The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-01-11

I
tsirsd shs poney. bod isft The camp Tor
weeks visit 10 his home 10 the city; and
one 10 camp had the authority 10 sdvan'
To Charlie the necdsd sum.
Kuowiug hs mothers sfxiety, and no.
iax himself quite unsble 20 help her "a
mstter assumed 10 him also the aspect OF
very tsrlous. trouble. His mother had n'
been .rplicit a. 10 the time when u
money NUT be paid, bot be Judged froI
the tore Of her lot er that the danger
forced collection vas imminent.
IA went out 10 hls work that mornin
with hls mind 90 slled ~ith anxlou
thoughts and hh face wearing such cloo
thaiInis friend Bee asked
what's tbs matter, kidf
Charlie told him.
We'll, said hen, that's too bad, that's to-
bad Why don't you borrow the money
Nobody to lend, said Charlie.
That's so, said Ben, who did not conside
the matter very serious and who WAS m In
veierate Joker. Might ask one Of tn
contractors. They re the boys that have 60
money.
Charlie Was innocent enough to miss ths
IL ony In this, ard his acquaintance with
contractors was too limited to allow con
I'D. ration OF the suggestion, He laughed
Without suspicion OF the Others point, ard
az Bent next remark was and idle joke, ht
hought no more Of the matter then.
But another pair OF ears besides Benz
had heard Charles stoiy. and those ear'
belonged to Greasy Joe Pipp. The story
bsd been told In the cooks tent, and can
vsss has never been proof sgainst caves.
dropping. IL would never have occurred t.
Charlie that there was need TO fear listep-
er to such tale, and neither he nor Ben
suspected Joe's presence outside At so ear
Iy IN hour. But chance had brought the
man there, and tho later events Of the day,
therefore, came as 3 corplete surprise tc
Charlie.
Mike Ahearn came int camp early In the
afternoon. He seemed In one Of his beet
moods, and when he met Charlie II was
with such geniality that the unsuspe citing
boy WAS smszed.
He WAS unusually open and decent In his
talk, too, and showed none OF bis occasion
81 quarrelsomeness. Charlie felt that many
Of the bad stories about the man must b.
untrue. When Mike came TO him just be.
fore leaving camp that night, and spoke to
! i'm ss be might have spoken to an old
friend. Charlie WAS completely thrown n
ois gusrd.
Say, kid, he said, abruptly, heard you
was wantin' money.
Charlie looked up at him, astonishtd
Then he fushed.
Never mind how | heard 1t, went on
Nike, quickly. II gets round here wher
/ fellows hard up, and nobody ever stays
hard up long. You're an uncommon good
hid, I'm thinkin, ard the boys think 500,
90. And you've let my sticks 90 through
Nj right every time. and | appreciate 1t.
Too much surprised to respond at first.
Charlie caught the drift Of this last sen.
:ence. The sticks be exclaimed. Why,
FOUR sticks are all good
or course, said Mike, and he smiled slight
y In way that Charlie did not under
',and. But aome fellows make trouble iust
% make trouble. like the one that was be-
ore you came. Well, that hasn't got any
hing to do with 1t. Now I'll lend you that
money. Fifty. was its
Charlie could hardly believe his ears.
and not know just how to meet
he offer, he hesltated.
That's right, said Ahearr, Immediately.
Here's the cash, right here. Some say I'm
hard fellow, but when like man like
lin, and I'll do what can for him,
Charlie was loath to take the money. |
duch as he wanted It for his mother, he
lit great repugnance TO placing himsel;
nder even temporary obligation to
ranger and TO such man. Still, Ahearn's
manner had won upon him. II be coulc |
spt, he could repay the loan when Mr.
Hitchcock returned, and 1t would enable |
i'm to help bis mother at once.
Before Charlie reslizad what he had
one, ,Ahesrn had pushed roll Of bills into |
is hands and was striding away 10 the
ust, without asking for receipt, without
question as to the time OF payment.
Embarrassed ss he WAS by this strange
flair, Charlie felt thrill Of happiness at
be thought OF the relief which 1t would |
ford his mother, and be quieted bis mis-
wings by the thought that be could be
rec from the debt In week. He sent the
money to his mother that night, therefore,
md slept soundly and peacefully tbereaf-
sr. And when two days passed without
vent, and 1.-THE third day brought him 3
10 ppy letter from bis mother, he felt that
e had not done III.
His satisfaction, however, was short-lIv-
d. Not four hours after bis molher's let.
r came be inspected new lot Of ties de-
vered by Ahearn & Co., ard foundi them
low grade.
At INST be was startled. Then he fit
esenlment and niger. He had 90 doubt
/, to the CONNECTION between the lean tie
rist msp bad almost forced upon him ard