The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-15

you bet, and If you'll tell me what's the
damage I'd like to SETTLE"
sand you've come down for thatP
asked his enemy.
"Oh, no !" said Joe, conscious that he
hadn't cent il his pockets. 1--WE most
forgot what l have come for, seeing as
it's YOU" You could have overturned
Joe with a feather, and the man with
the "yellow wheels" wore puzzled
sort of a look.
II see," said the man, Gettingup from
his desk; "but it seems TO me you're a
little late. 1 had almost forgotten the
whole thing; in fact, you not only made
mig wheels look pretty badly, but you
spoiled my hat and you upset me for
long time"
Good Lord ~ said Joe, 81 didn 'tsee
you spilled out"
II was only mentally upset, reJoined
his enemy. II haven't been very strong
and used to drive for exercise. II l
had your physique would have annihi-
lated you then and there"
"If you'd a had to pay for my ply
sique,' )" said Joe, thinking of all the doc
tors bills and the patent medicines he
had bought for the little woman, "if
you'd a-had to pay them bills you
wouldn't want my physique; although
it's the woman as doses, not me-" he
continued.
Something about Joe interested the
man. He looked at him and at his
watch, and coming close to Joe, he sat
down beside him. "Tell me-" he began,
"tell ME what brought you here"
And Joe began stammeringly, hating
| ly at first, but growing more and more
eloquent, more and more earnest as he
went on, the sad white face of the little
woman peering into his thoughts and
into his words, as if she stood beside
him. And he told the homely story Of
his life.
81 hated them wheels !" said Joe.
give told you all. We're poor she's
always a. wishing for that corner lot
she always says If she could have it she'd
lust live and be well and every time l
had a sort of talk with her, every time
she'd sorter wish for that lot. 1t broke
me all up I'd go out, and dlluS, dltts'
said Joe, "meet you and them wheels,
them yaller wheels. And somehow l
thought it was them wheels that was a
running over me, was travelling up ana
down my life all the time. l didn't
know who to hate, or what to hate, be-
cause didn't get nowhere, and you
came the highest you were the hand-
lest, and so l hated you and them wheels
Amt there no yaller wheels in your life
mister ? Be l the only man that hatet
something that he sees every day and
never can have p asked Joe.
ooh, no = said the man, soberly and
l.. tho nnlU
Into nv life-yes, into every ones life
my friend-come yellow wheels : ano
for moment the rich man and the pool
man met on equal terms. =,
"You want to buy that lot, do you 7
he inquired. "And have you money
enough to do it? Wait, - he said, 81 have
a PLAN" And then he told Joe that hi
wanted some one to make a beginning
on the property. Joe could buy the lot
and pay for it as he was able. He would
lend him the money to build his house
he wouldn't even take mortgage ht
would take his own, Joe's own simple
note, and the house and the lot should b'
in Joe's wifes name. Joe Jeffus began
to cry Great, strong Joe Jeffus crlec
like child, and the man with the 'yel
low wheels" went out and left him alone
But the man kept his word. The 10
was bought, and slowly and steadily
came the old light into the little tired
waiting eyes, softly crept the grlish col
or into the pallid cheeks, and the LITTLE
woman crept backward toward her gold
en- youth.
On the corner lot stands the yellowes
cottage you ever saw. Before the doc
stands the yellowest baby carriage yol
ever saw, and nailed up over the from
door-nailed there for luck and for low
lis little yellow wheel.
Joe Jeffus is foreman now of all thu
coal teams but the man he hated, tn
man he loved, is resting quietly, resting
in the cburch-yard far from the bus.
town. But every springtime when thu
ionquils bloom, a man and a woman
with uncovered heads, lay them upor
his grave, and Joe Jeffus' only faith, hi
only belief, as he watches the stars a
night, is that up among the angels, driv
ing through the skies, is his hero, hi
idol, with the yellow wheels, "-Inde
lD2ndent,