Show PLUCK PLECK how a lad met and overcame me adversity I 1 I 1 few boys would have undertaken what fred morton did at his bis fathers death ile he quietly assumed the management of the farm and the support of othis his widowed mother and little sister the husband and father had gono forth one march morning in health heitl ti and strength and an hour later had bien been brought back lifeless the tree he was felling had bad in some soma way caught and crushed crashed him beneath its weight it was with a sad heart that the mother turned returned with her fatherless i children from the grave to the seclusion of her modest home sho she had no relatives there was no one to whom she could rightfully turn for sympathy by batby and help long after fred had gone to hia ti room and lettie the old pet p e of the household had lost her childish sorrow borrow in slumber sho she r sat at before the I 1 sitting room fire thinking that dark as aa the present was the future looked still darker to her ten years before edwin morton had bad come there with his wife and boy pay ing down one thousand dollars towards the farm and giving a mortgage for the balance a paltry sum as it seemed to him then of five hundred dollars ho had bad felt sure that three years or four at most would see the farm all lib bis own but it had been the old story there baa been sickness cick neu th the seasons had not always alway been favorable unexpected expenses had come and unexpected losses the neighbors declared that edwin morton though a great worker did not have the faculty of getting ahead and it was certain that the ten years had come and gone and now he be had gone and not a dollar of the mortgage was paid moreover the interest would be due in a few weeks and mrs morton could think of no way to i pay it she was confident also that the i 1 account at the village grocery would prove to be against them and there might be several smaller accounts still unsettled so far as she could coul d estimate it would take three hundred dollars to I 1 meet her husbands indebtedness outside of the mortgage an on the farm her own health was poor and she could no not do more than her household duties fred it was true though but sixteen years old was strong and willing and could earn mother in that hour of darkness and sorrow that something seemed almost nothing however if the farm could be sold for its real value and all the debts paid there would still be something left for herself and tho the children bu but t how could she leave the root that had so long sheltered her and had bad been so BO dear to her husband Islean meanwhile while fred who had gone to his room had bad not gone to sleep lie he had always been a quiet thoughtful boy wise in many thin things 9 beyond his III s years ile he sat down do wn by the window and thought over the sad events of the last few days it all seemed so 80 strange go BO unreal to hina him it was so hard to trea realize lizi that he be was fatherless but bat at length his thoughts turned from himself to his mother and lit little A ae sister eister and he felt that he must care for them ile he understood all about the debt on the farm he knew there were other bills bill including those incurred by his fathers death that must be paid soon after thinking for some come minutes inmates ho he knelt by his bed bedside 3 ide and ask asked ed god to show him what to do when he airoso ar 0 s e and prepared for bed a new look in his 1 d s eyes told of a purpose already born bom in his soul the next morning moraine fred was up e early ay and when mrs morton entered en the k kitchen itchen the fire waa wa a burning brightly the coffee was made and the chores at the barn were done the youth greeted his mother tenderly and hastened with a quiet determination in i every action to assist her ia the morning duties A week passed fred had busied himself about tho the farm and going to thi the tillage as errands errand required oua one day ho he entered the house and said mother mr ford has got home I 1 saw him at the village tod today to day d 1 he 1 ll 11 spoke to me about fathers dea death th a and n d saidee would call cal I 1 here tomorrow to morrow this mr F ford ord was an old friend of the family and held the mortgage on the farm A few days before mr mor tons death he be had bad gone to new york on a business trip it had been mrs mortons Mo Mor rions tons intention to call upon b him I 1 n as soon as she learned of his return and an d consult with him concerning her husbands afT affairs airs the next when mr ford called fred was repairing a fence so BO mrs morton received hima him alone loue she told haimof him of lier her hopes and fears and then spoke of the one plan that seemed to be open to her ile he was as silent a few minutes and then replied certainly mrs yorton morton this can ha be done what does fred think about it 1 I have not mentioned it to him yet I 1 could not hear bear to speak to him about it he loves the farm so eo how old is he sixteen 1 I would speak to ahn about ut it at ance n said the gentleman aleman thou toh fully such a boy can bo be a great help if lie he chooses fred was called in im lie he listened liste neI as mr ford explained his mothers project and then said quietly 1 I think mr ford thero there la 13 no need of selling the farm it you are in no hurry for the money father owed you yon 1 my dear boy instantly replied the good man you know I 1 have no idea of hurrying you about any money that may be due me I 1 regret that I 1 cannot afford to give you every dollar of it the principal however can remain J just v as q it is and the interest can be paid when it is convenient to you then continued fred 1 I see BOO no reason mother why we wa stay stav here on the farm I 1 have thought it all over and I 1 am burene sure we can manage to set get along I 1 found in fathers desk a list of the persons ho he owed end and when in the village the other day I 1 asked them how much money was due them I 1 find that including the interest due mr ford we owe outside the tha mortgage three hundred and twenty dollars now mother let us sell all the tha cowa 0 but brownie and part of the sheep and pay these outside bills wo will keep jennie the horse and all the hens we shall have hay bay to sell if our stock is reduced and in this way we can 1 meet our other expenses I 1 know mother it will be a good deal for me to I 1 undertake but I 1 am anxious to try it il and he added lowering his bis voice dont you think father would be gladdo have us stay here tears filled mrs mortons Mor tons eyes at these words while mr ford said in husky tones the boy is right mrs morton the tace boy is right I 1 advise you to stay here it v wont ewt tako take long to find a market for the sheep and cows leave all these things j to me ill make the proper ar range ments and see that everything is settled to suit you after mr ford had gone the mother and son eon talked long and earnestly together As mrs morton Torton IN listened to freds plans for the summer she was I 1 more and more surprised at the maturity of thought and spirit of determination he be displayed 1 I am confident mother I 1 he said that I 1 can take care of you aua an lottie af pf of course I 1 must pite give up school except in in the winter but I 1 hope to read and studa some with you I 1 shall unde undertake r on the farm only what I 1 feel sure su r e that I 1 caff can carry through with a little help though mrs morton had some misgivings as to the result of the undertaking she was glad to let fred do as lie be wished it would delay the giving up of the farm it if nothing more and since all the debts except the mortgage could be paid she was herself disposed to remain had she known that her son hoped to pay off the mortgage in a few years her misgivings would have be been en greater still the weeks that follo followed wed were busy ones to F fred red wood for the summer er was cut up and the fences about the farm were repaired wi with th the coming of settled weather he prepared to plant mr ford looked in on fred every week or two and frequently sent his man and team to do heavy work it would be a long story to tell ell of the trials and triumphs of the summer of course there were discouragements discourage ments once bettio was very sick and the I 1 I 1 mother and son were well nigh ex haunted by care and anxiety but there were blessings also mrs marions Mo rions health was unusually good The season was asa a promising one the hay crop was i excellent and a ready market was found for all that could be spared and best of all there was careful management so that fred kept ahead of his work and steadily avoided all debt the fall with its harvest came As fred busily gathered pa in the fruits of his hie toll toil he h felt fait that his bis cup of blessing was full to overflowing in the husking the mother found time to help in the apple gathering even lettie found something for her chubby hands to do one evening mrs morton and fred sat by the dire fire in their sitting room she was sewing and he was busy with his accorn account t book they had that day received an invitation t to spend thanksgiving with mr and mrs ford an invitation which was gratefully erate fully accepted suddenly fred looked up and with a sound of triumph in his voice asked mother shall I 1 tell you just how we have come out this season certainly Certain ij ray my son we have sold went on fred rapidly since last march one hundred dozen of eggs which have brought us twenty dollars we have sold welve twelve tons of hay bay at fifteen dollars per ton seventy five fire bushels of potatoes ices at one dollar per bushel fifteen lambs that brought sixty dollars and for brownies calf we got six dollars we have sold fruit wood and butter that amounted to sixty dollars we have expended just two hundred dollars dollar this leaves a balance in hand band of two hundred bundred and one dollars fred hesitated a a moment and then dropping on his knees by his hia moth mothers e is chair and laying one hand band on her j shoulder he continued earnestly I 1 this is saying nothing mother of the corn in the crib or the pork and vegetables in the cellar some of which we can still spare dont you think it will he be safe on thanksgiving day to pay mr ford one hundred collars dollars of the mortgage fred waited anxiously for his bia mothers reply tears pattered gutber ed in her eyes and d a moment later she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed aloud for ten years her husband had bad tried to pay this debt it had been the bur burden denof of his life and yot yet not a dollar had h he a been able to pay it was true that there had bad been losses during this time which had increased tho the expenses it was also true that the present year had been an exceptional one still she saw that bad the same forethought been exercised in the past years as in the present one the debt of the farm might long ago have been paid she saw a thoughtfulness and thoroughness in her darling boy that she and her husband had never manifested and her tears were tears of joy and thankfulness for such a son five years have passed since mr mor tons death and freds farm is in thorough order he keeps several cows and has a large flock of sheep the house has haa been newly painted and furnished throughout and every dollar ot of the tha mortgage has been paid willard N JeD jenkins kius in yankee blade |