14
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
The Low-Down,
BY L. C. NOTttUB,
npiHE sparks were flying from the
I ringing anvil with a spiteful hiss
as the steady whack of the heavy
hammer resounded through the old
blacksmith shop. iThe sound had"
continued for an hour with sirch
steady regularity, that the very sound
of the hammer seemed to denote a
desperate determination, and the reg
ular hiss of the bits of heated steel
as they flew from the heavy anvil
and lighted up the face of the man at
work, only made the already deter
mined look appear the more resolute.
As the man turned to the flaming
forge and the fire flashed on his
sweat-begrimed face,' you could see
that something out of the ordinary
was passing through the mind of
James Stofer.
"They shall not keep me away
trom her simply because I am poor
and a widower," repeated Jim, as he
Wiped the sweat from his brow with
a red bandana handkerchief. He was
In the habit of repeating the thoughts
that passed through his mind to hlm
fcelf. "No, sir, they shall not."
"What wus you a sayin', Jim? I
didn't 'zactly understand."
It was his brother, John, who
spoke. They worked side by side In
the old blacksmith shop, spending all
their earnings to keep their father
and mother and the large family of
fmaller children supplied with the
necessaries of life. Besides, Jim said
that the children should have an ed
ucation, no difference how hard he
had to work to supply their needs.
Jim had been married when but a
boy to a girl that he had met at a
social gathering in the rural districts
of Indiana. He had married without
Btopping to think whether he was in
love or not. He was but a boy, far
from home, with no one to guide him
or offer a word of advice. And when
he met this rustic beauty who sym
pathized with him in his loneliness,
the result was a wedding, in a quiet
little country church in less than two
weeks after their first meeting. It
was the same old story of a hasty
Wedding. There was nothing con
genial between them and soon tiring
of her and not knowing what to do,
he took her to his parents In Illinois.
In 10 short months a baby was born,
but the mother never lived to look
Into the bright eyes and fully realize
what the cooing and the soft touch of
the first-born meant.
After the funeral Jim had gone Into
the old blacksmith shop with the de
termination to help his father and
mother supply the needs of his child
and never so much as think of an
other woman again, but after seven
long years of toil now was deeply In
love with the postmaster's daughter,
Letta Barnes.
"Oh nothing, I was just thinking,"
replied Jim, "but, say, John, the old
lady Barnes told me last night to
Sever come inside her house again.
She said that I was not fit to asso
ciate with her daughter, that I was
pnly a blacksmith and that her daugh
tr w&s & l&dy "
"Well, I knowed that soraethin'
wus wrong the way you wus poundln'
that Iron."
"John," and. whack went the ham
mer down on a nearby table, "I can't
stand this suspense any longer. I am
going down to the postofflce and
have a talk with Mr. Barnes."
Ten minutes later Jim entered the
Postofflce door dressed In a plain,
but eat-fltting suit of gray.
"Mr. Barnes, I have come to see
if we can reach an understanding
about myself and Letta. Your wife
Ordered me never to set foot In her
house again, and you know that I
love Letta better than my life, and
that I never will give her up. Just
think for a moment, and tell me what
you would have done when you were
young and in love with your wife,
had her mother forbidden you going
to see her. I know I nm a poor man
tind a widower, but why should that
debar me from seeing the one I
love?"
"W-e-1-1, as how," here Will Barnes
got down from a sugar barrel and
took a slow walk across the store
room (for the postofflce was In a
little, dingy storeroom), then turning
and walking back to where Jim stood,
"w-e-1-1, as how I know just how to
sympathize with ye, but I don't know
what I'd do. I have no objection to
yer coming to see my daughter, but
Mary don't like ye, for some cause.
As far as I'm concerned, you kin
come ter see Letta whenever ye want
to, but you'd better watch out for
Mary."
It was a great relief to Jim to
know that Will Barnes had no objec
tion to him paying his respects to
Letta, yet he was not sure that Letta
cared for him, enough to disobey her
Dirty Blacksmith
PORTLAND.
mother, and accept his attentions.
But just then pretty Letta Barnes
came into the store with a bright
smile and a "hello" for Jim, and he
then and there renewed the deter
mination to never give her up as long
as there was any hope.
"Letta, will you allow me to accom
pany you to church, tonight?"
"Why, of course I will, Jim, If It Is
so I can. Can you spare me from the
store tonight, papa?"
"Yes, I guess I can, but you'd bet
ter not let Mary know that yer goln'
to church with Jim, or you'll not git
ter go."
"Oh, I'll tell mamma all about it
before I start to church. I'll not be
a hypocrite and hide things from her
that I have no reason to. I am not
ashamed to go to church with Mr.
Stofer," and the color came and went
In her cheeks, making her all the
more lovely. Jim's heart took a great
bound, for In those words he read
some hope and he knew that the
color that came and went In her
cheeks could not be feigned.
"I'll be ready to start at 8 o'clock,
Jim. Be sure you are here at that
time."
"Be sure you are here at that time"
kept running through Jim's mind, as
he slowly walked homeward. "Of
course, I'll be there at that time. No
one could keep me away."
When Letta reached home she
found her mamma in a great rage.
Something had gone wrong, and
Mary Barnes blamed everything and
everybody about, when she was mad.
"Letta you have been wasting your
time talking to Jim Stofer again.
Didn't I tell you never to speak to him
again? You are a mean, contempt
ible little hussy. You don't respect
your mother at all. I'll tell you
right now, it you ever speak to Jim
Stofer again you will leave home.
Now you can take your choice of
staying here with me or taking up
with that low-down, dirty blacksmith
and never showing your face here
again. He just wants you because
you have a little money, and when
your are married he will make you
take care of that little girl of his,
who Is too low-down for any of my
children to associate with. So there,"
and away she sped Into the kitchen
with her head held high, not even
glancing backward.
Letta stood still, not knowing what
to say or think. Her mother's sting
ing rebuke caused the blood to leave
her cheeks, but when she referred to
Jim as a "low-down, dirty black
smith" the color came back and her
heart seemed to stand still.
"So I'm a contemptible little hussy.
Oh, why did mamma say that? Slowly
the tears began to gather In her eyes
and lower and lower drooped her
head. Suddenly a mighty sob shook
her frame and she fled to her room.
Mary Barnes was one of those
women who labored under the Im
pression that she was better than
ordinary people that her children
were above the common people of the
town. It was true that her husband
had amassed considerable property,
and his bank account was the largest
of any person In the village. But
when he married Mary Hill, he had
nothing; while her early life had
been spent In abject poverty, she now
had no sympathy for anyone who
did not have wealth. She was very
quick-tempered quick to become
angry and slow to forgive, often pre
tending sickness for days after a
"spat" with her husband.
It will never be known exactly,
what passed through the mind of
Letta Barnes, as she wept bitterly
over the cruel words her mother had
just uttered, but when a half hour
later, she came from her room there
was a look of determination on her
face that showed that a great battle
had taken place and that some def
inite conclusion had been reached.
"Mother, I am going to church
with Jim tonight."
The words were spoken slowly, but
with an air of determination that
caused Mrs. Barnes to wince, when
she glanced at the tear-stained face
of the slight girl that confronted her.
"Will you disobey your mother and
bring disgrace on the whole family
by going with that low-bred fellow?"
"I am going to church with him,
mamma, and there Is no need of any
further argument, as I have fully
made up my mind to go. If you can
give any sensible reason why I should
not go, then I will do as you say, but
otherwise I shall go." Mary Barne3
saw that further words were useless,
so she said no more, but 30 mlnues
later she was in bed, with what she
called one of her "spells." This did
not prevent Letta from keeping her
appointment with Jim Stofer. On the
way to church Letta told Jim what
her mother bad said.
"This Is the first time I ever dis
obeyed my mother, and oh, Jim,
what shall I do?"
4"Letta, I love you. Will you be
my wife?" But before Letta had
time to answer, the cry of "Fire,
Fire!" rang out. They turned and lo,
it was the Barnes residence on fire.
"Jim for heavens sake hurry and
get my mamma out of the house. She
is sick In bed. Oh, I know this is
brought on me as a punishment for
my disobedience."
They hurried to the burning build
ing, but a crowd of men and boys
had gathered and were carrying the
bed on which Mrs. Barnes was lying,
to a place of safety. The flames were
spreading to all parts of the building
rapidly. Mr. Barnes was comforting
his wife the best he could, caring
little for the loss, thinking that he
had cause to be thankful for the
preservation of all his family, when
suddenly Mary Barnes rose up and
shouted: "Where is my baby boy?
Oh God, will no one save my darling
hoy? He is In the nursery, asleep."
No one stirred for the building
was wrapped In flames.
"Will none of you rescue my child?
Oh God, this Is terrible. Stand aside
and I'll rescue him myself, If you are
all cowards," but a dozen hands
grasped her and held her back as It
meant certain death for her to at
tempt the rescue.
Just then a form, was seen to leave
the crowd and make for the burn
ing, lbulldlng. A hundred voices
shouted, come back a hundred
faces were turned heavenward In sil
ent prayer for the brave man as he
disappeared Into the burning build
ing. One second passed, two, three,
four and still no form appeared. The
seconds seomed hours to the anxious
'mother. "Oh, my God, this is a ter
rible punishment for my wlckendess.
Will someone else try to save my
boy?"
At last the man appears with some
thing wrapped in bedclothes, but just
as he reaches the doorway, a crash,
and the heavy floor falls from above
and drags the man back Into the
flames. No, he Is not dead. He is
seen to rise. Again he reaches the
doorway. Ah, thank God. He steps
Into the open air, but the clothes
that cover him are in flames. A
blanket Is thrown around him, and
he carries the bundle to the stricken
mother. He unwraps it and discloses
ber darling boy safe and unhurt.
"Mrs. Barnes Is the child alive?"
and Jim Stofer sinks tothe ground
unconscious.
A dozen willing hands carry htm
to the nearest residence. A doctor
Is summoned who pronounces the
burns serious but not dangerous.
Mrs. Barnes arose from her bed
clinging to her darling boy.
Will Barnes uncovered his head
reverently and turning to crowd of
men and boys, said: "Let us thank
God for hU goodness." But Letta
stepped forward and said "Mamma,"
then stopped while the color came
and went In her cheeks.
"What Is it my child?"
"May I go and wait on that low
down, dirty blacksmith?"
"Go, my child " but the answer
Is unnecessary. There will be a
wedding In the little town church
next Sunday.
Nursery Salesmen
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Spring planting.
Address
Oregon Nursery Company
Orenco, Oregon.
The Largest and Best Knoirn
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Eng-llfth Tented
SEEDS
Send for Cat. N
Dean D. Ballard, Arcade Bid., Seattle, Wn.
mm)
PORTLAND'S
POPULAR HOTEL.
Ideally located at Tenth and
Alder streets, opposite Olds,
Wortman & Klngrs big depart
ment store. New, m o f e r n and
homelike. Courteous treatment
Rates f 1.00 and up.
Bus meets all trains.
W. M. SEWARD, '
Proprietor.
$12 PER ACRE
240 acres, adjoining the best farming
section of Lewis Co., Wash. Rich clay
loam soil, no rock or gravel; 160 acres
tillable land, bal. fine pasture; well
watered by creeks and springs; close
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stock ranch. Only JU per acre. This
Is ono of the best buys we have ever
had in Lewis Co.
ACME REALTY COMPANY,
401 Equitable llulldlnK,
Tacomu, M ash.
MAKK UIU MONfcV NOW.
ell the beat Cream Sep
irntor on tho market. Get
;he exdnalte NKrnrj for
our territory and be Inde
tirtidrnt. It's easy to make
rum I'iO to Jtiu a week.
We tench you the bualneaa
i ml appoint you our ape
lal uicrnt. Write today, aa
vo appoint only one man
r each territory.
Tile Clrvelitnil i'n-nm Sen-
lurator Cotnimny, loin Power
are., ( l.'veliiml, Oliln.
Beacon
Burner
FREE
FITS YOUR OLD LAMP.
100 Candle Pwr lnaandMnt
pure white liifht from (kenwene) coal
oil. Rents either gna or electricity.
COSTS ONIY 1 CENT FOR HOURS
We want one person in each locality tu
whom we can refer new cmtoracw.
Take advantage of ourSpedalOfftr to
secure a lu-acon Burner PUBS. Writa
today. AGENTS WANTED.
CO, 108 Home Bldr. Unw City,
VAN-O-LAX
CANDY CATHARTIC
Relieves constipation by remedying
the cause. For all ages. Money back If
not entirely satisfactory. Send 10c or
2Go coin or stamps for box, large or
small.
VAN-O-LAX CO,
423 Henry Bids., Portland, Or.
YOU CAN EARN $50.00 PER DK
earless Improved Standard
well Drilling Machine,
Drilla through MT lomuaoK
Fire yean ahead of anr ether.
Hu record of drilling 130 led
and ftnvinft raiini tm Q knuntt
Another record where 70 feet was drilled on 2 H gal. diabliate
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UIERSON MACHINERY CO., Manfrs., Portlind, Or
Cash Register Bargains
Our prices are about halt other deal
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SUNDYVALI, CO., S05 2d avenue. Seat
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WE ARE CASH BUYERS FOn YOVH
POULTRY, EGOS, VEAL AND
HOGS. NO COMMISSION,
Highest Prices Always Try Ui
PATTERSON A CO
B4 Front Street, Portland, Or.
Reference: Northwest National tank.
Ear-Rings and Hairpins
For 25c we will send you a pair of
EAR-RINGS, choice of jet or pearl,
or a TANGO HAIR PIN. All the
rage now. M. M. Greene Co., box
1229, L03 Angeles, Cal.
ELECTRIC LIGHT
Plant Complete $100
Freight Allowed to i'urtlund or Seattle.
NIckerson-MarKarlnne Mach, Co.,
Tni'omn, Wash.
HOTEL EATON
W. Park and Mor. Sts Portland, Or.
Rates, 1 up; with bath, 1.60. Spe
cial rates by the week. Located In the)
heart of the city.
I I
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