The Arizona copper camp., 1919-02-15

the roomi
When the Axtells had gone away
Aunt Deel said:
"It's grand! 1t is sartin-but I'm
'fraid we can't afford it-ayes 1 be!"
"We can't afford to freeze any
longer. I made up my mind that we
couldn't go through another winter
as we have" was my uncle's answer.
"How much did it cost?'' she asked.
"Not much differ'nt from thirty
four dollars in sheep and grain,'' he
answered.
Rodney Barnes stayed to supper
and spent a part of the evening with
us.
Like other settlers there, Mr..
Barnes was cheerful optimist. Every
thing looked good to him until it
turned out badly.
He told how he had heard that it
was growing country near the great
water highway of the st. Lawrence.
Prosperous towns were building up
in it. There were going to be great
cities in Northern New York. There
were rich stores of lead and iron
in the rocks. Mr.. Barnes had bought
two hundred acres at ten dollars an
acre. He had to pay fee of five
per cent. to Grimshaw's lawyer for
the survey and the papers. This left
him owing fourteen hundred dollars
on his farm-much more than it was
worth.
Our cousin twisted the poker in
his great hands until it sQueaked as
he stood before my uncle and said:
"My wife and I have chopped and
burnt and pried and hauled rocks an
shoveled dung an MIXED an churned
until we are worn out. For almost
twenty years we've been workin' days
an nights an Sundays. My mortgage
was overdue, owed six hundred dol
lars on it. I thought it all over one
day an went up to Grimshaw's an
took him by the back of the neck
and shook him. He said he would
drive me out o. the country. He
gave me six months to pay up. had
to pay or lose the land. / got the
money on the note that you signed
over in Potsdam. Nobody in Can
ton would "a dared to lend it to
me-"
"Why? my uncle asked.
"'Fraid O. Grimshaw. He didn't
want me to be able to pay it. The
place is worth more than six hundred
dollars now-that's the reason. 1 in
tended to cut some timber an haul
it to the village this winter so I could
pay a part o. the note an git more
time as I told ye, but the roads have
been so bad I couldn't do any haul
in"
My uncle went and took {. drink at
the water pail. saw by his fact
that he was unusually wrought up.
"My heavens an earth !'' he e0
claimed as he sat down again.
"It's the brain colic," I said te
myself as looked at him.
Mr.. Barnes seemed to have it also
'Too much note" I whispered.
"Tm awful sorry, but I've done
everything I could" said Mr.. Barnes
"Ain't there somebody that'n take
another mortgage?-it ought to be
safe now," my uncle suggested.
Money is so tight it 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 a mortgage until I cam turn
round"
SO I saw how Rodney Barnes, like
other settlers in Lickitysplit, had gone
into bondage to the landlord.
''How much do you owe on this
placer" Barnes asked.
"Seven hundred an fifty dollars"
said my uncle.
'Ts it due?"
"It's been due a year an if I 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.''
l remember the little panic that
fell on us then. I could see tears
in the eyes of Aunt Deel as she sat
with her head leaning wearily on her
hand.
eff he does I'll do all 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 Dee1 by the hand and
led her toward my uncle. We stood