Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-02-27

81 ~
"one, 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: cob,
keep my heart from sadness, God"
This irresistible spirit of the man
bridged a 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! I 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 a 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 V c%orduroys!
Bart" my uncle said the next
evening, as I took down the book to
read, 81 guess we'd better talk
things over a little tonight. These
n1.n 1,r, VII fi1,,nc~ 1f r-o fr1
body with money enough to buy 'em
1 dunno but we better sell the
sheep"
eff you hadn't been a fool" my
aunt exclaimed With a look of great
distress--"ayes! if you hadn't been
a FOOL
"Im just what I be, an I amt so
big Il fool that I need to be reminded
Of it," said my uncle.
I'll stay home an work." 1 pro.
posed hravely.
"You amt old enough for that"
sighed Aunt Deel.
II 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
We're his own. 1t was common gos-
sip that he held a mortgage on every
acre of the countryside. I had never
liked. hinl, FOR he was a stern-eyed
man Yhc WAS always scolding some
body. and rad not forgotten what his
son had sE!a Of him.
"G;,ot rizhtT" he exclaimed CURLY,
rs E;: sat ,uHn and set his cane be-
twefs his feet and rested his hands
upoI. 1t Ike spoke hoarsely and ]
remember the curious notion came to
me tAat he looked like our old ram.
He a thin, gray beard under his
chin. His mouth was shut tight in
q long line curving downward q lit
tie at the ends. My uncle used to
say that his mouth vas made to keep
his thoughts from leaking and going
to waste. He had a 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 u.s." he answered rath-
er sharply. II don't have much time
to get around. I have to work.
There's some people seem to be able
to git along without it. / see you've
got n 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. l 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. I had almost
enough to settle with you up to date,
but l signed a note for q friend and
had to pay It,"
".Ayuh! / suppose So" Grlmshaw
answered In n tone OF bitter irony
which cut me like Il knife-blade, young
ms l was. "What business have you
signin' notes an glvin' away money
which amt yours to glve-Td like to
know? What business have you act.'-'