Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-04-15
AVampire
How His Old Father and Mother
Stood by Their Son Even to
Giving Up the Farm.
By ?. A. Mitchell.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

men see more OF humanity as II Is
than any other class of men. but |
question If the endless panorama of
incidents IMPLYING 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 a term
of years. | am the repository of one
such story that | watched from its
beginning to its climax.
One afternoon a weather beaten old
farmer with silky white hair scattere,
over his head came to my desk and
pulling out a wallet. asked for a 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 1t ali
away from him.
"Then Tom got sick agin and went
to a horsepittle and stayed there three
months. Now he's got out of the
horsepittle and lookin' about for some
pin. I'm sendin' this money to give
him a chanel. Toms his mothers pet
and she lays awake nights worritin'
about him. Pm mighty fond of the
boy myself somehow. He was always
a smart little chap-took lots of prizes
and things Mt schulz.
when he got old enough to work |
wanted him to help me on the farm.
He tried 1t for awhile. but l see purity
quick he didn't take to 1t. He was
too smart to be contented to follow a
plow same IS his father. who didn't
never get no dedication. So | says
to him n 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 all
most broke mas heart to part with
him, but she knowed it was better for
him and let him go.
TON didn't like 1t 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 n
heap Of him, though. for they raised
his SALARY ttMlca 81
he got info a fight with one of the
head clerks and got himself discharged
He said the head clerk accused him of
stealin' some money.
TON was allus an ambitious little
chap, and after leavin' 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 scrapee
up $500 and give 1t to him. and he
At this moment a clerk laid thN
farmers draft on my desk, and the
first chapter of his story vas finished,
for he began to count oyer his soilef
and torn bills, now and again wetting
his thumb on his lip as he turned them
up. Then, leaving them to me and
carefully folding his draft, he put 1t in
his wallet, crammed 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
1t to make a 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 $24. near
~ all In silver coin. and asked for a
draft to cover the amount.
ITO whom will you have it made
p%ayable?' | asked.
'"Tom Williams" In a soft voice. al
most a whisper.
| ordered the draft made out. and
the girl stood waiting. Unlike the
farmer, she didn't tell all would have
liked to know, so | asked:
as Tom Williams your brother?'
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. !
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 1t Rugged up against
her heart. as though she loved it be
cause she had saved 1t for Tom.
NV 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. Nor knowing who she was. /
asked what | should do with the
money, and she said. Send it to Tom"
BY this tims | was not likely to forget
Tom and asked If she wished a draft
for Thomas Williams. She said she
did. l turned her funds over to a
clerk TO count. and he reported that
they amounted to $64S.47. | ordered