The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-04-05
BY OCTAVE THANET

farm house chimney in six. IL looks
as II the farmers out this way had
simply given up the fight"
You've hit it," said the mild eyed
man; they have. Some of them have
moved away and some OF them have
killed themselves. after they've lost
their stock on chattel mortgages and
lost their land 10 the Improvement
company. There ought TO be lots OF
ghosts on those abandoned farms and
in those houses where the fences are
down. This country is full OF ghosts.
We amt much better than ghosts our
selves
1t was the three dry years. I sup
pose"
That and the mortgage sharks and
the Shylocks from the East" old Cap
tain Sparks interrupted in a venomous
tone; what pickings the drought left
they got"
Pretty fought" said the stranger,
declining the combat again. There's
one man ! want to meet here: his
name ia Russell-Doctor Russell"
The mild-eyed man explained that
his name was Russell; the other men
looked puzzled and suspicious
What's his little game?" whispered
the Captain. 1T won't go, whatever II
is. said the man next TO him. Rob
bins heard question and answer dis
tinctly; hut the young fellow near him
did not vince. Are you the one that
wrote TO Fairport. Doctor Russell? /
guess you must be-"
Yes. wrote to Fairport." said Rus
sell.
We'll. ] hope you liked the barrel
We sent, and the boxes. They were
going TO send them TO another place.
but your letter decided US. That's my
church. you know. which sent them.
And. for that matter. il was your let
ter first turned my fathers attention
10 investing in your part OF the coun-
try. Oh. tell me. where did that tea
go? My mother would send her best
London mixture
Was IL your mother?" Robbins
spoke. With a red face and a fash OF
his eye at the sullen group about him,
he withdrew his chair. making a clear
passage to the stove. I'D like TO
thank her. then. and her son for her:
that tea and that ounce iam-whose
was the ounce JAM"
Il rather think my mother put that
in. too"
Wei. 10 almost cured my wife: ~ was
better than medicine. that and the tea
for. not TO mention that we couldn't get
medicine couldn't / wonder was ~ your
mother: or who was II put I'm that volume
Of college songs? / got that. You
! wouldn't think 4. but I'm university
mau--ITarvarc
The young fellow caught his hand and
gripped u hard. Harvard? So am I
Ny name is George Robbins. and I'm
good deal farther back. and. rs you can
no need going into my hard-luck story.
rs IKE lot of our stories here. You
see where We are-hardly shoes 20 our
teet not because We have been shtftless
or idte. or have wronged anybody. Vet
the c7itthroats and thieves in the peni-
Tertiary have hnd bette fare and suffer
ed less with cold and hunger than We
have And It's not that We are fools
either; were not uneducatef. There are
community: there's Doc Russell
I am drawlei Russell. much good
Is done me; but ! won honors at the
I didn't win any honors hut went to
'Ne state university graduated
there before I went to Harvard. wi
% tae Glee ciao and the foot ball
YES am Teddy Russell"
r y Russell. Of course. why didn't
guess You were there two years he
f-re mo. bout Iar.eay they ar. talking
o. you stiu. and the way YOU won
the time all the rest 81 the Gise club
missed the train az Fairport. going 20
hanioes ana we've the whole thing for
fhres-puarfsr< - IN hour We'll. I'm
rlad g. meet YOU. Doctor. eIt ne have
a good song or two toFctser after busI-
ness
Russell unconsciousIv felt eo- tAe era
vat which UuS not round his soifd and
g 'rock .oat N"s. We VIII 10 began.
but his .stcc stuck tn his throat as the
captains rough grasp rrippci bis arm.
I guess not" said m" captain;
"hrsi0es~ rrs'. Young fcIler'"
Russell shook N tho hand. mut'er-
| ing something too low for Robbins
oa-. hut Robbins sidlcd nearer 20 him.
/ 60 rear that h. was able 20 exchange
( single glance ard 20 500 RusselTs
/ lip form the words watch orr
! They understood -ach other.
B Weren't YOU from Ann trbor YOUR
sci; captain" said Robbins. grabbing
al any straw - peace.
'Fvs been too poor ever since tho
waf 20 remember whether 7 ever had
"a college oducaticu or not" retortcd
rho 'nptain ..tth q sneer 4 belong 10
/ tho people now. their cause 10 my
! cause. Whrre Do YOU belong We've
f"nd'l yorr folks when sou were sick
and helped Nou lay hy rour crops and
b driven IN" mortgage sharks OF your
stun SAY. what are yo doing now ,
Ars YOU mYnkcynr around 90 turn
traitor or coward. or whats the mat
ter
We're an right. Captain an
swcrcd Russell. Tho western burr on
h.- tongue az soft and lelsuroiy ~
ever. and no hint ~ excitement To his
manner. but see no harm In letting
III Wallace answer our questions be-
fore We ~ or thc handle So sny-
inr before fhn Captain realized hfa
purpose. be edged through the crow
fO Wallace side Robbins followed
HIM and the ewes ~ 90 the others
turned Co the three mcnacing and
eager
'lu ] ask is 90 answer questions
aud 90 make mv proposition ~ you "
said Wallace. his fearless yOiuF eyes
running round The circle ~ you
don't like 30 Won can refuse and send
r" homo t1 make other arrange
fnenfs
$50 We rIrf roirr fr s.rd sou hHfue
ffI 'r. no wHe flH frsf twf fH1f be
tHH artEof M.fH flushed a keen
glance Hf hIm HrI spoke His uevf vurde
t.r' f.' f. .im l'rt fm sure you wont