Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-01-03

Hdu SdNeu, llttle ny utlle, ny Selllue
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 1t 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 I took down the book to
read, II guess we'd better talk
things over 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 be, an amt so
big fool that l need to be reminded
OF II, Sald my uncle.
"Ill stay home an work." l pro-
posed bravely.
"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
were his own. 1t was common Cos
sip that he held mortgage ON every
acre of the countryside. l had never
liked him, for he was a stern-eyed
man who was always scOlding some
body, and had not forgotten what his
son had said of him.
"Good nightw he exclaimed CURLY,
rs he sat down and set his cane be-
tween his feet and rested his hands
mon 1t. He spoke hoarsely and i
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
a long line curving downward a 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 a big body, big
chin, big mouth, 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.
az suppose it is" he answered rath-
er sharply. 81 don't have much time
to get around. l have to work.
There's some people seem to be able
to git along without it. 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 spintering
the long stick of yellow birch. | 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 l bought that stove l felt
richer than / do now. / had almost
enough to settle with you up to date,
but l signed a note for a friend and
had to pay it."
"Ayuh l suppose So" Grimshaw
answered in a tone of bitter irony
which cut me like knife-blade, young
as / was. "What business have you
signin' notes an givin' away money
which amt yours to give-I'd like to
know? What business have you actin
like a rich man when you can't pay
yer honest debts? I'd like 10 know
that, too?"
IF I've ever acted like a rich man
it's been when l want lookin'," said
uncle PEABODY.
what business have you to 60 en-
largin' yer family-takin another
mouth to feed and another body to
spin for? That costs money. l want
to tell you one thing, Baynes, you've
got to pay up or git out O. here"
He raised his cane and shook it in
the air as he spoke.
"Oh, amt no doubt O. that" said
Uncle Peabody. you'll have to have
yer mOney-that's sure; an you will
have II if l live, every cent of it.
This boy is goin to be a great help
to me-y0u don't know what a good
boy he is and what a comfort he's
been to US
These words of my beloved uncle
uncovered Eny emotions so that | put
my elbow on the wOod-box and leaned
my head upon it and sobbed.
Il amt goin' to be hard on ye,
Baynes," said Mr.. Grimshaw as he
rose from his chair; "I'll give ye
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 a purity likely boy, they
tell me-"
Mr.. Grimshaw opened the door and
stood for moment looking at us and