The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-01-21
PLANTING PENNIES
BY ADA MAY ROWLAND.
Copyright, 1914, by w. G, Chapman)

Copyright, 1914, by w. G. chapman)
Hello, Hal-anything wrong"
Nothing but what money can cure"
HIM" observed the first speaker
as he proceeded on his way. Il don't
! like that sentiment, and | always
thought that Hal Sturges was the last
man in the world to entertain such a
fallacy."
The sol,loquizer. however, did not
know that his usually bustling, hope
| full young friend was under pretty
| severe strain at the present time.
| Hope, ambition, love, seemed all about
| to wither away because Of money and
| it's urgent need.
Many years previous Halls father
| had loaned David Eastman a large
| sum of money. Things went wrong
with Eastman Then they went bet
| ter. He was honest and he turned
| over to his creditor his little mort
gagged farm at Grayton, with the pro-
| visu that he was to be it's tenant at
| a fixed rental while he lived. Finally
| Eastman wrote to Halls father that
| he would be able to square the whole
debt, some ten thousand dollars, with.
| in a year.
Halls father died before the year
was up. Hal wrote to Mr.. Eastman,
| asking what the prospects as to the
promised money might be He re-
| ceived a speedy reply, stating that If
| he would come down to Grayton the
| old account would be settled in cold
| cash.
Hal arrived at Grayton to find that
Mr.. Eastman had died the day before.
| A search was made for will. None
| was found For money. There was
none at bank nor in the house. Only
| the old farmhouse was in evidence as
| tangible property.
1t was great disappointment to
| Hal, all this. He had confidently
counted ON the money to start IN
business. He lad already invested IN
! that direction. This became dead
| loss. He had to go back to poor
| paying position in the adjoining town
| Then, too, a situation evolved at the
| little farm that distressed him. Dur
| ing the last year of his life Mr. East
| man had given home to an orphan
| girl and her little sister-Nelie and
| Lois Blynn. The young lady had been
| housekeeper and nurse for her old
| almoner He had given her COW
some chickens, and the old farm hCrse
and carryall Independently Nellie
| had worked up quite clientele for
milk and eggs in the neighboring vii
lage
Usually, Saturdays he ran down to
| the farm.
Upon the day that he felt that
money would cure great proportion
| of his Ills, Hal was realizing how
| slow was the process in his present
environment towards attaining a com
petence. Unknowingly, the vague
| thought of being able to ask Nellie to
become his life partner had certain
place in his aspirations.
He was greeted at the farm by Mel
lie in her usual bright sympathetic
mood. He stayed to supper. AS usual
he gave to little big-eyed wistful Lois,
the few pennies he never begrudged
her.
You mustn't do that, Mr.. Sturges,"
chided Nellie Gently, as the little one
scampered away.
why not?" challenged Hal, pleas
antly.
Because she seems to lose them
all 1t is strange, but she never asks
to go to the village and buy sweet
meats, like ordinary children. The
pennies always disappear mysteri-
ously and she never tells where they
go to-"
Perhaps she has a secret boarding
place?' suggested Hal, with a smile
He left Nellie and strolled through
the orchard in quest of the truant
child. Finally he caught sight of her
blue frock over near fence corner
why, what are you up to-, little
one?' propounded Hal.
Lois looked up with a little an
swering frown.
mot very nice, being peeka-boo on
a young LADY," she chided, childishly,
IF you want to know, though, I'm
planting pennies!'
Planting peunes!" calculated the
bahled Hal
Yes, sir. All you give me-in
here" and she patted the ground.
when they grows, Use going to pick
whole baskusfuls off'n the bushes
Whatever put that in your head.
chlld?' demanded Hal.
"Gran'pa," so she had been taught
to designate Mr.. Eastman.
How Is that" pressed Hal
Saw him do it, watched him." was
the blunt explanation. "Bags-and
they chinked. And jew'lry, and pa.
pers. He didn't know ! was watching
him. Never growed, though. Guess
spot was too shady"
Where was the spot. Lois?" pressed
Hal eagerly.
She showed him. A bright light Of
intelligence had flooded Hal Sturges'
mind Ten minutes later he was view
ing the ground under an old oak tree
where Lois insisted she had seen