Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-12-17
'topyUkH1. 1896. sy rne AUTHOR.

IKE oil these city lads"
"How long you been in the city". b,
inquired. turning again to Alec.
Pretty nearly all my life, " was th'
answer.
Martha stopped to ask more ques
lions, and the man with the long beari
asked some, finally inviting Alec to oil
down on tho bench and get rested. HI
inquired bis name. and Alec gave It.
IT you want supper as we'll q Z bed,
1t will be ~ cents extra, said Martha,
coming to the door. II suppose you OK.
poet to pay a quarter for the bed. Ter
cents 10 rather low for supper, but SEQ.
ing you are going home and have to wall
all the way l thought I'd make II kind
Of reasonable"
Alec grunted weary assent, but bis
heart sank within him that none Of
them had said anything about the work
he had spoken Of.
They seemed not to have any interest
in him after they had satisfied their
curiosity, and when be sat down to the
table with the others nobody addressed
him except to urge him to "have some
more" OF the hash or the stewed prupes
or the rhubarb pie or the corn bread.
They said that II he didn't eat more he
would die Of starvation before be got
home and piled food on his plate until
be sickened at the sight.
"You aren't sick. are your" said
Martha. "You don't seem to have any
appetite at all l never saw the like in
a boy Of your size. But you do look
awfully pale" !
perhaps, mother, you'd better fix
up some ginger tea for him.. suggested
the sandy bearded man, whom they
called John. But Alec protested 60 Wig
orously that Martha reluctantly gave up
the idea and soon after tea showed Alec
to his room, saying he had better go to
bed and get rested, and maybe that
would do him good, but these city boys
were always white looking.
The room was in the attic and only
about six feet high, though tolerably
wide and long. The door was perfectly
bare and had been painted once, though
the paint was now nearly worn off.
There was one window in the room,
with small panes Of glass, and the lower
sash was held up by button. The bed.
stead, which stood in the middle Of the
room, was old fashioned, with four
round posts that stood straight up at
each corner, but with no pieces across at
head or foot The side pieces were round
and did not support the Stats, which
were laid on wires strung on each side
from head to foot. There was a big,
stuffy, straw filed mattress, which lay
10 high Alec wondered how in the word
he could climb on to il. Over all was an
old fashioned patchwork quilt.
In the room there were an old fashion
ed painted wooden chair and little
with round hole in the
Top for bowl, but no bowl. The only
adornment the room could be said to
have was the bright paper, which show
Id dimly In the candlelight the infinite
repetition Of a picture Of a lad and
maid by . rustic bridge, with a castle
In the distance
The room seemed a cold, desolate
place, though in the daytime at this
season it must be hot and stuffy. But
Alec was SO tired and SO anxious to be
alone after his company at tea that he
hastily assured his hostess that every
thing was exceedingly comfortable.
was certainly clean and as
neat as wax. With some reluctance
Martha backed out, leaving the candle
On corner Of the washstand, and Alec
,rawled into bed as soon rs he could
undress,