The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-03-07

<arg1n' yer family -takin' -6fiother
mouth. to feed Azu< anofher. body to
spin for? That costs money! /. want
to tell you one thing. BaSlIes, you've
got to pay up. or git out O. here"
He raised his cane and shook 1t In
the air as he spokes
"Oh, nin't no doubt o. that" said
Uncle Peabody. "You'll have to have
( yer money-thats sure; an you will
have n If i live, every cent of it.
This boy is goin' to. be h great help
to me--you don't know what a. good
boy he is and what a comfort he's
been to usw
These words of my beloved uncle
uncovered my emotions so that / put
my elbow Oh the wood-box and leaned
my head apon it and sobbed.
II amt goin' to be hard on We,
Baynes," said Mr.. Grimshaw as he
rose from his chair; "Pll give We
three months to see what you can do.
wouldn't wonder If the boy would
turn out all right. He's big an cordy
OF his age and purity likely boy. they
tell me-"
Mr.. Grimshaw opened the door and
stood for Il moment looking at us and
added in a milder tone: you've got
one o. the best farms in this town an
If We work hard an use common
sense We ought to be out o. debt in
five years-mebbe less"
He closed the door and 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:
'He's the damdest-"
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 it, as If no-half-ex-
pressed sentiment would satisfy her,
saying:
odd skinflint that ever lived in
this world, ayes! 1 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 /
repeated that should like to give up
school and stay ut 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 ye?"
"Bart an I'll go down to-morrey;,"
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 "trip 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 shillings a
cord. How often we looked back to
those better days The clothes had
been too big for me and had had to
wait until my growth had taken up
the slack" in my coat and trousers
before could venture out of the
neighbOrfOod. / had tried them on
every week or so for long time. Now
ing statue filled them handsomely
and they filed me with pride and
satisfaction which ] had never known
before.
snow may the Lord help we to be
careful-awful, terrible careful o.
them clothes every minute o. this
day" Aunt Deel cautioned as she
looked at me. "Don't GIT no horse
sweat nor wagon grease on 'em."
To Aunt Deel wagon grease was
the worst enemy of happy and re-
spectacle home.
We hitched our team to the grass
hopper spring wagon and set out on
our journey. 1t was warm, hazy
Indian-summer day in November. AS
we passed "the mill'' we saw the ST.
lent Woman looking out Of the little
window of her room above the black
smith shop-a low. weather-stained,
frame building, hard by the main
road, with a narrow hanging stair on
the side Of it.
"She keeps watch by the winder
when she amt travelin'," said Uncle
Peabody. "KnOws all that's goin'
on-that woman-knows who goes to
the village an how long they stay.
When Grimsnaw goes by they say she
hustles off down the road in her rags.
She looks like sick dog herself, but
I've heard that she keeps that room
o. hers Just as neat as a PIN"
Near the village we passed smart
looking buggy. drawn by spry-foot-
cd tOrse In shiny harness. Then l
noticed with a pang that our wagon
was covered with dry mud and that
our horses were rather bony and our
harness kind Of lead color. So /
was In an humble state of mind when
we entered the village.
There was a crowd Of men and
women In front of Mr.. Wright's office
I :eto