Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-03

ever he didn't like tho h@-si,ess Of ev-
erything. Perhaps the ct house would
have q mere comfortable appearance.
But they were all alike. There wasn't
a sign Of softne.s or comfort anywhere.
The people SCENE i rot to have imagin-
ed tho word. Ew,n the bigger houses
which had been Acted up for summer
bcar6ers end seemed to make certain
pretensions to elegi nee had the same
stiff, uncomfortable air, which settled
down over the poor fellow Ike vast
encouragement.
But suddenly he came or farmhouse
that seemed mere ipT1tOis.. or he was
so tired now that he law wh't he want
ed to see. There was wiec yard, and
back of it big barn with VIDE open
doors. On the left WAS the long, low
house, and in the Kitchen doorway
stood q very fat, presu nably benevolent
looking woman, who seemed 20 be wait
ing supper for the men vino were wash
ing in the log trough before the pump
or in washbasins On a low bench beside
the kitchen door. Thereswere three men,
or rather two men and a boy. 1t was
the boy who was washing in the log
trough. One Of tho men was white hair
ed and much bent. The.other was per-
haps 40 and lad q long. ragged, sandy
beard. But he was very ragged and up
right and talked as ift he'were'the head
of the house.
AS Alec approached thewoman in the
doorway she stood silently staring at
him, but the men went ON washing,
though they stared ont of thoscorners Of
their eyes, and as they wiped the water
off On the single long towel they held
between them they all lookedscritically
at the strange lad. Err none of them
spoke.
81 wanted to inquire" Alec said, "if
I could perhaps get nights lodging-I
mean some work here. Eve cone from
New York. and / thought you might
need some help, or could be allowed
to stay here tonight-if I paid little
something for it," This Yankee bar
gaining did nc. come ut al natural to
him, but he added the sentence about
pay when he saw no sign OF interes. or
response on the faces.of tho four people
I-or rather the three, for the boy was
behind him.
"Come from New York. have you?'
inquired the woman at last in a tone
that was meant to be friendly.
Alec made no answer. for none SEEM
ed to be demanded. But he quaked in
wardly as he wondered what they were
going to do.
lyon didn't walk all the way?" in.
lquired the man.
~ came ON the cars to the Rushes,
and this afternoon have walked from
there" said Alec quietly.
"a good bit of q walk from the
Rushes," remarked the old man.
"Where be you going? Homer"
The suggestion Of going home seemed
to Alec q very good one, and he prompt
" responded:
Eyes, I'm going home. I've got to go
up across Vermont to Lake Champlain,
and l expect to walk most of the way"
well. you are plucky un, remark
ed the old man, turning away, while
Alec smiled in his sleeve at his own
simple mendacisy. Take the lad in,
Martha, and give him a bite to eat.
the old man went On. "He looks pale,
like all these city lads
GLOW long you been in the city," he
!; inquired, turning again to Alec.
pretty nearly all my life," was the
answer.
Martha stopped to ask more ques-
lions, and tine man with the long beard
asked some, finally inviting Alec to sit
down on the bench and get rested. He
inquired his name, and Alec gave it.
IF you want supper as we'll as bed,
it will be 10 cents extra" said Martha,
coming to the door. II suppose you ex-
pect to pay quarter for the bed. Ten
cents is rather low for supper, but See
| ing you are going home and have to walk
all the way thought I'd make i kind
of reasonable I"
Alec granted q weary assent. but his
, 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 he sat down to the
table with the others nobody addressed
him except to urge him to 'have come
more" of the hash or the stewed prunes
or the rhubarb pie or the corn bread.
They said that if he didn't eat more he
would die Of starvation before he got
home and piled food on his plate until
he sickened at the sight.
You aren't sick, are you." said
Martha. You don't seem to have apy
appetite at all. l never saw the like in
hey 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 so Wig.
orously that Martha reluctantly gave m
the idea and soon after tea showed Alec
to his room, saying he had better GO to
bed and get rested. and maybe tina,
would do him good. but these city boy.
were always white locking.
The room was in the attic and only
about six feet high. though tolerably
wide ard long. The door was perfectly
bare and had been painted once, though
the paint was now nearly worn on.