The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-03

oaius WHlcn were tackeO up Ill Such o way
that the combined result was this
TRY nUsu's FOOD FOR INFANTS AND 1NNAL1Ds.
THEY DO NOT DIE IN THE HOUSE.
My remark was a good one. but the store
keeper did not even smile. Instead he ex-
planned his lack of interest in a way that
was almost too satisfactory by saving that
burned fool" had been in the store the
day before and had said the same thing.
When l visited the store again, l took
Maude for protection. A lack of inter est
on the part of her auditor will never check
the easy flow of her conversation. FIRE.
quently. when we disagree uron a subject,
she will continue to present her view IF it
to me for an hour or more after l have fall
len asleep. | have often walked up and
caught her at it, She should bs exactly the
person to converse with old Jones. the store
keeper.
I prepared her for the interview by saw
Ing. that old Jones had passed far beyond
an interest in ordinary human affairs, but
she replied that a man never did know how
to make himself agreeable to strangers, and
that the lack of neighborly feeling was all
OH my side.
"Try to enter more intimately into the
simple affairs of these people," she said.
Get hold of a little bit of gossip. and see
whether 1t fails to please. Just watch me
talk to Mr.. Jones, and you will learn how
to get into the good araces OF your new as
sociatss.
1 think Maude made a special endeavor to
capture some item of & imesville scandal
to barter tor Old Jones' friendly regard.
The result is not what l should have ex-
peoted. l had always supposed that women
could hear those things any way without
the slightest effort. In this case, however,
Maude was obliged to fill back upon n
story which was more than seventeen years
old, and was known to everybody within
ten miles of the place. 1t related to our
nelghbor. Lemuel Drew. whom I have else
where mentioned rs the meanest white man
outside Of politics. This was the gist of it:
Uncle Lem once owned an old white
horse. Years of experience with the hospi-
talities of Uncle LENS stable had craven
up the countenance of this animal an OK
preston OF mournful and hungry Gespond-
ENJOY. The sexton of the village church, n
man with a fine idea of propriety, one dav
detected Uncle LENS horse shedding the
bitter tears of hope deferred as Il load of
hay rolled out of Uncle Lem's barn.
Ihereupon the sexton, who WAS also the
Q clerk made a "dicker" whereby he
secured the services Of the old white horse
to d aw the hen.se Mt s. a trip. payable by
the town. Thus 1t happened that Stephen
Drew, who in life would have been charged
the regular hire, had one free ride behind
his brothers. horse. Uncle Lem sent in his
bill to the town. but the feelings of the
community wers shocked, and payment
was refused. He brought suit; was most
u~niustly defeated; and then, 30 the story
goes, announced publicly that he would
take the amount of the bill aud the costa
of court out OF the rations Of the horse
on the lnstallment plan. Uncle Lem
seems to have played IN hard luck all
around in this affair, for tho horse con-
cluded that he could pay tho debt Of nn-
TUE easier than that which the tow owed
Uncle Lem,
l do not understand how Maude could
have hoped to establish q bond Of sym pathy
between herself and old Jones with the aid
OF this ancient story, but she. made the eff
fort. When We reached the store old Jones
put on hie customary mask of utter inditT-
erence. He sat outside. with his chair
tilted back against the door post, and made
no move TO enter as we came in sight. He
didn't wish to talk; no had no desire to
trads; he appeared to be absorbed in mel
nncloly musing. A hin younc man named
Weeks was lounging near by. and looked as
II he were making IN initiative study of
Jones ~lifeless taciturnity. Maud pscrod in
at the door.
'Nou have n very rice Unlocking
store, Mr.. JONES'" said she. "Can l 60 in
and get woigh.dY"
There's n bushel o. pertaters on the
OIL bimeby."
'Oh, no indeed" said Maude; II couldn't