Hutchinson gazette., 1901-09-05
ACK,S REGENERATION.


worthless, shiftless fellow like Bert
Hill" Mrs, Raymond was very much
in earnest "I'd say something to her,
only girls are such fools, 1t might be
worge than to keep still, She looks
all tired out now, with her work and
worry at home; how will she look
when shes married to q drunkard?"
"It's 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,
IT 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 dis
turbed,
The wind blew softly among the
pine branches, files and wasps crept
Into the sunlight, blueblrds sang, and
far overhead u hawk sailing on steady
wings cried cruelty, At length Jack
stirred, removed the hat from his eyes,
and sat up, He hitched along on the
ground until he got his back against
tree trunk. He gazed out upon the
spring landscape medItatively, Then
his lips began to move He was talking
to himself, lnaudibly,
ITS shame for such a nice girl as
Mary Halett to go with worthless,
shiftless fellow like Bert Hill, Yes,
that's So It ought to be stopped, Talk
ing won't do any good, Something's
got to be done, suppose | 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 II Is a good cause to res
cue Mary Hallett from Bert, She's a
nice little girl and 1t would be pity
for her to marry him. Bert doesn't even
treat his mother well-what would he
do to Mary?" He Strengthened up al
most energetically. 81 vow I'll do IT,"
he said. Then he medltated again.
Wonder II can?" he mused, doubt
fully. He felt in pocket and took out
a small, round mirror. He gaSed In 1t
earnestly. lie took off his hat and
brushed his blonde hair back from his
forehead then he gave smile Of af-
fectatlon which showed his white
teeth; then he put the mirror back in
his pocket. There was look Of conf
dence In his blue eyes,
Guess you'll do" he said. Rather
against you, being light, though; but
where there's will there's 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? It isn't likely, to be sure,
but what II 1t should happen?' There
was a rueful pause-then he said: "The
end justihes the MEANS" and went on
down the hill.
Although Jacks friends maintained
that he would be all right II he only
kept out Of bad company, the general
opinion was that he and Bert were
about evenly matched for worthless
ness and shlftlessness. And when Jack
began to 60 to Hallett's, people said,
20, dear! Two of them!" They con-
tinued to be shiftless but 1t was re-
marked that, unlike Bert Jack had
given up drinking.
You'll 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 Monday morning, just as Mary
was carrying 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.
"I'll put this up" he said, and he pulled
It tight and fastened II 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 ta-
blecloths."
Mary laughed, She was too surprised
to object, and in short time the
clothes were all hung on the line and
Jack had put the clothes pole under 1t"
Now, If you've got any troublesome
young brothers and sisters you'd like
to get rid of temporarily, why, just
send 'em along. I'll take charge Of them
and deliver them 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 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 all
ready and her father had come in,
Jack, true to his promise, left the
three ohildrnn al the door and went