The Arizona copper camp., 1919-02-15

facing him. "Stand straighter," he
demanded. snow, altogether. One,
two, three, ready-sing."
He beat time with his hand in imi-
tation of the singing master at the
schoolhouse and we Joined him in
singing an old tune which began: "Oh,
keep my-heart from sadness, Cod"
This irresistible spirit of the man
bridged bad hour and got us off
to bed in fairly good condition.
A few days later the note came
due and its owner insisted upon full
payment. There was such a clamor for
money those days! I remember that
my aunt had sixty dollars which she
had saved, little by little, by selling
eggs and chickens. She had planned
to use it to buy a tombstone for her
mother and father-a long-cherished
ambition. My uncle needed the most
of 1t to help pay the note. We drove
to Potsdam on that sad errand and
what a time we had getting there
and back in deep mud and sand and
jolting over corduroys!
"Bart," my uncle said the next
evening, as I took down the book to
read, 81 guess we'd better talk
things over a little tonight. These
are hard times. If we can find any,
body with money enough to buy 'em
I dunno but we better sell the
sheep"
eff you hadn't been fool" my
aunt exclaimed with a look of great
distress-"ayes! if you hadn't been
a fool"
"Tm just what I be, an I amt SO
big fool that I need to be reminded
of it," said my uncle.
''Pll stay home an work." I pro-
posed bravely.
"You amt old enough for that"
sighed Aunt Deel.
II want to keep you in school," said
Uncle Peabody, who sat making a
splint broom.
While we were talking in walked
Benjamin Grimshaw-the rich man of
the hills. He didn't stop to knock,
but walked right in as if the house
were his own. It was common gos-
sip that he held a mortgage on every
acre Of the countryside. l had never
liked him, for he was stern-eyed
man who was always scolding some
body, and had not forgotten what his
son had said of him.
"Good night !" he exclaimed curtly,
as he sat dewn and set his cane be-
tween his feet and rested his hands
upon it. He spoke hoarsely and
remember the curious notion came to
me that he looked like our old ram.
He wore a thin, gray beard under his
chin. His mouth was shut tight in
a long line curving downward a lit
tie at the ends. My uncle used to
say that his mouth was made to keep
his thoughts from leaking and going
to waste. He had a big body, a big
chin, big mouth, a big nose and
big ears and hands. His eyes lay
small in this setting of bigness.
''Why, Mr.. Grimshaw, it's years
since you've been in our house
ayes!" said Aunt Deel.
st suppose it is," ne answered rath-
er sharply. 'T don't have much time
to get around. I have to work.
There's some people seem to be able
to git along without it. I see you've
got one O. these newfangled Stoves"
he added as he looked it over. "Huh!
Rich folks can have anything they
want"
Uncle Peabody had sat splintering
the long stick of yellow birch. I OBJ
served that the jaclzknife trembled in
his hand. His tone had a touch Of
unnaturalness, proceeding no doubt
from his fear Of the man before him,
as he said:
"When 1 bought that stove I felt
enough to settle with you UP to date,
but signed a note for a friend and
had to pay it,
"Ayuh! I suppose so," Grimshaw
answered in a tone of bitter irony
which cut me like a knife-blade, young
as I was. "What business have you
signin' notes an givin' away money
which amt yours to give-I'd like to
know? What business have you actin
like rich man when you can't pay
yer honest debts? I'd like to know
that, too?"
eff I've ever acted like rich man
it's been when I want lookin'," said
Uncle Peabody.
"What business have you to go en-
largin' yer family-takin' another
mouth to feed and another body to
spin for? That costs money. 1 want
to tell you one thing, Baynes, you've
got to pay up or git out O. here"
He raised his cane and shook it in
the air as he spoke.
"Oh, 1 amt no doubt O. that" said
Uncle Peabody. you'll have to have
yer mOney-that's sure; an you will
have it if I live, every cent Of it.
This boy is goin' to be a great help
to me-you don't know what a good
boy he is and what a comfort he's