Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-02-04


Well" he said, smiling little ex-
pansively, when thing is fairly
startled down hill it goes of itself"
And it is getting rich going down
hill?"
He hesitated for moment and
then laughed uneasily.
"Oh, l don't mean it in that way"
he said Il wanted to point out that
thing goes by its own momentum,
shall l say? You see, Isoon had a
thousand hands at work, and | made
a profit out of every one of EN-"
"Yes?"
"And l paid 'em good money, too.
never believed In cutting wages
down believe sthe market price. Live
and let live has been my motto.
Treat your men well and they'll treat
you WELL
And are you still in business?"
"Oh no. retired years ago. And
after | went out there came an awful
slump in the woollen trade, and big
fortunes were lost much more rapidly
than they were won"
You saw the bad time coming?"
ooh, no, didn't. 1t was only that
hankered after something different
Money is not everything. after all
You see, I was always fond of books
and pictures and that sort of thing
and i wanted time and opportunity
to read and think
you have a very fine library, my
brother says"
Il think it is fine. I should like
you to see it some day. But to come
back to your brother, am paying him
a salary. 1t is all right so far as it
goes, but he will never get rich on it.
AS | said just now, no man will get
rich merely by his own labor. What
| want is to sec your brother started
on his own account, and think it can
be managed, too, 1t will depend on
several things, of course. He will
need a friend at his back at the be-
ginning. but with good start he will
go ahead. He has knowledge, taste,
pluck and ability. Oh, yes, l see great
possibilities"
Esther did not like to ask what
those possibilities were, and the con-
versaton drifted away into other
channels. But the subject occurred
to her again and again during the
day, and during the following day
also.
1t occurred to her while Mr.. Jack
son was proposing marriage She
saw as in a fiash--or fancied she saw
that her own and her brothers for
tunes were bound together. 1t shut
her lips in silence, when she would
have spoken on the impulse Of the
moment. @
Mr.. Jackson was very honest and
straightforward in his declaration.
There could be little or no doubt
about his sincerity Esther knew by
instinct what was coming, and would
have prevented him speaking if she
could. But Mr. Jackson was deter
mined man, and usually got his own
way.
There was none of the burning pas
sion of Grayton's simple avowal-'I
love you! l love you! l love you!"
But in his own way he showed that
his heart was deeply and sincerely
touched.
Esther watched his motor car dis
appear over the hill and then re-
turned to the house, almost like one
in a dream. For an hour she shut
herself up in her own room and tried
to4think.
When she came down stairs again
ail the issues were before her clear
and distinct. She could not miss see.
ing them IL she tried 1fEher mother
GUESSED anything. she kept her own
counsel. But in her heart she Sc
cretly hoped that Mr.. Jackson had
proposed to her, and If he had the
fortune of the whole family was
made. for she could not imagine that
Esther would be SO blind to her own
interests as to fling away the chance
Of lifetime.
Esther scarcely slept at all thai
night. She saw her mothers point
of view clearly enough. 1t needed ne
lantern to show her that. She saw
what her acceptance OF Mr.. Jackson.
offer would mean to her brother. She
also saw what the acceptance would
mean to herself.
/ She was by nature Of a generou.
disposition. ready at all times to sac
rifice herself for the good of others
and the first question that rose in he,
mind was, did filial love or sisterl,
duty demand that she, should max,
4 so great a sacrifice as this?,'
Another question arose little later
How would she be able to endur,
Mawgan Chass and her mother if sh,
refused the offer? Life was not a be,
of roses at the best Of times. TIL,
pinch Of poverty. was felt every day
and In the main she was the one VIII,
felt 1t most Her mother wore blacl
constantly. and wanted but few dress
i es;: but she, heing young and sens
tive to the influence of new and bea,
4 tifui things. was always in want, AM
only on rare occasions could get wha
she wanted.
But if she refused this offer, wha
II would II !, pf,e,,& fhan.c ;yfyo,,Jd che