The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-05-17

-zsiQ}f33 Along the frozen
SyQSs,@- road, giving thun-
~AN. derous notice of it's
approach, chartered
blue farm wagon, drawn by-a white
horse, which was driven by tall man,
who wore on his head large green
hood of the pumpkin variety.
Every one who saw him pass, on the
way to his wood lot, said or thought:
Joel Bennett has got out his punkin
hood. And some of the men looked
after him almost enviously as they
paused to rub their tingling ears.
After Joel Benefits mother died,
leaving him alone in the old house.
the neighbors wasted great deal of
sympathy on him. The women of
fered to do his mending, and on bak-
ing days sent him pies and dough-
nuts. But when he told them that he
could probably mend fully as we'll as
they could, and when they found that
he gave their cooking to the pig, they
sympathized less, and contented them
selves with buying his butter, which
was of excellent quality.
With all his independence, how
ever, he had one weak point; he could
not resist Miss Serena Bowen's GIN
gersnaps. He had tried repeatedly to
make them himself, but, although at
times he felt encouraged and had
hopes of mastering the art, he finally
gave it up in disgust, and vowed, amid
blue cloud of smoke which was
ascending from painful of rounds of
carbon, that he never would attempt
the impossible again
So every week he carried eggs and
butter to Miss Serena Bowen and
battered them for her gingersnaps.
And she would remark to her tortoise
shell cat, after he was gone: ''I don't
see how that man manages to con-
sumo such a quantity"
1t was live years now since, with
the remark, 81 have froze my ears
once too often, Joel had adopted the
headdress before mentioned.
The old green hood began to show
the effect of wear. There were places
where the green outside had worn off
and showed the white cotton batting
inside. 1t was also evident that this
threatened dissolution caused Joel
some anxiety, for in one place there
was sewed on. with large, laborious
stitches, patch of thick black cloth.
which, in contrast with the faded
green of the surrounding territory,
could he seen for nearly half mile.
Everybody noticed this diIapidated
condition, and felt sorry for Joel, 'I
wonder if he'll wear that old thing
next year." said Miss Serena. And
as she looked about the coy room
that served for her little bakery she
sighed, for some unaccountable rea-
son.
Spring came, and for some little
time Joel had worn hat, while the
punkin hood hung on hook in his
back entry. Then one day toward
the end of April Joel decided that it
was time to pack it away for the sum-
mer.
He took it down and looked at it
obviously. "I'll have TO mend you, :"
he said, and preparatory to the I'M
dertaking he took it out of doors and
hung it on the clothesline by its two
strings to air.
Miss Serena Bowen, passing along
the road, was a witness to this act.
That evening Joel had finished his
days work and was sitting in comfort
in his kitchen reading. On the stand
beside him was his lamp and a plate
of giugersnaps Every so often he
would put out his hand mechanically.
take one Of them and eat it slowly ms
he read. The last bite he invariably
gave to the large black cat that sat on
his knees. 1T was evident that ne
was taking solid comfort.
But presently, when his hand CROPPED
ON the empty plate and failed to find
what it sought, he reused up. A de-
termined, almost grim look came on
his face, and he put the cat on the
floor with scant ceremony.
He went into another room and
came back with q work basket and
some patches He put them on the
table, threaded needle with much
difficulty aud then went out to get the
punkin hood
~ was gone.
lie groped along the whole length
Of the clothesline, but it was empty.
He lighted his lantern and searched
all the yard, but in vain.
Joel felt his loss keenly. but he kept
u 70 himself, and no one suspected
what had befqllen him. He was 70
forehauded person, and he determined
that before much time had passed he
would have another hood.
He got the materials, and thereafter
his evenings were spentin a desperate
tussle with the problem Of hoodmak
ing. At such times Miss Serena's