Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-15


behind him, pair of stray sunbeams
playing tag in his hair, and his solemn
baby eyes scanning with evident ap-
prevail the grim man before him.
Man, Roy tum to see Co., he an
nounced gravely at last.
oh, he has, has he? grunted Tur-
ner. We'll, take chair, SIR
THAT was the way the queer friend
ship between the two began. Many
day thereafter Roy might have been
seen trudging sturdily at Holds side
as the latter walked about, superin-
tending the work on his large farm.
They seldom spoke to each other and
Roy never complained Of WEAKNESS,
no matter how long nor how rough the
tramp. But once, when they had been
walking a long time, Hold glanced
down and saw tears standing in the
baby's eyes; the little lips were press
ed tightly together to keep back the
sobs. He quietly stopped, picked up
the little chap and carried him.
"Who knows what dormant in
stincts Of paternity were awakened in
the man as he felt the small, soft form
cuddled against him and heard the
sigh Of content with which Roy
dropped his head upon his friends
strong shoulder?
Matters went on like this for a
year. Then trouble began to rain upon
the Larksons. First a severe illness
attacked the husband and father. No
sooner had he recovered than their
one cow, which furnished a large part
of their living, died, and their horse
soon followed. Another horse and COW
they must have, but how to get them?
Mr.. Larkson's illness had eaten ND all
the small savings which the closest
economy had enabled them to make.
In this extremity, Larkson bethought
him Of his well-to-do neighbor, and at
last, with much reluctance, decided to
ask for a loan.
"'What security can you give? SAX
ed Hold Turner.
None but my note replied Lark
son. AS you know, do not own the
place where I live, and so cannot
mortgage It,
Just so, just So grunted Turner,
and was SILENT while hope died in
Larkson's breast But presently Hold
said abruptly:
What would you say to mortgag-
ing one of your childrenT
'Larkson stared in amazement, then,
as It was borne In upon him that
Turner was in earnest, he rose from
his chair and with an air Of dignity
that ennobled his careworn, work
lined face, 'Good-evening, SIR was all
he said.
mo, no. Turner cried, eagerly, sit
down, man, sit down, and let me ex-
plain. You wouldn't be selling your
child. I'll lend you what you want
and you can pay me interest. But If
at any time the interest lapses for two
years, why, the child just comes over
to live with me. He'd be yours just
the same Turner paused a moment
and then continued, almost bashfully,
it's little Roy I want, you know. L
I'd be good to him.
'Larkson hesitated. His need was
great, but could he do this thing? He
glanced at his companion. Turner,
waiting for his answer, was watching
the children at play across the road,
and Larkson saw the look of deep af-
lection and longing which came into
the older mans eyes as Roy's clear
laugh rang out. He suddenly felt
that he, not the man before him, was
the richer Of the two, and an impulse
Of generosity come to him. But he
said only, I'll talk to the boys moth
err
I'm the end it was arranged as Tur-
ner had suggested, though not without
many tears from the mother, and
many signs from the father. For, i'll
spite Of Turner's assurances it did
seem as If they were selling their
child.
For some time all went we'll and
the interest was paid regularly. Then
another little Larkson appeared upon
the scene, typhoid fever attacked the
two oldest children, and finally two
years had elapsed since any interest
had been paid on the strange mort
gage.
Roy was Z years old when Turner
foreclosed and took the boy to live
with him. By this time the Larksons
had become accustomed to the idea,
they saw they never could pay their
debt in any other way and knew,
moreover, that it was doubtless for
tunats thing for the boy to have won