The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-01-03
WHY WILKINS
HIRED NAN RAN AWAY
By JOHN n. RAFTERY.


was at church with Tommy. Mr.. Will
kins. In defiance Of the social ethics
of Lake Hill. put on his overalls. and.
rake in hand. attacked the carpet of
dead leaves that covered his lawn. He
knew that his wife would make q
scene If she caught him. and he knew
that his Sabbath breaking would fur
nish another argument against subur-
ban life. and he anticipated considera-
BILE guying from his male neighbors.
and yet. in spite Of all these misgiv-
ings. he raked the leaves into rustling
piles and watched with dogged satis-
faction the columns of blue smoke
that rose among the oaks from his
unholy fires.
Wilkins had employed seven different
"hired men, since spring. None had
stayed more than a month and none
had carried away either the esteem or
good will OF Mrs. wilkins. Most OF
them We're worthless. some dishonest.
some lazy and some lacked that regard
for the proprieties which the woman Of
the house insisted upon So II came to
pass that Wilkins had a hard time
getting. to say nothing of keeping. a
serviceable hired man. and when the
leaves began to fall his la WINS. gardens.
vines and orchard were In sad case. his
chicken house needed repairs. his coal
cellar was empty. his winter kindling
was unchopped and his loyalty to sub
urban life was tOttering. Therefore
he had defipd all precedent and on
Sunday morning attacked the work
with his own hands.
While he was bending over q russet
mound Of leaves be heard q voice:
mister. I'll clean up that lawn for q
meal"
1t was a low. strong voice. musical
of tone and 80 opportune that wilkins
let his rake fall and looked about. The
stranger was a TALL lean young man.
dusty from a long walk. but clean and
trim as to clothes and person.
iii just go you" said wilkins. open
Ing the gate. The big fellow walked
in. dropped his coat on the ground and
fell to work without q word. After
getting back into his Sunday garments
the man Of the house watched his res
cuer. The latter had laid aside his
round felt hat. disclosing bullet head
closely shaved. The workers clothes.
new. cheap and coarse. Ill fit the wear
er. and as Wilkins watched him swift
iy and silently clearing away the dead
grass. weeds and leaves his heart mis-
gave him, and he murmured to him.
self:
IAN ex-convict. I'll bet"
Mrs wilkins soon came home with
Tommy and eyed the stranger askance.
When she had noticed him eating
heartily. but decorously. and had OBJ
served that he knew the purposes Of
knife. fork and spoon. she darkly hint
ed to her husband that there was
something mysterious" about the
newcomer. When wilkins felt sure
that his wife hadn't guessed the prob
able truth. he resolved to offer the man
job. and as the latter passed out the
walk toward the road the suburbanite
stopped him with:
"My friend. I like the way you work,
and like your looks. and II you'll stay
I'll give you 81 a week and your board
Just to keep up the place. tend the
chickens and the furnace"
| 'Thank you. sir. Ill try It." was
| the answer. "You don't keep a horse.
| and I won't have to go to townr'
| mo. lust stay here on the place and
| do whatever you see necessary" ex-
planned wilkins. fully understanding
the mans dislike to going into town.
"All right. sir. My name Is James
| Green"
wilkins showed. the tall. gaunt fel'
low over the place and pointed out the
room over the carriage house where be
was to sleep. Tommy. who was ten
years old. trotted after them. deeply In
terested In the stranger.
i OF course Mrs. wilkins didn't ap
prove of her husbands choice. Sh'
| felt sure that there was something
wrong about Green. and as the day
went by and he proved a spiendit
gardener and q most useful person II
divers unexpected ways she was grtev
ously disappointed. What enraged he
most was Green's taciturnity. Ever!
effort OF the cook and tue house girl
prompted and encouraged by Mrs WI
kins. failed TO elicit a hint about him
self. At meals he was as silent as tn
tomb. During the day he kept bus
at the back Of the two acre lot: q
night he sat In the barn doorway tell
Ing stories to Tommy and smoking hi
pipe.
Between him and the boy ther
sprang up an extraordinary compan
ionship. The man. silent with a
others. began to tell his little conrad
the rarest and most extraordinary ste
ries Of shipwreck. Of battle. OF vii
beasts. birds and adventures OF al
kinds. He knew the habits OF bird
and insects. Of reptiles and fishes. an
these he explained TO Tommy with In
finite care until the boy came TO do
his footsteps and sit beside him at a
hours.
The carved wooden toys. platte
whips of horsehair and leather an
deftly fashioned bows and arrows tina
Green made for Tommy were the VOL
der and envy Of the boys OF the neigi
borhood. but they convinced Wilkin
that his model hired man had sper
much time In some penltentiary. Meal
while. as day by day she failed
penetrate the atmosphere Of myster
which surrounded him. Mrs. Wiki
grew more suspicious. When sf
| found out that he didn't want to G
to the village during the day. she col
Al.