Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-05-25
The Voice OF
Mary Eta
1t Proves a Safeguard In Time
Of Need
BY CLARIssA r1AcKIE
by American Press Assoc
alton. 1911.

Never mind. Ben encouraged Mary
Eta as her husband shrugged into his
overcoat and picked up his hat, "ev-
erything viii come ont all right in the
end. All the other farmers IN the
county have met with the same fail.
ure that We have, only you've got the
best of most of them. You've got your
trade 10 fall back on.
The sullen expression deepened on
Ben Madison's handsome face. II
isn't so easy going back to work under
foreman after being my own boss
for five years" he said bitterly.
Mary Eta WINGED Il know it, dear.
But suppose YOU didn't have a trade
and couldn't make up this winter for
your losses of last summer Mr. Fray
has promised YOU steady work az $50
that's $50 a week Why, it viii pay
the interest and taxes for year. be
sides paying all our living expenses
and giving YOU a splendid start for
the spring. You might be able TO buy
another COW
Il know all the advantages, said
Ben impatiently But you don't IN
| derStand how feel about il. Mary
Ettat It's sort. OF admitting I've fan
ed on the farm, just as your father
said | would"
His wifes eyes flashed strangely.
you don't understand father, dear
He has already admitted he was mis-
taken in his estimate of you. for you
have done splendidly-no one can deny
! that-and who could prevent the long
drought we have suffered? know he'd
think It was splendid of You 70 pitch
! IN and make the farm pay by dong
everything you could this winter
Ben turned away. Il discouraged
droop TO his shoulders OF course Mary
Eta didn't know that he had gone to
her father the night before ANA asked
him for loan Of 5000 to tide them
over the winter and spring-in fact
until his crops would begin TO paT
along in May and June. for his mar
ket garden and forcing house had
proved very paying branch Of the
Madison farm
He redeemed resentfully as he re-
membered how old Peter Lloyd's
white eyebrows had lifted incredulous-
Iy when his son-iu-law asked for the
loan. "No, Ben" Peter had said slow
ly: I'm not saying | amt GOT the
money, for | have but ! guess I'll
keep it awhile longer. If Mary Eta
was a widow, now, and needed my help
IL would be different You're a strong
man, and you've done well so far. It
would only weaken YOU TO borrow this
money of me. Find n way out your
self. You'll be the better off for it in
the end, and | wish you good luck. If
you was sick or there was an accident
of some kind I'd be the first one on
hand TO help YOU out IS it is, you
ana Mary Eta have started out for
yourselves, and you're both capable of
fighting it out to the end-same as the
rest Of us have to do"
Ben Madison thought Of this con
versation with increasing anger as he
trudged down the frosty road that led
to Fray's planning mill. The only al
tentative left TO him had been to seek
Job at Trays. where its owner had
told him there were sufficient orders
ahead TO keep good workman like
Ben busy all winter making sashcs and
blinds for the spring building trade.
Now he was going down to tell Fray
he would take the job. There were
others waiting for the opportunity. but
Fray had promised Ben the FIRST
chance.
! When he reached the road that turn
ed down to the mill he hesitated and
then walked slowly on, head down,
moodily thinking. At last he came to
the railroad station, where few
loungers awaited the passing Of the
noon train. Ben looked down the shin
ing length of track that led to the city
beyond. There might be opportunities
for other work than that he had left
behind when he married Mary Eta
five years ago He had hated the
| bench work. the long hours and the
carrying Of the dinner pain. They
ehafed his Madison pride Ben was
the last of his family, aud am tie pride
Of the MadiSons seemed concentrated
IN this young man with the strong
broad shoulders and the bitterly droop
ing mouth, who imagined he bad made
failure Of life
As the whistle of the approachia-
train shrieked from some distant eros.
/ ing Ben Madison seemed to make r,
his mind 20 some course Of action ue
I glanced quickly at the louucers con.
gregated about the station stove ana
stepped out of ths station house and
walked up the track 70 the raised pIgt.
form where there was q little hean aF
baggage He pulled his hat down over
his eyes and muttered under his
breath q Just can't go back 10 tr.
bench again. I'll get something rs al.
IN the city and send for Mary Eta ra
come. I can write 10 her when -a-
there and tell her how it Is. Shew IL.
! derstand."
When be was in the train ne tried ~
persuade himself that Mary Ft-.
would understand Just how be f.f-
/ and look on his decision in exagtIv tb.
same manner that he did MARY r-a
| had pride too He had taken her from.
a comfortable home where as the onrv
| daughter II a well 10 DO farmer she bad
had little hard work aud many luvr
/ -,as All Of these things she hoa ,r-s