The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-04-08
By z. A. michel.

Copyright. l9lO, by American Press. II
49, Association.
They say that doctors and clergy.
men see mor Of humanity as 1t is
than any other class Of men. but |
question If the endless panorama of
incidents typifying the different phases
Of human life is witnessed by any
class that every day passes before
bankers. Sometimes whole stories are
enacted before us spread owe Il term
of years. am the repository Of one
such story that l watched from its
beginning to its climax.
One afternoon q weather beaten old
farmer with silky white hair scattered
over his head came to my desk and.
pulling out a wallet. asked for q draft
on Denver for 5000 in favor of Thomas
Williams. He counted out the money.
and then, having nothing to do while
the draft was being prepared. began
to tell me the beginning of this story.
"I'm sendin' the money" he said.
Ito my boy out in Colorado. He went
out there a year ago. takin' some
money with him that l give him, but
he hasn't had much luck. and it's all
gone. First he got sick; then when
he got well he went prospectin' and
struck somepin that looked good. but
some other fellers jumped his claim,
whatever that means, and took it all
away from him.
"Then Tom got sick ag'in and went
months. Now he's got out Of the
horsepittle and lookin' about for some
pin. Pm sendin' this money to give
him a chanel. Toms his mothers pet.
and she lays awake nights worritin'
about him. I'm mighty fond Of the
boy myself somehow. He was always
a smart little %chap-took lots Of prizes
and things at schulz.
"When he got old enough to work l
wanted him to help me on the farm.
He tried it for awhile. but I e purity
quick be didn't take to, it, : He was
too smart to be contented TO- follow a
plow same IS his father. who didn't
| uctSI SCL uO COuASuI1OAs Nv ! say q
to him one day: Tommy, reckon you'd
better go to the city and work that
away. This don't suit you He was
mighty well pleased at that. 1t al
most broke mas heart to part with
him. but she knowed it was better for
him and let him 60.
TON didn't like it in town so well
as he thought he would. Leastaways
he didn't stay long in the place he
went into. They must "a thought Il
heap of him, though. for they raised
his salary twice. so he wrote me. But
he got into a fight with one of the
head clerks and got himself discharged.
stealin' some money.
''Tom was allus an ambitious little
chap, and after leavfn' his place he
concluded he'd go west and try and
do somepin big. for ma and me agin
we got too old to work. So we scraped
up $500 and give it to him. and he"-
At this moment a clerk laid the
farmers draft on my desk. and the
first chapter of his story was finished.
for he began to count over his soiled
and torn bills, now and again wetting
his thumb on his lip as he turned them
I up. Then, leaving them to me and
carefully folding his draft, he put it IN
his wallet, cyammed the wallet down
into the bottom of his pocket and
! with a "Goodby. Mr.. Cashier left the
bank.
The second chapter of the story is
very short. There is hardly enough in
it to make Il chapter, but there is a
good deal beneath the few words re-
quired to tell it. A girl Of eighteen
came to the bank, laid down $$224. near
" all in silver coin. and asked for a
draft to owe the amount.
ITO whom will you have 1t made
payable?" l asked.
tom Williams" in a soft voice. al-
most u whisper.
I ordered the draft made out. and
the girl stood waiting. Unlike the
farmer. she didn't tell all l would have
liked to know. so 1 asked:
lis Tom WiHiams your brother?"
NO" she replied. looking down on
! the floor.
l had not liked tie 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. !
handed the girl the draft and had a
good opportunity to study her. for she
never once looked up at me. She
went out with It Rugged up against
her heart. as though she loved it be-
cause she had saved 1t for Tom.
| My next visitor In behalf of Tom
was his mother. She stood by my
desk ;emptying on 1t from a carpetbag
a lot Of bills and silver and copper
coins. Not knowing who she was.
asked what / should do with the
money, and she said. "Send Tito Tom"
BY this time l was not likely!to forget
Tom and asked II she wished q draft
for Thomas Williams. She said she
did. | turned her funds yer to q
clerk to count. and be reported tia:
they amounted to $S4;.A7. ordered
the draft to be made out. placed =
chair before the old lady and said.
with n visw TO ms enlightenment:
"Mr. Williams pretty busy nova
tdays??"