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Down on the Old Farm.
by R. Tee _T. EMMET,
CHAPTER I,
BACK TO THE OLD FARM.
One beautiful morning tn the month of
July, not taany years ago, two whitehaired
old men a toxether under the vine-covered
roh @ old Tompkins farmhouse at
rook vilte Stale, looking down the Port-
land roa
But although both were looking, only
ene gaw the dark blue bills which rose In
Me iistance or the broad green meadow
through which the brook ran babbling just
beyond the garden gate.
id man on the right, with sturdy
frame and clear cut New England features,
sat motionless, with his long white hair
hanging down his shoulders and his hands
folded across his lap, staring with sightless
eyes Into vacancy, for many years had
passed since the Ilght of day was blotted
out forever for old Simon Tompkins. He
was blind.
Kin yer see the wagon a-comin’ down
the hilt, Silas?” he asked of his companion.
“Seems to me it must be most time for it
to show up. Charley's had an hour and
three-quarters now; chor 1s, If the train got
fato Portland on un
» no, Simo; a don’t see nothin’,”
replied old Stlas Stubbs, Adiueting his spee-
tacles and peering off t ward the hills be-
yond the meadow, “Stilt T wouldn't give
p yet awhile. You know them
trains is allus lable to be late. Then mebbe
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my own letters a dozen times, T don’t think
she has answered them once.”
‘he blind man sighed.
“Well, well, never mind, Ch arley,” he
sald. “Things haven't gone very well with
a
us and that’ ‘a why I told your aunt to keep
oul ey've been hard years down here
a the old fa arm, You see when a farmer
hain't able to tend to business himself and
has to hire for it all there hain’t nothing
in it and that’s a fact. But don’t you
worry, my boy, I'll rub along somehow,
| same as I've always done.”
he hdd tronble gettin’ a team. A dozen }
things might have happened. You are get- “How about the mortgage, father? =
ting a bit nervous~ about the boy, oi Well, Charley, that’s what's worrying
friend.” me. You see it’s soon due now. Squire
“That's right, SI am,” the blind | Melton is a hard man and two thousand
farmer replied. “You see vchatiey's the only sooo eis ego ee money fone hon
Pele Dee eae ees, is mother died | req toward it, but if the squire should
9 | refuse to renew and insist on his money,
buried six children, four boys and two | there won't be no help for us. We shall
xirts, and Charley’s my youngest and all I |
ev. When he got restless and would go
away to Boston and look for a position Ilke
the other boys around here, [ fought him
of all 1 knew, but it ‘twarn’t no sort of use,
He was seventeen years old and large for
his age and full of ambitlon oo be a rich
man. ‘Father,’ saya he, ‘Jest let me go and
TH work hant and faithful; rit save every
cent Ecun and In two years’ ume we'll wi
off the mortage from the
then you won't have no more w
went to Boston and he got that position in | t
the Harvey Bank. He's workeand worked
and now, e's only nineteen, he’s
head teller and handtes all the nioney; but
d
lawzee, Silas, he haln't saved nothing to
epenk of. “atenty, expenstve living in Bos-
fon, they
“Waal, Y spose it Is,” replied Silas. who | ¢
wits a sort of pensioner of old Simon Tomp- | t
kins and did chores around the farm “for
“I spose there's tots of tempta-
e city fer a
ms to me that | t
Charley,
you.
Don’t you worry.
fast friends.
with his father and get a renewal of the
farm and balance for five years.
ee So he | be able to pay off the last cent and save
old man’s surprise and hear
have to let him foreclose and that’s the
last of the old hom
“Fell nev hard as that!” cried
“Here, father, is a present for
Close your hand on it: Five hundred
dollars In bills and all o i
He promised to intercede
By that time I shall
he old hom:
It was a touching seene to’ witness the
the earnest
hanks showered upon his son
But Charley cut him short, for at that
‘ame running up to the porch to announce
hat all the boys and sivis i in the village
were coming toward the far
‘Looks like a regular surprise party,” he
“Every one of ‘em is dressed in
their best Sunday go to meeting clothes.”
Charley sprang to his feet all in a flutter.
home and buckle down to work like they “Father!” he exclaimed, “how is Celia
used to do when you and me was young, Dunmore? I've been waiting for a chance
Simon. Don’t you remember the time | to
hen we worked for old man Griffin over t “She's well,” was the reply. “Oh, she’s
Cedar Swamp, how we had to hustle? That | all right. Likely she's coming with the
was sixty years ago and—say, Simon. By
gracious I do see a team a-coming down the
hilt aad as near as I can make oat there's
@ young man alone into it, too.
“It’s Charley!” cried the blind man, ris-
ing [rom his chair all in a tremble. “It's
e's coming home down on the
elt farm.”
Ten minutes later a horse and buggy
came dashing into the farmyard and
tall, handsome young fellow of nineteen
sprang out.
Tt was Charley Tompkins come back to
the old farm at Brookville to spend his two
weeks’ vacation.
Tt seemed a pity that his old father could
« touching one, Tears bedimmed the sight-
jess eyes of the old man as he pressed the
boy to his breast.
But Charley was not the sort of fellow to
indulge much in sentiment.
Releasing himself from his father’s em-
brace, he shook hands with Silas Stubbs,
kissed Aunt Sarah Ann Tompkins, his fa-
ther’s maiden sister and housekeeper,
slapped Job Disney, the boy of-all-work, on
the back and told him he had grown a foot
asover, the dog, to come
in for his share of greeting and then all
the family and neighborhood news to listen
to and a thousand questions to ask and
answer It was a joyful reunion all
aroun
Dreeitast had been kept waiting for the
oy's homecoming and as soon a. was
over Charley led his father out upon the
porch ard sat down beside im.
“Well, ings go?” he ked
“How have the crops heen? Hava you marta
any money thee last two years? You kn
Aunt Sarah Ann is not much of a writer,
and thongh I've asked there questions tn
rest, but, Charley, I want to say a word to
you,”
Charley turned pale, There was some-
thing in the old man’s voice which troubled
him.
“Celia hasn't forgotten me, father?” he
whispered.
“I dunno, boy.” replied the old man. “Are
yeu just as fond of her as
€ same, father, ‘She's ‘the dearest
xin in the whole world to me, but I’m wor-
Tied. T own it. Of late her letters have
been short and few and far betw
“Just so. Charley, are you sure PRrockway
Melton is your friend?
Wh
Broe
ies *pot in any business.
is rich, as you know, and
well supplied with cash.
His father
keeps him
But you must
eeze every
cent out of my salary that t could possibly
Rave in order to do my share toward saving
the old
“Right! And you are a noble boy for
doing it, my son, but don't trust a pan
who spends his time in fdleness, They
say that Brork Melton {9 baying attention
to Celia Dunmore and that eet on
wa Charley. There, there, my boy! Brace
Be a man? ‘It's better that you shoult
hear the truth from your poor old blind
father han to have it come to you from
KOMP 01
"Hello, Chartey?
Gilad to see
old farm.”
These and many similar ricetings from
a merry group of young folks who now
How are you, old man?
you home again dewn on the
They were as fine a looking group of boys
and girls as any one could wish to se
They crowded about the vine-covered
porch shaking hands with Charley, welcom-
ing him back to the old home and certainly
the young bank clerk ought to have felt
prou f the reception which the pretty
girls of pro kite extended to
B y had eyes for oY none and,
as it happen, she was the only one who
did not come forward to greet him.
Leaning on the arm of Brock Melton,
Celia Dunmore kept in the rear.
“How are you, Tompkins? I ‘see y got
home all right,” said Brock, with a familiar
nod, as Charley pushed his way through
the crowd to where the couple stoo
“I'm here,” replied Charley, flushing. “T
didn’t know you were coming down, Celia;
hayen’t you one word for an old friend?”
Charley turned his eyes appealingly to
we aul to whom he had been all but en-
“Slow do you do, Mr. Tompkins?” was
the answer. “I'm glad to see you home
gain.
you what we are here for.
OST he tone was icy c
Charley turned no ‘deathly pale.
All the pleasure of his homecoming had
vanished.
If it had not been for his blind father
it is safe to say that Charley Tompkins
would have turned his back on Brookville
forever and never again put in an appear-
ance down on the old farm.
CHAPTER II.
WHAT HALtENED ON THE MOUNTAIN.
“And now then, Charley!” exclaimed Sam
Sanders, after every one had had a chance
to speak to their old chum, “let me tell
In honor of your
veturn it has been arranged to give you a
surprise party, or rather a pienic, for no-
body cares for a party in july. We intend
to go up on Breakneck Mountain. We've
got the teams all engaged and the lunch
is packed in the wagons. You're to come
right along with us now and there’s no
eee on earth why we shouldn't all have a
jolly t
Charley had Ha tail himself to a cer.
tain extent by this
“That's the talc” he exclaimed, “I don't
now what I have ever done to deserve
such a welcome home as this, but since I've
got it I'm aisposed to make the most of it.
Just give me tim © change ny sothes and
brush up a bit and Tl be w .
“Meet us at the hotel,” said rock, “that's
where the wns are. | We'll look “tor you
there in half ai
“TH there,” replied beni > Biv!
Sam the signal to remain * giving
The blind farmer now “ane ‘in for his
shave of greetin:
@ stood among the young folks shak-
tnx hands and recognizing this one and
at one by their yoices Charl h
into the house, follow: m ‘rried
“Did you want to. a me “Charley?”
asked Sam, once they found themselves up
Stairs in “the little pedroam yvnteh Charley
had always occupied a:
do, You used. a ’b
and | particular chum—— “my friend
m ar ‘Ghariey,
Ww
torent it On and don’t you
i You needn't tell
me It’s been coin on this three months.
verybody says Celia is engaged to Brock,
but tT nether it it has gone so far as that or
lon't
223
tre: acherous scoundrel!” cried
“And this ‘s the fellow I have
0 whom tre told
my eocrets, who pretended to be my eat
friend
. Hf you banked on B:
then all I can Spe mana aan
take,” replied Sam. “He's the meanest fel-
w in Brookville 2 spite, of his father’s
Inne He hain’t n ood not never was.”
ut don’ t you gee when I
him in Boston it was Ike a touch of “the
and I naturally took up with
?
came crowcing through the gal
w he’s fast, that he drinks
plays poker and the races, but I overlooked | |
all that because he came from Brookvife,
d—and——” -
“And you went and told him all ab
your being sweet on Celia and n
cut you out,” broke in Sam. “Well}I
wouldn’t worry. There’s lots of nice g'Bs
in Brookville who would give their eyesfto
ave you for a beau. Take my ady fe,
Charley, and catch on to another o|
There's as good fish in the sea as ever
pulled out of it and that’s a fact.”
fas sound advice, no doubt, JRt
Sharley was not at all disposed to follow
big double seated wagon.
Brock and Celia were in the team ahipd
and Charley saw nothing of them wil
they reached the picnic grounds on top
the mountain.
It was a favorite resort for the young
folks of and the surround
towns and people often drove out fr
Portland to ascend the mountain and
joy the charming view.
A pavilion with:a good dancing fioor |
been erected on the level] stretch at the
of Breakneck and as one of the party w
played good dance music had brought §is
violin along, a dance was soon organi#d
and a merry time followed.
hen there was the cold lunch, wh fy
was just a royal country spread.
After it was over some returned to 4
Pavilion again while others wandered
the woods picking wild flowers, flirt!
with the girls and enjoying themselves
various ways.
Charley watched his chance and got a\
by himself,
He loved Celia Dunmore dearly and BF
yet, except for that first cold ~greeting, 1°
had not even looked at him.
The poor boy was suffering deeply. i
would have given anything for a cha:
for a few minutes’ conversation with
girl ‘alone, but she and Brock Melton k
close together, so Charley’s opportunity id
not come.
Where they were now Charley did
know, as he walked on through the huci
berry’ bushes cutting off the tops of
weeds pith his light cane. ,
“If I could only forget her,” he said fo
himself a hundred times.’ “If I could off
get her out of my head altogether. [pf
course, under the circumstances, that’s Bé
proper thing to do, but——’
fe suddenly pau:
ooking forward. ‘toward the edge of fe
precipice where Breakneck’ overlooks ¥
bago Valley, he saw Brock Melton and Cifis
Dunmore Sitting together at the very vB?
he with her hat upon his head and his af
about her waist all very loyer-like ind Pt
Charley ground his teeth in rase.
felt just Mike going up to the pair and t#k
ng then k for their treachery
him. then ana there, and perhaps he mi gt!
have come to that as he stood behind & iz
tree watching them if he had not sudde#®
had his attention attraeted by two rous
dresse: . 0 stood alongside a F
poulder at at seine, little distance away watf
ng t
“By gras “fou s, that’s a pair of hard- 0 ia
ing citizens’ ” thought Charley, “Who |
they be?- Certainly they ‘don't bell
around here.
He looked around to see if ihere ¥
anybody else in the neighborhood and t
ne
Bd
0
Bim te
jot
a
oe
for the first time, saw that a
was rapidly gathering behind him.
“It's going to rain.” muttered Char!
“Those who don’t want to get wet ought 7
get out of here ier. Hello! What
that fellow now
felton? I want
speak to you a minuie if the lady will
we
ome
22 wees
cuse me!” he call. .
was sta ee how sudde#y
prock Melton snatched cere 's hat from
head and sprang to his
harley saw him say something to Cr
and then get up and hurry toward the 1
toward which the 1 man had retreated, J
ing his companion.