Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-03-30

-t-A.sI( 81 I'D say something
kAlul.4&to9., to her, only girls
are such fools, it
might be worse than to keep still. She
looks all tired out now, with her work
and worry at home; how viii she look
when she's married to a drunkardF
Its an awful pity" said her neigh
Dor, and as Jack Raymond passed
through the room she glanced curious
ly from mother TO son. She thought,
81 guess Bert Hill amt much worse
than your boy" What she said was,
"That's real pretty cloth you're work
ing on
Jack went up the hill behind the
house till he came to & spot where the
April sun shone warmly under pine
trees. He dropped upon the needle
covered ground, pulled his hat over his
eyes, and calmly finished the nap
which his mothers indignant protest
had disturbed.
The wind blew softly among the pine
branches, flies and wasps crept into
the sunlight, bluebirds sang, and far
overhead a hawk sailing on steady
NluES tTltu al JAIN
stirred, removed the hat from his eyes,
and sat up. He hitched along on the
ground till he got his back, against n
tree trunk. He gazed out upon the
spring landscape meditatyely. Then
his Lips began to move. He was talk
ing to himself, inaudibly.
It's n shame for such a nice girl as
Mary Hallett to go with a worthless,
shiftless fellow like Bert Hill. Yes,
that's so. 1t ought to be stopped. Talk
ing won't do any good. Something's
got to be done. 1 suppose 1 might un-
dertake the job" He grinned slightly
at the thought. 1T would be a good
idea to go into missionary work, and
I'm sure that is a good cause-to res
cue Mary Hallett from Bert. She's a
nice little girl, and it would De a pity
for her to marry him. Bert doesn't
even treat his mother well-what would
almost energetically. 81 vow I'll do
It." he said. Then he meditated again.
wonder If l canT' he mused, doubt
fully. He felt in n pocket and took
out a small, round mirror. He gaZed
at 1t earnestly. He. took off his hat
and brushed his blonde hair back from
his forehead; then he gave a smile of
affectation which showed his white
teeth; then he put the mirror back in
his pocket. There was a look of conf
dence in his blue eyes.
Guess you'll do" he said. Rather
against you, being light, though; but
where there's a will there's a way
He got up and started down the hill.
Half way he paused. Suppose. she
should fall in love with me, and then
I'd have to go back on her and break
her all up? 1t isn't likely, to be sure,
but what if it should happen" There
was q rueful pause-then he said, THE
end justifies the MEANS" and went ON
down the hill.
Although Jacks friends maintained
that he would be all right If he only
kept out of bad company, the general
opinion was that he and Bert were
about evenly matched for worthless
hess and shiftlessness. And when Jack
began to go to Hallett's, people said,
30, dearl Two of themw They con-
tinued to be shiftless; but it was re-
marked that, unlike Bert, Jack had
given up drinking.
''YouIl have to stop that" Jack told
himself. This is going to be a sharp
game, and you can't afford to muddle
what brains you've got
Some young men would have begun
the campaign by going of an evening to
call on Mary, but Jacks methods were
different.
1t was a Monday morning, just as
Mary was carrying a basket of clothes
into the yard, that Jack appeared on
the scene.
He greeted her cheerfully, then went
and took the clothes line from her.
o1'n put this up" he said, and he pull
ed 1t tight and fastened 1t firmly.
Now, you give me the big things to
hang up" he said. II can't do any
thing with handkerchiefs and such
like. but I'm great on sheets and table
cloths"
Mary laughed. She was too surprised
to object, and in a short time the
clothes were all hung on the line and
Jack had put the clothes pole under
it"
Now, If you've got any troublesome
young brothers or sisters you'd like to
get rid of, te orarily, why, just send
'em along. n take charge of them
and delive hem safely over to you at
noon"
20, II you would" said Mary. "They
are so fretful this morning and in my
way all the time"
1t was with a sigh of relief that a
few minutes later she saw Jack and
the two boys and one girl passing down
the road. She got her work along
bravely, and just as dinner was ready
and her father had come in, Jack. true
to his promise. left the three children
at the door and went home without
stopping to speak.
The children gave glowing accounts
of their walk. And Jacks going to
make us 4 kite and dy it the next
windy day." they ended.
Nearly every day after that Jack
took the children off to the woods and
fields, giving Mary a vacation from
their noise. When he went to get
them. or when he brought them back,
he always found some little thing to do
to help her.