The Holly chieftain., 1919-02-20

Its the brain collie" I said to
myself as looked at him.
Mr.. Barnes seemed to have It also.
TOO much note" whispered.
'I'm awful sorry. but I've done
everything could" said Mr.. Barnes.
"Ain't there somebody thatIl take
another mortgage?-It ought to be
safe now" my uncle suggested.
Money IL 20 tight 1t can't be done.
The bank has got all the money an
Grimshaw owns the bank. I've tried
and tried. but I'll make you safe. I'll
give you Q mortgage until l can turn
round"
"How much do you owe on this
placer Barnes asked.
"Seven hundred an fifty dollars"
said my uncle.
"Is 1t duet"
"It's been due a yenr an II I have
to pay that note I'll be short my in
terest."
"God O. Israeli I'm scairt," said
Uncle Peabody.
Down crashed the stick Of wood
into the box.
| what about7'
ut would be like him to put the
screws on you now. You've got be-
tween him an his prey. You've taken
the mouse away from the cat"
| ! remember the little panic that
fell on as then. l could see tears
In the eyes of Aunt Deel as she sat
with her head leaning wearily on her
hand.
III he does TIL do all l can," said
Barnes. whatever I've got will be
yours"
Rodney Barnes left us, and I re-
member how Uncle Peabody stood in
the middle Of the, floor and whistled
the merriest tune he knew.
"Stand right up here" he called in
his most cheerful tone. "Stand right
up here before me. both O. ye."
I got Aunt Deel by the hand and
led her toward my uncle We stood
facing him. "Stand straighter," he
demanded. '.Now, 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, God"
This irresistible spirit Of the man
bridged bad hour and got US OF
to bed in fairly good condition.
A few days later the note came
due and its owner insisted upon full
payment. There was such clamor for
money those daysl 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 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 time we had getting there
and back in deep mud and sand and
jolting over corduroysi
Bart" my uncle said the next
evening, as took down the book to
read. II guess we'd better talk
things over little tonight. These
are hard times. II we can find any
body with money enough to buy 'em
I dunno but we better sell the
sheep"
IL you hadn't been fool" my
aunt exclaimed with a look of great
distress-"ayesl II you hadn't been
a fool"
"I'm just what 1 be. an amt 80
dig a fool that need to be reminded
Of it." said my uncle.
"Tll 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. 1t was common Cos
sip that he held a mortgage on every
acre Of the countryside. had never
liked him, for he was a stern-eyed
man who was always scolding some
body, and I had not forgotten what his
son had said of him.
"Good nightl" he exclaimed curtly,
as he sat down and set his cane be-
tween his feet and rested his hands
upon 1t. 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 limo limo cnryinp downword lS<