The Elk Mountain pilot., 1899-12-26

how you feel, and l 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 sympathiz-
ers. They saw only the pathos OF his
condition.
There goes man that would have
made son ething of himself" the farm
ers would say nights as Lew left them
to trudge down the sandy road to his
home, 'if only he could have had fair
show"
At home the great bare living room
was thronged with smoking men. Pa
Fenning smoked where he lay in bed.
/ and all his stalwart sons smoked; and
the women chewed gum. They were not
quarresome family. On the contrary,
they INDUCED in a good deal of horse
play and laughter. The consequence
was that passers-by heard riotous guf-
flaws proceeding from the Fenning
house, and remarked disapprovingly
that some folks didn't worry If they
did go hungry. Lewis downward droop
of the corners of his eyes, his pensive
expression, and air of settled sadness
as he walked down the road were a
great argument for him. His role met
with the approval of his neighbors and
they were entirely taken in by the per-
fection of his acting. They never
dreamed that the loudest of the laugh
ter that proceeded from the walls OF
the cluttered house belonged to the
man whom they imagined 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 indus
try. This effort he did not wish to be
commonplace. Lew was not common
place. He was observation-disclosures he
didn't know the word, perhaps. But he
confessed that he liked to have folks
talking about him. He knew he enjoy
ed the pity and the kindly flattery that
the neighbors bestowed upon him.
Wandering over a strip of barrens
quently stopped to talk with Jacob and
Liza Inglehart. They were brother and
sister, and were little dark, silent
creatures, shy and hardworking, who
were making a good farm in the midst
of the charred pine trunks. Without
funds they were forging n livelihood
for themselves from ground that other
men considered to be mere waste. Ihey
worked like plow horses early and late,
and they went nowhere, spent no
money except for, necessaries, and
spoke to few.
Lew saw his chance for a dramatic
and prudential stroke. He made vio-
lent love to the amazed Liza, won her
consent to a marriage, and was install
ed in the forbidding shack occupied by
the Ingleharts.
What a dark, wretched little thing
Liza is" all OF Lewis sisters made
plant, as they sat around, handsome
and disheveled in their rags. But Liza
wore no rags. She made herself gay
! little frocks, in which she looked uglier
than in more somber garments. She
| shaved and did not mind the Shaving.
| And Lew followed her about with
hoe in his hand and looked loving and
melancholy.
The comedy ended merrily. The Fen
nings at the parental home continued
to lose caste. Their laziness became
| byward and a scoflng, and at last they
were suspected of assimuladng the
chickens from their neighbors yards.
But as they continued to laugh as loud
as ever. it must be inferred that they
did not suffer the pangs of remorse.
| But down at the Inglehart farm in
the barrens all went well. Lew had
taste and he made suggestions, and the
two little earth worms, dark and dour,
his wife and her brother. followed
these suggestions faithfully. He was
a sort of necromaucer whom they, evil
worms of the soil were under obliga-
tions to obey. Paint appeared upon the
shacks, vines clamored up its sides.
curtains draped the windows. Lew,
who could drive magnifcently with one
hand, swelled into town on a green
wagon, drawn by two big roans-which
belonged to Jacob Inglehart The bank
account was kept in Lew's name. Lew
Joined the church, and sat well up in
front. holding his head high. Jacob
and Liza dropped shyly beside him,
apologize and work-worn. But Lew
never ceased TO look melancholy.
He was still pitied as he walked
about the fields, holding his hoe in his
hand.
Lew Fenning has executive ability"
decided the neighbors, seeing how he
prospered. Hes brought himself and
the Ingleharts right up in the world.
Just think what he might have made
of himself if he'd only had a fair
chance!"