Daily camera., 1898-01-07

like to hire you for year.
The boys eyes sparkled.
AN would you be wilhn' to hire
man, too?" he asked, eagerly; zone
who could work lots better than me?"
NO, haven't work for two hands"
The eager countenance fell.
Il thought maybe you would" and
Bob began to climb over the fence de-
jectedly I'VE wouldn't ask much
wages, an we'd work like anything
SIS he some of your folks?"
"My dad"
"U'm! Well, there'll be no trouble
about work, 4 guess. Good hands are
scarce, an your father could git plenty
to do in the neighborhood. Perkins
hires help, an so does Brown an
Thompson. I've got an Old house that
III rent to you cheap, an you can move
in any time you like an go to work.
I'll keep you stiddy-an' be mighty glad
to git rid of onion weedin'." grimly.
But Bob's face did not brighten as he
expected.
81 don't b'lieve dad would come, 'cept
he was sure of gettin' work." he said
"We went out in the country last
summer an tried lots of farms, but
nobody would hire him. Dad said he
wouldn't try again" Then, in answer
to q look of incredibly, he added. with
a sudden flush coming into his face:
You see, it's just this way. Dads the
best man in the world, an he's splen-
did worker; but he's that easy like an
Pleasant he won't say no to nobody.
He didn't drink any fore mother died
an he often goes weeks without it now
he did when | was sick last summer.
Him an me is all there is, an some
times he tries to give it up on my
count; but most folks like him, an
there's ten whisky shops in sight of our
door. 'Taint easy for man to 90 past
al of 'em. Dad says he just can't do it..
If we lived way off in the country there,
might be some show"
''If he only drinks now an ag'in,"
said the old man. refectively, "it seems
sort of strange that he can't git work
nowhere. l know. a good many hired
men who drink a little"
Bob flushed and looked embarrassed.
"You see, he-he can't stop when he
once gets started,' he explained; "he's
so awful easy an'-an' good-natured."
'Um! Drunk most of the time eh?'
Bob remained silent, but shuffled his
feet uneasily along the rails.
'No, I don't want him. said the
old man, decidedly; II amt reformin'
drunkards.'
He amt no drunkard!" cried Bob,
fierce,y. Hes easy; an we've lived al
ways among rumshops. He smells
whisky just as soon as he steps on the
street, an there's plenty of men to give
him drink. He can't stop, but tell
you he amt no drunkard. He amt! he
amt. he amt! l guess l know, for I'm
most always with him. 1 sit up with
him nights, AMI fo,ler him when he goes
out. | wouldn't be here now, only he
went off with a lot of men for two
weeks. an 1 couldn't go long. l
thought maybe there'd be chance for
us out here; an l worked for you just
as hard as ever I could, an hoped you'd
be willin' to help me give him show.
He amt no drunkard, an he don't use
no swear talk an he don't fight He
never struck mein all my iife-not once.
Even if he does drink he's good man,
an he amt no drunkard-no, not if
nobody in all the world will hire him.
Farmer Brownlee's face had lost its
severity during this explosion. Now he
laid his hand detainingly upon the boys
arm.
''No, I don't believe your pa is all
bad he said, gravely; IAN maybe l
said more than / meant. I'll think it
over tonight, an you come round
again in the mornin'. / once had a
brother who must a-been some like
your pa; but that's long time ago.
Well, goodnight"
Bob watched him until he was lost in
the shadows, then he slipped down from
the fence, and went across toward the
Perkins farmhouse.
In the morning he was back again
long before Farmer Brownlee was asti-.
When the old man appeared he was eN-
amining the beets and carrots.
HIN! more weedin' for you,"
chuckled the old man, as he approached.
"Well, about your pa. How'd you like
to farm it little for yourselves?'
Bob looked at him wonderingly.
''How can we?" he asked; 1--WE amt
got no land"
''I'll fix that. I can't hire you an
your pa both, but I've lots of idle land.
I can LET YOU have that house an about
10 acres round it for almost nothin';
an you can work the rent out. I'll hire
you all the time, or both you an your
pa part of the time, an you'll be able to
git consider BILE work among the neigh
bors. Spare days you can work your
own land. If you're careful, as l b'lieve
you will be, you can lay up money. An
as for your pa, there amt liquor shop
in ninaHpiles. Does that suit?"
Bob not answer; but the look on
his face made the old mans eyes twin
kle, then suddenly grow misty.
I,n e,;I h.,