Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-03-16

only spare hfty cents instead OK Z ooA-
lar.
At last he put that. too, In he en-
vel0pe, and then he sat for a long while
ut his desk.
"Ethcl's' envelope was fat by Febrn-
airy. There was II good deal more than
one dollar for every week of the win.
Ter. Perhaps Grandpa Harding had put
In a few dollars Of his own for good
measure. He sometimes took the en-
velope out and looked Mt it and
chuckled.
Fine girl" he would say. THAT'S
the old Harding spirit through and
through. All, It's worth having lived,
to have such n granddaughter"
Sometimes he gave Billy his due, too
But he did not know Billy so we'll. At
last. in the middle OF February, things
came to n crisis. Grandpa and Grand
ma Harding were to celebrate their
golden wedding. Everyone was to be
there-all the kinsfolk for n hundred
miles round. and some even from AWAY
out West. The note Of invitation for
Ethel and Billy Dawson Grandpa Hard
ing wrote himself, and it was both ur-
gent and nfYectionate.
The answer came back promptly, ard
contained Il two-dollar bill.
Dear grandpa" it said, I'VE should
like ever so much to come to your we'd
ding, but we made 1T our invariable
rule not 30 go to any extra expense,
ever when we wanted to most OF al.
We feel that anything we can spare
J.&,Il -~ - ~,,, ,l1ht NFn SnnI III Il
wealth of love and good wishes for the
occasion, and inclose remittance"
When Grandpa Harding read that,
there was n storm in his office. Pig
headed little brutes !" he roared. 90
stinate doNkeys"
Then he put the two dollars In the
envelope f,r Ethel. and ~telephoncd to
Grandma Harding that he was going
down to the city on business, and would
be gone overnight. Toward moot he
walked into the wholesale house Of
Crandon & Stokes, and asked for tile
senior partner.
Hello, George!" he said, when he
came into Mr.. Crandon's private Office.
Mr.. Crandon sprang to his feet.
Tommy Harding" he exclaimed,
catching his hand. 'Old Tommy Hard
ing! Now let's give three times three
for AL"
"All nonsense" grumbled Grandpa
Harding; but a moment later the two
old classmates were deep in recollec-
lions Of boyhood.
But that's not what I'm here for
said grandpa, after a while. You've
got n young chap named Dawson work
ing for your
Yes, William Dawson. Know him2"
Not William-Billy. Ought to know
him. He's my g~randson-by marriage
You ought to be proud Of him.. He's
a good worker"
Don't know that?" Then grand
IN told the story of the Harding-D aw-
son loan.
'That's the kind Of n man he u.s." he
ended, land that's the sort Of a wife he
has. Don't you feel pretty mean a
ing that sort of n man only ten dollars
a week."
Nov that you mention it, I do
agreed Mr.. Crandon. Il need a young
man I can trust right here In the office,
and ! guess I'll try him. I'll start him
on 81 ,AOO a year. Suppose we have him
in now and tell him about it,"
Not much" said grandpa. "I've got
to persuade them to come to my gold
en- wedding before they get too proud.
Tell him tonight"
Grandpa Harding lost no time in go
ing out to Leeville that afternoon. The
snow lay deep all along the road from
the station to the cottage or the desc
late edge Of town. But the cottage was
checrfulness itself, with its simply cur
tanned windows and its wreath OF
snoke curling up from the chimney.
Grandpa was putting and blowing
from the exertion Of the walk when he
turned in at the gate, and what little
breath remained was choked out OF
him a moment later, when the door
flew open and Ethel brew her arms
round his neck. She knew Grandpa
Harding pretty we'll, and she was not
much afraid Of his buster.
When Billy came home late that
evening with the glorious news Of his
promotion, the question Of the debt had
not yet been raised between them.
HTduupd 1ldIuius, WIN ulu Hol llhC
baked beans at all, ate them for supper.
He slept on a shake-down under a quilt
and some newspapers. He rose before
five o'clock to help Billy with the cook
ing, and ate plain oatmeal for break
fast.
Once in a while be touched an en-.
velope in his pockct-it was marked
"Ethel's"-but he did not bring it out.
He walked the mile and a half to catch
the six O'Clock train-the last time
Billy would have to do it-and as they
started off Ethel called after him:
Were coming to the wedding, grand
pa" and he shook his fist at her. Not
a word had he beer able to say about
that debt. @o' ~s. n
Independent young fools! Let them
pay it, then, and be happy" he grum-
bled to himself, later that day, as he
entered the bank. The fund he depos-
tied was from the envelope marked
"Ethers," but it was on a new account,
headed Thomas A. Harding, trustee"
Somehow, without words among the
three united people, b problem Of the
Harding-Dawson loan had found itself
very comfortably settled.-Youth's Com.
panion. ....