The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1918-02-23


In the church, and he strolled forth In
that direction. Children were stray
Cling into the guild room for Sunday
school. Sanford saw woman emerge
from the Treusdail farmhouse and so
toward the church. She entered 1t.
aud Sanford followed her In. taking a
back seat. The woman went Up on to
a dais and conducted the school.
Something about her convinced San
ford that she was the girl who had
made him an Easter loan. There YVES
enough of the child left III her to de-
note this, and there was unmistakablc
evidence In her manner.
Sanford remained in his seat while
the school was In session. and when
collector came to him for his Easter
offering he folded a 500 bill In bit
Of paper, on which he wrote In pencil,
principal and interest Of an Easter
offering that should have been mnde
ten years ago"
The contributions were handed to
Mary Treusdail. but what became of
them Sanford did not know. He left
the place with the children and stroll
ed about near by till he saw Mary
emerge. She was moving In the d.
rectiOn Of her home on the hill when
he Joined her.
pardon me-" he said: II am stran-
ger here. Perhaps you can give me
some Information that need"
She turned her eyes upon him. III
he had had any doubt Of her identity
1t was dispelled. There was the same
kindly. honest look In them he Ind
seen as boy and which had con
tributcd to change him from ragged
boy to u prosperous man.
That farm" he continued. pointing
to the hilltop-"why Is 1t not prosper
GUS? Is there any thing the matter
with the soil?"
"Nothing. My father. who formerly
owned 1t. had succession OF bad
years on account Of the weather. lie
left the property to me encountered.
and 1t has since been all could do to
pay the interest on the mortgage.
81 am an investor In farm mort
CAGES" said Sanford. "What interest
do you payF"
'SIx per cent"
Indeed, 1 find II difficult to loan at
q How much is the mortgage?"
Five thousand dollars. but there Is
also an accumulation Of interest. which
brings the total UP to something like
sixty.six hundred"
BY this time they had reached the
farm. and Sanford paused.
"Since you are a stranger here. said
Mary. u should be pleased to have
you dine with us"
Sanford accepted the invitation. The
family consisted Of nm aunt of Mary's
and 4 younger sister, In whom the
guest saw a duplicate Of ehe girl who
had befriended the ragged boy. After
dinner lie made an inspection Of the
farm, or pretended to inspect It. and
when he returned to the house asked
Mary II she could give him the amount
Of the principal and interest due OH
the mortgage. She did 30. and he said
to her:
Il will consider 1t u favor II you will
allow me to add this to my other
loans"
Mary was puzzled. She was not
aware thnt the lean wns especially de-
sirabie ms an Investment ho"e'er'
since the stranger asked as tavor
what would he an advantage 10 nc!
she asscnted. As soon ms she mad
done NO Sanford whipped out pocket
checkbook and wrote her check Tor
the amount. telling her that the papers
In the case could he executed tile next
day.
Sanford did not seem inclined to
hurry AWAY. and the afternoon was
well spent before he made a move to
depart. Then Mary said that. being a
stranger In a strange land. he Ind
better take tea with them. and this IN
vitntion, too. WIS accepted. During
the evening he and Mary were sitting
..-.,. h.s.,. :, ,t.xIo bI.,n ,u thu