Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-05-23

seem prompted by friendship rather
than charity"
The women looked at each other In
keen surprise, but before any one could
protest Mrs. Barnard spoke again: az
was thinking how much Mr.. Dobson
needed another horse since one of his
span died. am going to give him nv
old Bess. She is homely and rather
mean, but she can work. Mr.. Barnard
said yesterday that we had too many
horses"
Il can't do anything so handsome"
exclaimed Mrs. Jenkins, "but can give
a quilt or two"
"And some canned fruit and a ham
or So" added Mrs. Early.
The enthusiasm spread, and amid a
confusion of tongues the list of dona-
tons grew and grew.
Suppose you stop on the way home.
Mrs. Barnard" suggested some one.
'and tell them about the party. I'm
afraid they wouldn't be tidy enough
to enjoy a surprise"
So when the party dispersed Mrs.
Barnard delivered the neighborhood
message and passed on with a smile Of
satisfaction.
From that time forth a new life
dawned on the DobsOns. Their Iamn
was the last in the valley to go out at
night and the first to be lighted in the
morning. The whole family seemed DOS
sessed with fever and hurry Of ioyo11s
excitement.
"Got to have everything slick and
mended," admonished Abner; cant go
off leaving things shiftless like.
When the eventful day of the party
finally arrived everything was in per-,
feet order. Two hours before the ear
Hest guest could be expected Mrs. Dob
son went to the door in her fresh, new
calico and looked about anxiously.
''They will be along now pretty
soon," she announced, excitedly; "you
haven't forgot your piece, have you,
Abner?"
Il reckon not" he answered, thought
fully, as he f1icked a straw from his
new overalls; cit begins: Fellow neigh
bors.'"
"Oh, never mind about sayin' it now,
paw" she interrupted, II reckon YOU
will get through when the time comes"
But Abner was not so certain. He
repeated 1t over and over again. Even
during the arrival of the people he
could not escape its haunting phrases.
He forgot it only when he went to see
the unexpected gifts from his neigh
bors. Then his vision suddenly grew
dim, and his mind confused.
He wandered back to the end of the
house which the men had appropriated.
After a moment he drew himself erect,
and began in a loud, artificial tone:
Fellow neighbors-"
The unusual address attracted the no
tice Of those nearest. A wave of ST.
lence passed on to the women's edge of
the company.
"Feller neighbours" he began again,
"me and Mis- Dobson feel to thank you
for this here unexpected notice. Maybe
we-uns amt been any credit to you-all
before, but after this we're going to
be-"
He cleared his throat, while the peo-
pie looked at each other questioningly.
His wife prompted him quickly "Mis'
DobsOn and me" she Whispered.
mis- Dobson and me-" he repeated,
"got lonesome, and thought we'd better
go back to our kin. But lately you-all
have shown we-uns that there is kin
nearer than them Of blood. They didn't
give us no farewell party. You-all have
been mighty good; Mis- Dobson and me
know that there amt no other such
neighborhood on earth. So we amt 60
ing to the mountains"
The neighbors were startled, but they
had undertaken to make this party a
success; to a man they arose to meet
the new occasion. For the first time
they made the Dobsons welcome.
After the party was over, when the
last wagons were separating, Mrs. San
sen said: "I'm glad we did it, any
how. It's just made new people Of
them Dobsons. Him and Billy come
over and cut all them Canada thistles,
we blamed them for"
'And mended our barbed wire fence"
added Mrs. Early, "and fixed Mrs. Jen-
kins' plough"
"Say, Mrs. Barnard" laughed some
one, your party was a big fzzle as a
goodbye"
Perhaps" she answered, softly, ''but
think it was a great success as
farewell to the Dobsons. Goodnight,
DEAR"
The well-satisfed neighbors passed
under the quiet stars, which looked
down peacefully, long after they had
vanished, on the lazy, vacillating Platte,
and to-day the Dobsons, regenerated by
neighborly kindness and made active
by sympathy and approval, bear no re-
semblance to the sluggish, unlovely
stream.-Youth's Companion.