The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-11-22

street, recognizing various familiar
objects with a mild delight At the
mcatmarket he paused to shake
hands with the butcher, the father ot
his former playmate The hatcher
asked him, as they stood under the
same ycllOw.coatod ham in the door
way what he was doing now, and in.
sisted upon shaking hands again when
he revealed his connection with the
pork.packinC establishment At his
relatives gate he noted the identical
flower beds upon which he had once
tramplcd. and his ears tiugled at the
memory. for his aunt had descended
upon him from the front door on that
occasion. and
Here she was descending upon him
again. her eyes hoaming WELDON"
through her sUcctaclcs She kissed
him twice upon the mouth. and hold
him at arms length while she re-.
marked his pallor and his skinninoss.
Then she led him into the house n't
by the ear. as she had led him before
and presented him 10 his uncle. who
was rheumatic In both legs and not
given to greeting visitors in the front
yard And that night he slept peace.
fully as he had slept before, in th"
same white bed In the same attic
room with the dormcr window louH.
ing out over the green valley to the
towering hills
on Sunday which was the next daN
he went with his aunt to church, and
his mouth opened wide and his eyes
grew round, as he recognized his Old
friend, the butchers son, in the pa.
pit He had not dreamed Of this, for
the butchers son. as he remembered
him, was Of distinctly mundane IN
clinauons George would have been
less surprised had he seen him in %
court Of Justice, answering to q charge
OF something. In the choir he ob.
served other familiar faces. notably
that OF a dumping who was dump.
ling no more, and another, the nose "
which had lost it's resemblance to a
push button, although the eyes wcr"
still blue
lie met them all after the service
And when the congregation had dis
perscd. the four of them, under the
bond of childhood memories, passed
from the church together talking and
laughing George asked the young
lady at his side If she had forgotten
the day when clad in pink pinalurc
she had wounded his feelings by call.
ing him names. and the young lady
looked into his face archly. and con
fesscd that she had not Then the
butchers son, who had overheard
turned and SHOOK his hymnal at
George
- have not forgotten 1t. either" h"
said You won every marble | had
in the world that day. and staggered
home under a weight Of woe that
tested by strength to the uttcrmost.
| resolved that night never to gamble
more. and have kept the resolution.
but-but, by jingo' | would like to get
even with you. You-you haven't any
marbles in your pockets, have you?"
And that was but the first day. The
time which came after that was filled
with the simple pleasures Of country
life among refined people of simple
tastes George quite forgot his
germs His lunguor and his pallor
vanished He was in fit condition to
resume his labors upon the books OF
the pork.paCking establishment, but
still he stayed. And the tints Of an.
tumn had begun to show In places
upon the trees, and the night winds
had taken to themselves chill. before
he shook off the spell which bound
him, and announced definitely his In.
tention Of returning to the city in one
week.
lie made the announcement to the
dumping one sunny afternoon when
they were strolling on the river bank.
and the dumping said with an encour.
aging hesitaucy, that she was sorry.
He said he was sorry, too. And then
neither said anything for as long al
interval as is required TO walk a hun.
dred Yards Al this distance they had
rounded a bend IN n small stream. and
. were invisible to the other picnickers,
who were sitting upon log. fishing.
An hour later they walked back again.
MY dear said the reverend butch.
er's son to his sister, looking, with
mock severity first at tho dumping.
then at George, you have been gone
from us an hour, and your left ear Is
inilamed. VIII you please, as "A sub.
stitate for the apology which We
should require Of you, tell us how this
came to pass? For" he added. wind
ing his line and CHANGING at the gill
whose nose resembled n push-buttun
no more. our curiosity excccdcth
greatly our appetite for apology-yca
verify. a heap"
And George told the truth your
sister" he said" has promised to be
my Wife
Sister" said the minister. can
this he true? Is not this the man
whom you once designated scornfully
as a 'thmarty?' Can it be--but there,
old fellow, am very glad of IT," lie
warmly clasped Georges hand. 81 ex.
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