The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-15
THE MAN WITH THE YELLOW
I'LL Ell 9 u

ed" perched high above his business, he
Numbered with his dusky load through
the streets OF the busy town. One large
concern used quantities Of soft coal, and
Joe had found out that the easiest haul
there and back was along the fine broad
avenue where those who owned trotters
speeded them. and those who. did not
sat upon the fences and made disparag-
ing remarks.
he labored along the road, not one ex-
cited his ire half 80 much as a man with
''yellow wheels"
Sometimes it was horse of one color
and sometimes of another, but always
very sight of him. He was so well
team" was 80 spick and span, and he
drove go we'll, that to himself, Joe had
wasted upon him all the choice epithets
that he had learned in the army.
Joe Jeffus had driven a team of some
kind ever since he could remember, and
II was therefore most natural that, he
and the war maturing about the same
time, he should enlist as a wagner and
He saved his bounties and his pay land
at the close OF the unpleasantness con-
cluded to settle down and 60 to work.
But he missed being under orders, and
looking about him, wooed and won his
next-door neighbor, fragile, little, light
haired factory girl, and swore allegiance
to her for life.
His hands and face were not black
and grimy then, and his dark, curly
hair crowned head of youthful, manly
beauty.
Youth had long since gone from Joe,
the little light-haired girl had become a
delicate, ailing woman, and his heart
sank many and many time as he
climbed up the dingy stairs to his attic
home. The "little woman" though had
proved, on the whole, good investment.
Every month little from his pay went
into the great stone savings bank in the
centre of the town.
"Wouldn't the time ever come" the
little woman kept asking, when they
could buy the little corner lot they could
see from their windows, and over which
the soft summer breezes coming up from
the river kept the grass and trees SO
green.
And then Joe would light his pipe and
20 down and sit upon the doorstep, and
think, always think, about the 'yellow
Wheels"
Now this feeling was not so very
strange, after all, for into everybody g
life, at some time or another, in some
way or another, there enters something
very, very nearly akin to the man with
"yellow Wheels" So it came to pass
~ ono lox, auooaoIin0 tho tinna worn
wish from his tired wife, that, thunder
ing along the avenue, he caught sight OF
his enemy. He had pulled out toward
the sidewalk to see man. A line OF
heavy wagons was coming in the oppo-
site direction. Joe kept bearing closer
and closer down upon the yellow
wheels" away from the approaching
teams; he had taken in the situation at
be rasped and cut into by the end of bis
clanking whiffletree, if the man didn
pull out literally upon the sidewalk.
Now Joe could clear him just as well as
not IL he wanted to; but he didn't.
the yellow wheels" laughed and talked
with his friend on the sidewalk. On and
on came Joe, his face blacker than usual,
threatenings and slaughter in his heart,
and evil in his eye. In less time than il
takes 10 tell it the heavy whiffletree was
playing hide and-seek among the yellow
spokes; the horse had jumped and
backed, almost thrown out the man
knocked his hat off in the mud and put
one foot squarely upon it, while Joe un
concernedly, face to the front, was
clanking along the road Very soon Joe
knew the man was coming for him; he
heard the horses hoofs nearer and near.
er, and now the yellow wheels" were
ahead of his team.
II say" said the man, "what did you
do that for ?"
go long," answered Joe, apparently
to his horses, really to the man.
~ say" repeated the man, what die
you do that for y
And then Joe, using the most forcible
expression he had learned in his army
days, asked him if he thought that be
and his - yellow wheels owned the
whole street.
The man with the 'yeIlow wheels
kept his place alongside, but seemed
buried In thought.
Two things were open to him; he
could demand that Joe come down from
his perch and settle 1t then and there in
the old-fashioned way, or he could gel
the number Of his cart and make it dis
agreeable for Joe later on.
Looking at his damaged hat, which
was not cheerful sight to see, and al
his lovely disfigured wheels, he gathered
up hie reins aud flew down the road.
And Joe it was the happiest moment
Of his life just then. The consciousness
Of having hurt his enemy crowded Out
all other thoughts for the time ; but the
haul was still long one, the sun very
warm, the horses tired and listless, and
Joe began to wonder if, after all, he
hadn't made fool of himself, to say the
least. What would the tired little wo-
man say who never had heard of thos,
yellow wheels" if he should tell her
what he had done And then he wished
his favorite wish-that he had never
been born.
"You must get her out of this" said
the doctor to Joe. "She tells me she
has few hundred dollars saved up IN
the bank, and she longs for little home
Of her own. Stairs are killing things fol
women. Can't you buy lot and build
a little house for her ? see that there
are some lots for sale over there" and
the doctor pointed to the corner lot that
the little woman had looked upon sc
wistfully, where, from her dingy attic
windows, she could see few stunted
willow trees wave in the summer
breeze.
ut would cheer her up" continued
the doctor, Through the coming winter
to think about il and you could have her
in it by next fall"
II will try" said Joe. 1--WE got lit.
tie left from my bounty and my pay thai
l never touched and she don't know
about. eve might" he said, do it to.
gether;" and he climbed up to his high
seat and started off with his load o.
coal.
What had become of the yellow
wheelsP Since that day he had never
laid eyes on the man or the Wheels. 1t
worried Joe, it seemed to gnaw at his
hard, unfeeling heart, and his mind haC
been very soon made up to tell him how
sorry he was and pay him for the dam.
age; -.
What are you doing, JoeP" said the
little woman, as Joe. the next morning
fixed himself up. and put on his Sun
day clothes
amt going to work TO day, salC
Joe. I've got business down town.
And down town he went.
The little woman asked no questions
She couldn't help looking over to thu
little corner lot. II wish we had enough
money" she sighed. ..rIt,
100 Water street, Here's the place,
said Joe to himself. "Elmvlle Manu-
featuring Co., j. johnson, Treasurer"
And up the stairs, two at time, h
went. The Office staggered Joe. Clerk
to the right of him, clerks 70 the left o
b;,, onI n b;ob ro;i;no 20 Ioo, -,