n that, he's goin to buy some paint, an show
me bout paintin' the wagons an tools an things
didn't know bout the caterpillars nests, but I'll
start to work on them tomorrow an the fences
be fixed up jest soon we can get to them. I
don't believe Mr.. Bates ever thought of the COW
pastures maxim meadow land; but I'll tell him
what you say, an if it's right, he'll be sure to do
it. I'm much obliged for what you've told me- but
guess you'd better go now, an let me finish these
knots"
But instead of going the man continued to re-
gard him affably
II don't think you understand me- Bob" he
said. If / call Mr. Bates shiftless it is not be-
cause [ wish him harm I've known him ten years.
and no man can wish him better fortune than l.
He's good man, you say, and hard worker,
but he's no to go ahead. What he needs is
somebody to PLAN somebody with good deal of
He waited until knot had fallen apart, then
added to himself, "And shouldn't be surprised if
he'd found one.'
The boy picked up another knot, and poised his
saw above it; meanwhile eying his visitor doubt
fully.
"Folks oughtn't to talk about friends like you
do about Mr.. Bates he demurred; "but if you say
its all right suppose it is" Then, frankly; Mr.
Bates has had more work than he could tend to;
am besides, he's worried bout the interest on his
mortgage. That's kept him back He told me that
1t hadn't been paid for five years, an that the man
was pressing. We've talked it over between us, an
if the man'll wait another year. we think we can fix
it all right. We've planned to make good deal
of money this year"
The rumble of a farm wagon coming up the
lone drew their attention. Presently it stopped in
front of the house, and the man went forward As
he saw him Mr.. Bates colored, then grew pale; but
man did not appear to notice.
I've changed my mind about what | wrote you
in the last letter. Mr. Bates he said extending his
hand, smilingly; q will not insist on the interest