Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1901-12-22
WHY WILKINS
HIRED Man RAN AWAY
-
BY JOHN II. RAFTERY.

kIns. In defiance OF the social ethics
OF Lake HIll put on his overnlls. and.
rake In hand. attacked the carpet OF
dead leaves that covered his lawn. He
knew that his wife would make
scene n she caught him. and he knew
that bis Sabbath breaking would fur
nlsh another argument against subur-
han life. and he anticipated consldera-
bile guying from his male neighbors.
and yet. in spite 81 all these misgiv-
ings. he rnkod the leaves into rustling
piles and watched with logged salts
faction the columns u blue smoke
that rose among the oaks from bis
unholy tircs
wilkins had employed seven different
''hlred men" since spring. None had
stayed more than a mouth and none
had carried away either the esteem or
good VIII OF Mrs wilkins. Most Of
them were worthless. some dishonest.
some lazy and some lacked that regard
for the prophecies which the woman Of
the house insisted upon. So Il came 90
pass that wilkins had a hard time
getting. TO say nothing Of keeping "A
servlccable hired man. and when the
leaves began 10 fall his lawns. gardens.
vines and orchard were In sad case. bis
chicken house needed repairs his coal
cellar was empty. his winter klndlng
was unchopped and his loyalty 10 sub
urban life was lettering Therefore
he had deacd all precedent and on
Sunday morning attacked the work
with his own hands
While be- was bending over russell
mound OF leaves Doe heard n voice.
"AiIster I'm clean up that lawn Tor a
meal"
II was a low. strong voice musical
Of tone and 80 oppouune that wilkins
let bis rake fnll and looked about. The
stranger was "a tail lean young man.
dusty from long walk. but clean and
trim as 20 clothes and person.
I'm just go You" said wilkins. open
ng the gate. The big fellow walked
in. dropped his coat on the ground and
zen 90 work without a word After
getting hack into DIS Sunday garments
the man 90 the house watched bis res
cucr. The latter had laid aside his
round folt ha'. disclosing q bullet head
closely shaved The workers clothes.
new. cheap and coarse. 100 ht the wear.
o. and os wilkins watched him swift
ly aud silently clearing away the dead
grass. weeds and leaves Dis heart mis-
gave him. aad Dc murmurcd 70 him
self.
can cx-convict. I'm bet"
Mrs wilkins soon came home with
Tommy and eyed the stranger askancc.
When she had noticed him eating
heartily. bur dccorously. and had ob
served that Dc know the purposes ~
knife fork ana spoon. she darby hint
cd % her husband that there was
something mysterious" about the
newcomer. when wilkins felt sure
that bis wife hadn't GUESSED the prob
able TRUTH De resolved 20 offer the man
o. sob. and as thc latter passed ont the
walk toward the rad the suburhanitc
stopped him with.
"Niy friend. I like the way you work
and Ike your looks. and II you'll stay
I'm give you 81 a week and your board
Just 20 keep mp the place. tend the
chickens and the furnace"
Thank you. sir. I'll try H." was
the answer. you don't keep a horse,
and I won't have 90 90 TO town."
NO. Just stay here on the place and
do whatever you see necessary" ex-
planned Wilkins. fully understanding
thc mans dislike 20 going into town.
"All right. sir. My name Is James
Green"
wilkins showed the tail. gaunt fel-
low over the place and pointed out the
room over the carriage house where be
was 20 sleep Tommy. who was ten
years old. trotted after them. deeply In
tcrcsted IN the stranger
Of course Mrs wilkins didn't ap-
prove Of her husbands choice. She
felt sure that there was something
wrong about Green. aud as the days
went by and he proved a splendid
gardener and a most useful person IN
divers unexpected ways she was gricv-
ously disappointed What enraged her
most was Green's taciturniy Every
effort Of the cook and the house girl
and encouraged boy Mrs. WI
kIns. failed TO elicit hint about him
self. Al meals he was as silent as the
tomb. During the day he kept busy
M the back OF the two acre lot; az
night he sat In the barn doorway tell
ing stories to Tommy and smoking his
pipe.
Between him and the boy there
sprang up an extraordinary compan-
ionshlp. The man. silent with all
others began @, us little comul.lr
The rurcst aud most extraordinary ST..
r.cs of h.pwrch. of il.'h 90 wild
beasts. birds ana adventures OF an
kinds. lie knew the habits OF birds
aud Insects OF reptiles and fishes. aud
these he explained 60 Tommy with in
finite care until the boy came 10 dog
bis footsteps aud sit beside him at all
hours.
The carved a oolcl toys plated
Wins OF horsehair ... leather and