The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-01-15

Reuben while her mother as If more wrapped in
thoughts OF another world than those OF this The
children fet nstinc!iycy the generosity in the
phere of their uncles personality; their parents had
fought too long and too uusucccssfully to have any
spring left At last Dave spoke, and his voice was
plantivc: II amt but what I'd do anything in Gods
world to give the boy what he's hankering after but
Reuben | haven't got the necessary money for it so
him?" - ~ . ''''' '''S ''''' Op '"'' - ''>'pp0''
No one answered him; the moment had not come
quite yet to tell all that Reuben had i'll his heart tell
he wanted to show his brother in figures how much he
possessed, and how he had the right as well as the
capacity to help in family matters.
Mrs Reed pushed back her chair saying: 1--WE
might Just as well go into the sitting there's c
there and want Lucy should keep warm Her coughs
troublesome she added her eyes full of dread as She
spoke but it's only the leave over after an attack OF
grip; it's nothing serious" Her voice almost seemed
TO defy answer.
Il know what's going to that coush" said Reu-
spoke They had let the others leave the room before
them, and could ovcrhcar Lucys low reply:
it. Uncle Reuben, she said bravey, and l might just
well cry for the moon that. I've the doctor
about it, but mean to keep them from knowing till it
can't be helped any longer
It's going be helped, and that before you and
week older, and don't you forget it." said Reuben
emphacally Then he pushed her across the entry
before she could do than turn WIDE grateful ewes
upon him.
Dave standing in the stng-room at the book
Doors
and taken out the old family Bible that Reuben remem
bercd well. the bright spot Sunday evenings had
been to look at the engravinSs. and OF his rare
agreeable associations came to him Before he could
speak Dave bcckoncd to him to draw near and laid his
enaIlcd, veined hand on the yellow leather cover.
Reuben, | hate to go back to unplcasantnesses in
this hour OF reunion and happy feelings, but I must
make alluSion to the past; then promise you
to mention again; its too full of shame and bitterness
for my own blindness for ME to want to"
Let's not say anything tonight" urged Reuben I'M
comfortably; I'll come up the first thing in the
ing, and it'll be easier to talk it out in the sunlight"
No, Reuben; what 1 have TO do now has waited
twenty to be done, and that's good deal too long
for me to put of an hour more Ever since you left
I've kept that y-dOlar bill between the leaves OF this
Bible, ready for you when you should come back My
wife tell you OF than night I've laid awake
tossing and turning thinking that maybe you was in
cruel want, and that money idle here. Now, want
you should take 1t. the same unjustly wrenched from
you twenty years ago"
Reuben took the bill held out by his brother, and
smoothed it the palm of his hand; this the bit
OF paper that had changed all his life he had been
allowed to it, what would he have been today A
moderately successful farmer perhaps, and he would
have known that Grace in the world waiting
for him, for him alone. the woman made for him,
He almost carcssed the bank mote; gratitude In his
heart he pondcrcd on his lot
Il guess III keep it and show it to Grace some day;
shall tell her it marks the turning-point in my life,
Dave If you'd let rue hold to this, I'd a-been
Il didn't know that Reuben" said his brother sol
cnlny: God is my witness, never took that fifty dol
lars for my own profit; but was full Of pride, and
thought knew better than you; and / too stiff
necked try and explain matters like an older brother
should have done So turned to my fsts, and your
going has taken the sweet out of every joy I've
had, and added bitterness to all my Sorrows
Now Dave look here and you, too, Lucy-you.
mean, he said. giving his sistcr- law gentle little
shake that made quick. smile brighten up her
faded face and called back echo OF the pretty school
mistress. AS for those two kids there, don't care
cent whether they attend to their old uncle or not; Reub
probably thinks he knows it all big sight better than
do, and LucyS already planning how many gowns l
mean to give her to take out to Colorado with her"
Reuben Reubenp gasped the mother, shaken out
OF her apathy
Now don't interrupt I've made good bit of
money and my wifes not poor so there's plenty to do
what / want to with And there are four things I
want to do bad and what's more. mean to do them.
First want little Lucy to get away from here as quick
she can, and you settle between you who's gong
with her Therell be plenty of cash 10 take the whole
lot you all care to CO. Second Reub TO enter col
iege the fall; I'll talk about details with him to-oT-
row. Third, l assume the mortgage on the farm
Dave WINGED. How did you find out there was onefH
he asked in his old harsh voice.
81 let it ou Dave; it my fault l was so fright
cncd seeing stranger, faltered his wife Dave growlcd
little but Reuben went without noticing hin,
And fourth I'm darned if don't Try my hand with
the cranberry bogl" he ended
you can't do thing with It,, said Dave, leaning
forward 1--WE heard my father tell more than nifty
times how he set in TO work it, and how was just
dead loss"
"Well I'm not going to be baked by other folks
failures" returned Reuben with increasing warmth I've
got the plans for getting all the cranberies we could
sell out of that bit OF land. and I'm going to try 1t
brothers garcd at each other as they used do in the
bygone days. Then Reuben's face Lighted up
1--we not done talking yet, he said; Il love to hear
my own voice, and I've got confession on my side to
make No joking, came here with about as bad feel
inps in my heart as a have meant to wiring
that fifty dollars of you Dave with twenty years
interest wanted my revenge; had wanted II every
second ali this time I've toiled and moied to make
fortune never thought OF any pleasure to be got out
OF my money till met my Grace, she first gave me
gmmer that possession wasn't @ everything. but that
the power to enjoy Still. held on TO my
idea of revenge like dog does to bohe till ae'u-
ally came right here and talked with little Lucy OUT IN
tho barn Then the thought struck me that, perhaps
there had been design underlying our past; that YOU
Dave. carrying out some project we e9udn UNI
dcrs,and when you took this bill from INC Id WORKED
and shaved get didn't forgive you even then; how
you'd kept this fifty dolIars-and thought OF all the
times it would have helped you like thunder TO use 1T 1T
and began to from hearing young Reuo mere tsiS'
how age always thinks the next pretty near iooIs
why somehow. my idea of revenge has meted 'MSS S,vs
and all want TO help along the way shoule ss'e
done hvc years ago