The twice=a=week herald. (Amarillo, Tex.) 1887-1906, 1905-10-17
SAVING
JIM PETERS
BY Mary Donaldson
Copyright, 1905, by r, Is. Mcclure

and his wife and two children often
wanted for clothes and food. Mr.. Pc
tiers had been struggled with on nu-
merous occasions. Women had given
him tongue lashngs, and men had hint
ed at tar and feathers. He had been
induced to sign the temperance pledge
on twenty different occasions, only to
break II each time anybody offered him
drink, and he had been provided with
work many times over, only TO show
his general lazlness,
One day when the Womans Mission
society was holding its monthly meet
ing Aunt Hanna Davis brought up jim
Peters case anew and declared that
something should be done, She was
given license to 60 ahead, and she pro
ceeded to go over the old beaten track
Jim signed the pledge, agreed to stop
chewing plug tobacco and go to work,
and he even expressed an anxiety to
"get religion" and become in time II
deacon Of the church. His good resolu-
tons carried him along for two weeks
and then he fell down, and he fell hard !;
not only that, but he boosted around
that Aunt Hanna was an easy person
to deal with.
The good woman lived about mile
out Of the village, having a farm Of
her own and enjoying the life of a
spinster, and one morning she got up,
to be told by the hired man that some.
body had robbed the smOkehOuse over
night. Jim Peters was the only per-
son for ten miles around who could be
suspected, and when the hired man
told his news he added that Jim ought
to be arrested and his house searched
for the plumber.
I'VE must not accuse any one with
out evidence" replied Aunt Hannah.
1T may have been Jim Peters or 1t
may have been dog. I'm rather Of
the opinion that it was dog, and |
would suggest that you get out the old
bear trap and set 1t In front OF the
smokehouse tonight. If dog steals
meat once he will twice, won't her
That's what have heard" observed
the hired man as he started for the
barn to hunt for the old trap.
Aunt Hannah had started IN to re-
form Jim Peters In earnest mood, and
she Dragged that she would accom-
plish what others had failed to do.
When the man backslid she was re-
buked and criticised on all sides, and,
although she seemed to take it in good
part, she felt something Of spirit Of
revenge.
The bear trap was oiled and set but
it was a week before any game APP
peared. 1t was the hired man again
who brought her news. AS he came
into the kitchen with the milk pals
he observed laconlcaly:
"Well, Mrs. Davis, we have caught
the dog"
II see," she replied after u look from
the window.
ITS a dog that looks exactly like
Jim Peters"
Yes? I'll go out after breakfast
and have closer look. / wish you
would cut me three or four switches
from a peach tree before you go to
work. If you hear the dog bowling,
you needn't stop hoelng corn OH that
account"
The woman fingered over her break
fast as long as she could, and when
she finally donned her sunbonnet and
wandered out to the smokehouse she
had several switches, pail VI water
and a dipper in her hands.
Good morning, Mr.. Peters" she sa-
luted when she had come to halt"
IL was looking for my jackknife
here last night, and walked into this
old trap" he said by way OF expla-
nation.
Eyes, see Is Mrs Peters wellT
about the same as usual"
"And the children"
"Hang 1t, why don't you call Joe up
and tell him to get me out Of this
This internal trap has about cut my
leg or. II twas anybody but you I'd
have the law on 'em. Who knows how
long I'll be laid up with this leg?"
"Mr. Peters," said Aunt Hannah in
very sober tones, do you remember
your promises to meW
How am | going to keep promises
when all the town is agln' me? You
are agin' me. too, or you wouldn't have
set this trap for me-"
"YOu have been coaxed. bribed,
pleaded with and fairly bought, but
you still loaf around and get drunk
II is time that some other plan was
resorted to. Drink this"
She handed him dlpper of water,
and he drank about half OF IT, He
was about to pour the rest on the
ground when she said
81 know II has strange taste to you,
but you'll have to get used to 1t. Don't
waste drop. Here-have some more, y
1--WE had a-plenty."
Aunt Hannah picked up one OF the
switches and proceeded to lay 1t over
inns shoulders in vigorous manner
As Il was summer and he had only 4
ragged cotton shirt across his back he
was speedily reminded OF his boyhood
days. He reached for the dipper and
downed quart OF water, and then
said: