The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-09-30

warm, homemade mittens, preparato-
ry to taking q 20-mile ride to his own
domicile, which could scarcely be called
home, since 1t sheltered nothing hui
man save himself and an old domes-
tic who had nursed him in infancy,
and still persisted in calling him her
boy" though he was on the shady
side Of 40. But II Gideon lived with
out the society of his fellow mortals,
he made up for 1t by surrounding
himself with IN innumerable number
OF pets.
He kept guinea hens and guinea
pigs, rabbits and canaries by the score,
and pigeons and geese, turkeys and
hens beyond count. Then he had squir-
rels in revolving cages, and crows
whose tongues he had split that they
might learn to talk. There was
woojchuck, too, that would follow
bin about like a dog and drink milk
f.om cup, sitting up like a monkey,
With cup held firmly in his paws. He
bad tame mice besides, which cut all
sorts Of antics, and had their nest in
an old coat sleeve which hung at the
foot Of Gideon's bed, over which they
scampered every morning until he got
up, and then they ran before him to
the kitchen for their breakfast.
On the morning of which we write
Gideon was rejoicing in the acquisi-
tion of half dozen choice dorking
hens, already cooped and in his wagon,
ready to be taken home.
Take my advice, brother, and let
your pets go to grass. Get sensible
little wife to make your home pleas
ant in place of your mice and wood
chucks, and my word for it, you will
never be sorry. Such a pet as this
now,' and Gideons brother picked up
a little curly-headed 2-year-old as he
spoke; such jolly pet as this Is
worth all of yours thousand times
over"
"You and can never think alike on
that subject, brother" replied Gideon,
rather contemptuously. as he took up
the reins, and gave his horse a cut
with whip, which put the ancient
beant In a lazy trot. The hens cack-
led their adieus, and the wagon was
soon out OF sight of the group assem-
bled In the porch to witness the de-
parture Of their eccentric relative.
He will never marry-nothing sur
er than that, and all, suppose, because
Linda Pratt Tilted him so shabbily
years ago. Well, she made a miserable
match for herself, I've been told,
though what has become of her I'm
sure don't know. Linda wasn't so
much to blame, though, after all. Some
busybody stirred up breeze between
them, the girl sighted Gid, and he
went off In a huff, and the engagement
was broken"
Thus murmured Gideon's brother, as
with little curly head still in his arms,
he retreated into the house.
Gideon drove away, forgetful of the
subject his brother had broached, his
mind naturally enough filed with
thoughts of the pets which had been
held up to ridicule. Never before had
he left them so long to the care of an
other, and he wondered anxiously
whether the old housekeeper had not
gratified her dislikef for his guinea pigs,
mice, ETC.. by keeping them on short
rations. Occasionally, as his horse
logged along In his steady-go-easy
gait, his master would turn to look
after the safety of the coop in the back
part OF the wagon, peering in now and
then to see how the fowls were deport-
Ing themselves.
Only once did his brothers words
awake anything like a wish in his
bachelors heart, and that was when
he turned to take a parting view of
the happy home circle he was leaving
the father standing in the midst of
his children, with the little one laugh
Ing and growing in his arms, and the
mother bright and smiling by his side.
Then he. too. thought of Linda Pratt,
and of the long ago days when she was
his promised bride. Then, with half
suppressed sigh for the memory OF
what might have been, and with a
hasty dash of the hand across the
moistened eye, he dismissed the SUBJ
ject.
Gideon had got over half his home
ward journey, when couple of gay
young men, driving a pair of fast
horses, approached him from behind.
The worthy bachelor was unconscious
OF their proximity, so absorbed was he
In his own thoughts, until forcibly ap-
prised of 1t by concussion in the
rear, occasioned by the tongue of the
young mems wagon coming in con-
tact with the box of his.
"Weil, you'd better run over a body
and be done with it," said Gideon.
crafty
Didn't see you in time to stop. un-
Gle, pom honor" answered the driver.
with comic gravity. then. with a wink
at his companion, he turned out of the
road In order to pass the slow-going
vehicle of Gideon; but the old horse,
seeming not to relish the implied re-
proach. pricked up his ears, stretched
his girane-like neck. and was on like
. shot
The young men shouted. and the
A~kwa~ A~>k -.