Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-02

the girl stood waiting. Unlike the
farmer, she didn't tell all 1 would have
liked to know. so I asked:
as Tom Williams your brotherF
NO" she replied, looking down on
the floor.
/ had not liked the indications as to
Toms character as they appeared in
his fathers account of him. and now
that money was going to him from his
sweetheart l began to despise him. l
handed the girl the draft and had
good opportunity to study her. for she
never once looked up at me. She
went out with it Rugged up against
her heart, IS though she loved it be-
cause she had saved it for Tom.
My next visitor in behalf of Tom
was his mother. She stood by my
desk emptying on it from carpetbag
a lot of bills and silver and copper
coins. Not knowing who she was, l
asked what 1 should do with the
money, and she said, Send it to Tom"
By this time l was not likely to forget
Tom and asked If she wished a draft
for Thomas Williams. She said she
did. 1 turned her funds over to q
clerk to count, and he reported that
ihey amounted to SG43.47. 1 ordered
the draft to be made out, placed
chair before the old lady and said,
with a view to my enlightenment:
Mr.. Williams pretty busy nova
days?"
NO, pa amt busy He's sick. l
wish we had our boy here to help us.
He's out in Colorado perspectin'. He
says he's struck a miEe or a-gcin' to
strike mine or somepin and wants
some money for grub stakin' or some
pin Ike that. We're sendin' him all
we kin Jest now, but hope to send him
some more bime by. We had some
money saved up for old age. but we've
been a-drawin' on it for Tom, and this
IS all there is left
When she went out with her draft
1 found myself boiling with indigna-
ton at this worthless scamp. who was
sucking the lifeblood out of his old
father and mother-even his sweet
heart.
There was a visit from the sweet
heart after this to ask for a draft of
$3.50, which convinced me that Tom
had accepted the last amount she had
sent him. Then ono day the old farm |
er came in pale and trembling, evident
~ just out of a sickbed, with the |
check of a mortgage company for ST. |
600. He asked for a draft in exchange |
for it payable to this vampire of a son
We bankers make 1t a rule to mind our !
own business, but l had reached a |
point where l could no longer refrain |
from warning this poor old man.
$50 you have mortgaged your farm |
to send money TO your son?" said.
yes; Toms in powerful need of |
money. The mine he thought was |
goin' to turn out so fine petered out. |
He says it closed up as he went down |
instead of opeuin'"
"And you lost ali the money you sent |
him for the Development
Yes, we lost it, replied the old man
with a tremulous voice.
Aren't you afraid you'll lose this
too?"
Il dunno. Toms got another mine.
He says he's sure o. this"
"Of course it's no business of mine, |
but don't like to see you, an old man,
mortgaging your farm to send money |
to a son who should be giving you /
hoHSy MStedu u YOU giving IL W lin.
Suppose you can't pay the interest on |
the mortgage when it is due. You will |
lose your farm
The old man stood wiping his face
with a bandanna handkerchief, the pic
ture of misery
81 know what yer mean," he said, |
'Ebut ma she won't keep back any
thing the boy wants she never did
always told her she'd spoil him.
I'm afraid she has spoiled him. !
You should know that your son is rot