The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-16
AUTHOR or
EBEN HOLDEN. DRI AID |. DARREL OF The BLESSED ISLES
KEEPING UP WITH LIZZIE. ETC, ETC

er sharply. ~ don't have much time
to get around. I have to work.
There's some people seem to be able
to git along without Ii. | see you've
got one o. these ~newfangled stoves"
he added as he looked 1t over. "Huh
Rich folks can have anything they
want"
Uncle Peabody had sat splintering
the long stick Of yellow birch. / OBJ
served that the jackknife 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 I bought that stove I felt
richer than / do now. / had almost
enough to settle with you up to date,
but I signed a note for a friend and
had to pay It."
"Ayuhi I suppose So" Grlmshaw
answered In a tone of bitter irony
which cut me like a knife-blade, young
as / vas "What business have you
signin' notes an givin' away money
which amt yours to give-Td like tn
know? What business have you actin
like a rich man when you can't pay
yer honest debts? I'd like to know
that, toof"
IF I've ever acted like q rich a
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. / want
to tell you n thing, BaynesA you've
got to pay up or git out O here"
He raised his cane and shook 1t in
the air as he spoke.
"Oh, / amt no doubt o. that" said
Uncle Peabody. you'll have to have
yer m~oney-that's sure; an you will
have n II I 1--we, every cent Of 1t.
This boy Is goin' to be a great help
to me-you don't know what a good
boy he Is aud what a comfort he's
been to us I"
These words Of my beloved uncle
uncovered my emotions SO that ! put
my elbow on the wood-box and leaned.
my head upon It and sobbed.
~ sain't goin' to be hard on ye,
Baynes," said Mr.. Grimshaw as he
rose from his chair; "rll give ye
three months to see what you can do.
/ wouldn't wonder II the boy would
turn out all right. He's big an cordy
Of his age and a purity likely boy, they
tell me-"
Mr.. Grimshaw opened the door and
stood for a moment looking at us and
added In a milder tone: you've got
one o. the best farms in this town an
II We work hard an use common
ems We ought to be out o. debt In
Eve years-mebbe less"
He closed the door ami went away.
Neither of us moved or spoke as we
listened to his footsteps on the gravel
path that went down to the road and
to the sound of his buggy as he drove
away. Then Uncle Peabody broke
the silence by saying:
Hes the dam'dest-"
He stopped. set the half-splintered
stick aside, closed his jackknife and
went to the WATERFALL to cool his
emotions with a drink.
Aunt Deel took up the subject where
he had dropped 1t, as If no-half.ex &
pressed sentiment would satisfy her,
saying:
"--old skinfint that ever lived In
this world. ayesl I amt goin' to
hold my opinion o. that man no
longer, ayes.l / can't. It's too pow
erful-ayes!
Having recovered my composure I
repeated that l should like to give up
school and stay at home and work.
Aunt Dee interrupted me by say
ing:
II have an idee that Sile Wright
will help us-ayes! He's comm home
an you better go down an see him
ayes! Hadn't yeTl
'Bart an I'll go down to-morrer."
said Uncle Peabody.
Some fourteen months before that
day my uncle had taken me to Pots
dam and traded grain and salts for
what he called o rip roarin' fine suit
o. clothes" with boots and cap and
shirt and collar and necktie to match,
i having earned them by saving and
cording wood at three shiIlings 3
cord. How often we looked back to
those better daysl The clothes had
been too big for me and ! had had to