Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1902-04-04
Why WILKINS
HIRED MAN RAN AWAY
By JOHN H. RAFTERY.

was at church with Tommy, Mr.. VIII
kins, In defiance of the social ethics
Of Lake Ill., 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
scene II she caught him, and he knew
that his Sabbath breaking would fur
nish another argument against subur-
ban life, and he anticipated considera-
BILE guylng from his male neighbors.
and yet, in spite of all these misgiv-
lngs, he raked the leaves into rustling
piles and watched with logged salts
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 month and none
had carried away either the esteem or
good will 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 1t came to
pass that Wilkins had hard time
getting, to say nothing of keeping, a
serviceable hired man, and when the
leaves began to fall his lawns, 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 deled all precedent and on
Sunday morning attacked the work
with his own hands.
While he was bending over russell
mound OF leaves he heard voice:
mister, I'll clean up that lawn for a
meal"
1t was low, strong voice, musical
OF tone and 80 opportune that wilkins
let his rake'fall and looked about. The
stranger was n tall, lean young man,
dusty from long walk. but clean and
trim as to clothes and person.
"I'll 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 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 a bullet head
closely shaved. The workers clothes,
new, cheap and coarse, Ill at the wear
err, and as wilkins watched him swift
ly and silently clearing away the dead
In mil
gave him. and he murmured to him
self:
IAN ex-convlct. 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
a Job, and as the latter passed out the
walk toward the road the suburbanite
stopped him with:
"My friend. 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"
"rhank you, sir. I'll try IT," was
the answer. "You don't keep a horse,
and | won't have TO go to town.
mo. Just 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 fell
low over the place and pointed out the
room over the carriage house where he
was 70 sleep Tommy, who was ten
years old. trottcd after them. deeply In
tercsted In the stranger.
or course Mrs. wilkins didn't APP
prove Of her husbands choice. she
felt sure that there was something
wrong about Green. and as the days
went by and he proved splendid
gardener and n most useful person ID
divers unexpected ways she was grlcv'
ous'! rnnnn,s ,ociturnItv Every
'',oo. 20 ,ha oao,, and tho house Girl
'no', On, ,noo,,roood nv Mrs WI.
P,o,"p 49, ~ a,,a,, n hInt ohon, him.
ms a, n'oaIa ha wos as s,Ient ma the
s .e nnrina tho dav no kent busy
I'M ,no hanL ., rho two ocre lot. n,
az J., aa, IN .ha harm doorway tell.
,ne s,orloo ~ Tommv and smol,Inp his
.ne ''''"
P'p p,o him and tho how there
80 -, an ov,roordinory comnon
' npa rha man sIIent with all
othcrs began TO tell his little comradc
the rorest and most extraordinary sto
rIes OF shlpwreck. Of battle, OF wild
beasts. birds and adventures Of all
kinds He knew the hnblts OF birds
and insects. Of REPTILES and fishes, and
these me explained to Tommy with in.
0nI,o care until the boy came to dog
hIs footsteps and sit beside him at all
bours
The curved wooden toys, plated
vbins of borsehair and leather and
-, .At..t 49,, ,,.,1 a,,.,.,,,, tha,