The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-15
The Jennings.


clination to getting up. Some hours were
too early. and then again some hours
! Were too late. II simpIified matters TO
lie still and let the sun attend 10 its own
| business. It knew how to get up and to
go down without any concern on the part
of Pa Fenning
Ma Fenning kept more abreast with the
times-knew when to get breakfast, could
approximate the dinner hour, and knew
at what season of the year it was best
to set hens Her five sons and three
daughters had grown up around her-an
inadvertence on their part which necessi-
tated the baking of sixteen leaves at a
time instead of ten, which was the re-
quirement when they were younger.
Where the Fennigs got the -four for the
baking was a mystery the neighborhood
| over, for when it came to common toll
the Jennings assumed the airs of a privi-
legged class. If the times were hurried
it was no fault of theirs. If the labor
market was overstocked they were not TO
blame. A medieval peace rested upon
| their spirits
They argued that 1t was not worth
| while to raise fruit, because that didn't
pay, and the country was poor for wheat
and not good for corn. Vegetables were
| well enough for garden sauce for the
family, but not worth carting to market.
! So agriculture was looked at askance by
! them. AS for the trades, who does not
| know that the ranks are full? The pro-
| fessions--but the Jennings knew nothing
about the professions.
| Physically they were all well developed.
and though they moved slowly they gave
| the impression of remarkable strength.
| Sometimes they had given evidences Of
| this strength in wrestling bouts at county
fairs: and now and then on a wager at
barn movings or something OF that sort
The Jennings hired out reluctantly TO
do small jobs about the neighborhood, and
their laZiness was a byword. But the
neighbors dsliked the idea of having any
one starve to death, and they assiduously
hired them-even against their will.
Lew Fenning alone escaped the stigma
of confirmed Iaziness. But this was not
because Lew did anything. Not at all.
He did less than the rest. But he was
possessed of only one arm, having lost
the other in a thrashing machine The
fact that he lost it in that manner was n
great triumph for the Jennings, as fam
lily of deserters would feel itself vindi-
Gated by a victim Of the battle front, so
the lazy Jennings plumed themselves up
on this disaster. incurred in the days
it as a sort of warning. They opined
that it was indeed dull man who failed
to recognize the penalties attaching to in
dustry
The Jennings as has been said, were
all Of good stature, but Lew was larger
than the average, and when he leaned
against a fence rail, or squatted upon the
ground, watching other men at their TOLL
his face wore melancholy expression.
"Td like to help you out If I could
Bixby" he would say to one of his pros
porous peighbors. Nothing would give
me more pleasure than to help you in
with them potatoes"
81 know it, Lew" Farmer Bixby would
reply feelingly. "I know Just how you
feel, and I sympathize with you"
Not infrequently Lew took a Job of
hoeing potatoes, or raking up leaves, or
pruning trees, or pulling weeds. For
some Of these tasks only one hand would
have been employed even by man with
the full equipment, but this fact was |
forgotten by LEWIS sympathizers. They
saw only the pathos Of his condition.
There goes a man that would have
made something Of himself" the farmers |
would say nights as Lew left them to |
trudge down the sandy road to his home, |
''if only he could have had a fair show
At home the great bare living-room was
thronged with smoking men. Pa Fen
ming smoked where he lay in bed and all |
Inns stalwart sons smoked; and the wo-
men chewed gum. They were not quar-
family. On the contrary, they |
INDUCED in a good deal of horse play and
laughter. The consequence was that
passers-by heard riotous outlaws proceed
ing from the Fenning house, and remark
ed disapprovingly that some folks didn't
worry ID they did go hungry. Lewis down
ward drop of the corners of his eyes, his
pensive expression, and air of settled sad
ness as he walked down the road were
great argument for him. His role met
with the approval of his neighbors and
they were entirely taken in by the per-
lection Of his acting. They never dream
ed that the loudest Of the laughter that
proceeded from the walls of the cluttered
house belonged to the man whom they
agined to be wrapt IN sorrow.
Now the whole truth OF the matter was
that Lew was an astute creature and
It occurred to him that he would have to
make some strenuous effort or he would
lose his reputation for industry. This ef-
fort he did not wish to be commonplace.
Lew was not commonplace. He was his
he didn't know the word,
But he confessed that he liked
10 have folks talking about him. He
knew he enjoyed the pity and the kindly
1attery that the neighbors bestowed up
On him.
Wandering over a strip Of barrens that
ay to the south, Lew had frequently
stopped to talk with Jacob and Liza In
ylehart. They were brother and sister.
md were little dark silent creatures.
hy and Woodworking. who were making
good farm In the midst OF the charred
1ine trunks. Without funds they were
orging a livelihood for themselves from /
ground that other men considered 10 be /
mere waste. They worked Ike plow
lorses early and late. and they went
nowhere, spent no money except for nee s
,ssaries, and spoke to few.
Law saw his chance for a dramatic and I
prudential joke. He made violent love s
o the amazed Liza. won her consent to
marriage, and was instlled in the for
,idding shack occupied by the Ingle- 7
larts.
What a dark. wretched little thing T
Liza is" ali Of LEWIS sisters made plant. ( {
IS they sat around. handsome and dis Z
leveled in their rags But 'Lizan wore
10 rags She made herself gay little CAL ,
ca frocks in which she looked uglier /
han in more somber garments She
laved and did not mind the shaving. !
And Lew followed her about with a hoe ,
n his hand and looked loving and melsu- ,
holy.
But down ~ the Trglehart farm IN the
'arrents all went well. Lew had taste krs
le made suggestions. and the two little +,
aTth worms. dark and dour. his wife !
nd her brother, followed these sugzes-
ions faithfully He was 4 sort OF re- !
whom they. evil worms % the
nn were nndar obligations 20 nheE. pint =