Our story today is called “Judge”. It was written by Walter DEdmonds. We will hear Part One of the story today, and Part Two nextweek. Here is Harry Menro with our story.
When Charlie Hasku died, he left a wife and nine children. They livedon a small piece of land in a house with four rooms. John was theoldest boy. He was 16 years old and tall for his age.
After his father died, John's mother told him, he would have to takecare of the family. So John went into the cornfield behind the smallhouse. There was very little corn and very many weeds. His familyneeded corn and corn needed room to grow. John bent down and beganpulling out the weeds. When John came in for supper that night, hetold his mother that he had cleaned half the cornfield. She wassurprised and immediately went outside to look at what he had done.
While she was looking at the field, she remembered that her husbandhad sold some corn to Judge Don. She also remembered that they hadnever collected the money for the corn. She told John to go to theJudge's house right away to get it.
John was afraid of Judge Don. The Judge was the richest man in town.
He owned a lot of land, and everyone owed him money. His stone houselooked like a palace. John went to the Judge's house, and knocked onthe door. A servant opened it right away and brought John into theJudge's office. Judge Don was sitting at his desk. He was a very bigman with a red face, long white hair and serious blue eyes. John stoodwith his back to the door. He held his hat in both hands.
"Hello, John," said the Judge, "what do you want?"John told the Judge about the money.
"Oh, yes." Said the Judge, "I had forgotten about that. I am sorry."He stood up and reached into his pocket, slowly he pulled out a largebrown leather wallet. He opened it and took out a new dollar bill, andhanded it to John. Then he sat down at his desk again.
"How are you and your family doing?" he asked.
"All right, sir," John said, "I wouldn't have bothered you about thismoney, but we needed it.""That is all right." the Judge said slowly, " I should have rememberedit. I didn't think of it, because your father owed me money. He owedme 40 dollars."John was so shocked, he couldn't think of anything to say. Fortydollars was a fortune for him and his family.
The Judge looked at John for a few moments. "How old are you, boy?" heasked.
"16, sir.""And when do you think you will pay me back the 40 dollars your fatherowed me?" He asked.
John's face got very white, "I don't know, sir." He whispered.
The Judge stood up. "I hope you are not like your father." He said. Hewas a lazy man who never worked hard. He held out his hand to the boy.
"Good luck to you." He said as he shook John's hand.
Then he walked with him to the front door and said good night.
During the summer, John worked on other people's farms for 40 cents aday. At first, nobody wanted him. People remembered how lazy hisfather had been. And they gave the work to other boys. But John was ahard worker and began to get jobs. Soon, he was working on otherpeople's farms six days of the week. He worked on his own family'sland every evening and all day Sunday. That summer for the first time,the little farm had enough fruits and vegetables to feed John and hisfamily. There was even enough for them to sell at the market.
John used to wonder how his father had always found time to gofishing. John had very little time to fish that summer. And when hedid have time to relax, he thought about the 40 dollars he owed JudgeDon. Then he would go out and look for more work. At first he gave allof the money he earned to his mother. But then, he began saving a fewpennies every time he was paid. By the end of August, he had saved adollar. As he held the money in his hand he realized for the firsttime that some day he might be able to pay back all the money he owedto the Judge.
By the middle of October, John had saved 5 dollars to give to theJudge. So, one night after supper, he went back to the Judge's bigstone house. He found the Judge sitting in his office.
"Sit down, John," the Judge said, "I know you have worked hard thissummer. I'll be glad to help you if you need some money for thewinter."John felt his face become very hot.
"I didn't come here to ask for anything, Judge." He said. He pushedhis hand deep into his pocket and pulled out his money. "I wanted topay back some of the money I owe you. It is only five dollars. Buthere it is." And he handed the money to the Judge.
Judge Don counted the money. Then, he went to his desk, and put themoney in a drawer.
"Where will you find work this winter, John?""I don't know, sir."Several days later, John's mother asked him to go into town to buycloth. She wanted to make some warm clothing for the children for thecoming winter. On his way into town, John met Seth Whitefether. Sethwas an Indian, who also worked on the farms during the summer. But inthe winter, Seth traveled north and disappeared into the woods. Asthey walked toward the town, John told Seth that he had no work forthe winter. Seth told John that he went into the woods every winter tohunt and trap wild animals for their fur. Seth said he earned 200dollars last winter. “Two hundred dollars!” John thought. He turnedshyly to the Indian.
"Could I come with you this year?" He asked.
Seth looked at John without smiling, “Have you got a gun, and someanimal traps?"John shook his head, "No," he said, "how much would that cost?""Seventy-five dollars." the Indian replied. "If you can get thosethings, I will teach you how to catch the animals. I am leaving in twoweeks.
Only one person could help John. That night he went to the Judge'shouse. The house was dark except for a light that was shining in theJudge's office. John could see the Judge sitting at his desk. The boytapped at the window. Judge Don opened it. When he saw the boy's thinface, he asked: "What do you want?""Please, Judge," said John, "could I talk to you?"The Judge shut the window, and opened the front door; they went backto his office.
"Be as quick as you can," the Judge said, "It is late."John had never been so frightened in his life. He couldn't think orspeak for a few moments.
"Talk, boy," the Judge barked at him.
So, John told him about Seth and the animal furs and asked the Judgefor the money.
"Seventy-five dollars." the Judge said," you are asking me to lendthat much money to a 16-year-old boy? Just like that?""I could do it with 50 dollars." John said. "But if you think it is abad idea, I won't bother you any more.""Shut up." the Judge said, "If I am going to lend you money, I want tobe sure you don't starve to death in the woods, then, I would neverget my money back, would I?" The Judge looked hard at John for a fewmoments.” What about this Seth?" he asked. "Can you trust him?"John nodded his head.
"He has always been nice to me." He said. The Judge pulled out a pieceof paper from his desk and wrote something on it. "Sign this," hesaid, when he had finished writing. "It says you promise to pay meback 75 dollars by next spring.
John was embarrassed to tell the Judge that he didn't know how to reador write.
"Put a mark at the bottom instead of your name." the Judge said. "Hereis the money, don't lose it."He walked John to the door, and shook the boy's hand. "Good luck, comehere as soon as you get back next spring."You have heard Part One of the American story “Judge”. Your storyteller was Harry Menro. The story was written by Walter D Edmonds, andadapted for Special English by Donald Desanktus. Harcourt, Brace &Company published it in 1941 in American’s All Stories of AmericanLife, edited by Benjamin Hedrick. This story is copyrighted. Allrights reserved.
This is Shirley Griffith. |