The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1919-02-13


"Too much note" / whispered.
'Tm awful sorry, but I've done
everything / could said Mr.. Barnes.
"Ain't there somebody that'll take
another mortgage?-it ought to be
safe now," my uncle suggested.
Money is so 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 mortgage until / can turn
round"
"How much do you owe on this
placer" Barnes asked.
Seven hundred an fifty dollars"
said my uncle.
is it due?"
TITS been due q year an II have
to pay that note I'll be short my in
terest."
"God O. Israel! I'm scairt," said
Uncle Peabody.
Down crashed the stick of wood
into the box.
"What about?"
'It 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 us. then. l could see tears
in the eyes of Aunt Deel as she sat
with her head leaning wearily on her
hand.
"If he does I'll 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 ut 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 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 clamor for
money those days! / remember that
my aunt had sixty dollars which she
had saved, little by little, by selling
eggs and chickens. She had planned
to use 1t 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
joltlng over corduroys!
Bart" my uncle said the next
evening, us 1 took down the book tc
read, II guess we'd better talI
things over n little tonight. These
are hard times. If we can find any
body with money enough to buy ZEN
dunno hut we better sell the
sheep"
IF you hadn't been fool" IN,
aunt exclaimed with look Of grea
distress-"ayes! II you hadn't beer
fool"
"I'm just what l be. an i amt sc
big fool that 1 need to be reminded
of It," said my uncle.
am stay home an work." 1 pro
posed bravely.
"You amt old enough for that
sighed Aunt Deel.
Il want to keep you In school," salt
Uncle Peabody, who sat making ,
splint broom.
While we were talking In walket
Benjamin Grimshaw-the rich man O
= the hills. He didn't stop to knock
but walked right In as II the hous
were his own. 1t was common gos
sip that he held mortgage on ever.
acre of the countryside. l had neve
liked him, for he was stern-eye,
man who was always scolding some
body, and had not forgotten what hi
son had said Of him.
"Good night |" he exclaimed curtiy
: as he sat down and set his cane be
} tween his feet and rested his hand
upon 1t. He spoke hoarsely and
remember the curious notion came t
me that he looked like our old rnm
He wore thin, gray beard under hi
} chin. His mouth was shut tight Il
J a long line curving downward a III
tie at the ends. My uncle used t
say that his mouth was made to keel
his thoughts from leaking and goIn
J L 70 MO rtn Ia l.nd n LII. hndst Z. Ii