Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-01-02

81 -
zone, Two, Three, Ready-Sing."
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: ooh,
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 it's owner insisted upon full
payment. There was such a 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 it to buy tombstone for her
mother and father-a long-cherished
ambition. My uncle needed the most
of it 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 l 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
| dunno but we better sell the
sheep"
"If you hadn't been a fool" my
aunt exclaimed with a look of great
distress-"ayes! if you hadn't been
a fool"
''I'm just what I be, an 1 amt so
big fool that l need to be reminded
of it, said my uncle.
tPll stay home an work." I pro-
posed bravely.
"You amt old enough for that
sighed Aunt Deel.
Il 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 gos-
sip that he held mortsage 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 night p he exclaimed CURLY,
as he sat down 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
long line curving downward 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 q big body, a big
chin, a 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.
II suppose it is" he answered rath-
er sharply. II don't have much time
to get around. / have to work.
There's some people seem to be able
to git along without it. 1 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. 1 OBJ
served that the jackknife trembled in
his hand. His tone had touch of
unnaturalness, proceeding no doubt
from his fear of the man before him,
as he said:
"When / bought that stove I felt
richer than l do now. l had almost
W ScIllS Will yOu udCSy
but / signed a note for friend and
had to pay it."
"Ayuh! 1 suppose SOY Grimshaw
answered in a tone of bitter irony
which cut me like a knife-blade, youRg
as l was. "What business have you
signin' notes an givin' away money
which amt yours to give-Td 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?"
IF I've ever acted like rich man
it's been when l 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 one thing, Baynes, you've
got to pay up or git out o. here"
He raised his cane and shook 1t In
the air as he spoke.