The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-06-19
Seeing the improvements.
by HAYDEN CARRU1H.

Oiy . ACs
II made little visit recently to
the town where | was born. Every
body there knows me, and they all
call me Charlie and slap me on the
back, and that sort of thing. ] got
there in the evening, and the first
thing next morning dropped around
to Judge Pingtree's office. He got
up from his desk and paralyZed my
hand with his grasp; then without
asking me to sit down, he said: I'm
sorry, Charlie, but I've got lot of
mail to look over, and must attend
to it; but Jim Doolittle is in the next
room-you remember Jim-and you
just walk out with him and see the
improvements on the west side of
town So he called Jim in, and we
started out.
Jim was a good walker, and he
took me to the farthest edge of town.
failed to see many improvements,
though there was no lack of signs of
decay; but / enjoyed the walk, which
must have been over two miles in
length, out and back. When we en-
tered the Office the Judge was deep
in a confidential talk with a client,
but after a moment he looked up and
said, oh, hello! back, are you?'
Then he lowered his voice and con-
tinued: Sorry, old boy, but a
deucedly important case has just
come in, and / can't give you a sec
ond now. But it won't make any diff
ference, because you want to see the
improvements on the east side of
town, of course, and Joe Easy-you
remember Joe-was just saying that
he'd like to take you over At this
Joe came up, and we started out.
"The east side of town seemed to
show less Improvement than the
west; but again, on account of old
associations, l enjoyed the walk,
though 1t was somewhat longer than
the other, and l was beginning to feel
bit tired when we got back. We
! met the telegraph operator at the
office door, and found the Judge in
tently reading a dispatch. Hello!
he cried again. Well, here it goes
once more-important telegram that
needs immediate attention. But
meantime you go up and see the i'm
provements on the north side. Here S
Tom odgetoil-you remember Tom
and he'll go with you. You know,
I'm interested in the north side. See
you later!' came cheerfully as | went
off with Tom. On this trip l walked
three miles, and saw the shabbiest
part of town which had yet presented
itself. / was beginning to be sus-
picious, but the Judge had seemed
so innocent, and the Others had
worked so hard to interest me, that
! couldn't doubt their sincerity.
But l was genuinely tired when
we got back to the office. This time
the Judge met me with radiant face.
We'll, I'm free at last, he exclaimed.
| Visions of an easy-chair and famil-
lar chat came to me; but he went on !:
Now you just come with me and see
| the improvements in our best part of
town-the south side; you won't
know it now.' He took my arm and
we started out. On the threshold an
| excited man met us, seized the Judge
by the lapel and led him into q re-
mote corner of his Office. After a
moment the Judge approached me,
his face the picture of woe. This
mans liberty and perhaps his life de-
pend on my giving him half an hour
! now. It's most unfortunate-but no
| matter he added, hurriedly, as he
saw me advancing toward a chair;
here's Uncle Asa Pokeabout-you
remember Uncle Asa-he'll just take
you down and show you the south
side as well as l could do it myself
or better. Uncle Asa grasped my
hand with cackling laugh, and then
hoped away along the sidewalk with
his cane, calling on me to come. The
Judge rushed back to his client.
There was nothing to do but to fol-
low the old inhabitant, though l was
| beginning to feel morally certain that
the whole thing was a put-up job.
was more than ever convinced of it
when l saw that the entire south side
had tumbled into doddering decay.
You might better have looked in
Pompeii for improvements. But
| Uncle Asa toddled resolutely onward,
talking to me of incidents which hap
pened before / was born, as il OF
course l remembered all about them,
and l could only follow. Finally we
| came to the last house, and l paused
| expecting he would turn back. Not
he; he begged of me that l would sc
| half-mile out into the country to
see Hen Podsworthys new barn.
was desperate, and went. The struc-
ture was about fifteen by twenty,
unpainted, and standing on blocks
| like stove in a railroad waiting
room. After / had duly gushed over
| it, we started back; and although
Uncle Asa appeared to have been born
some time in the century before last
| he steamed along at the rate of about
five knots an hour, while l struggled
behind. l was tired enough to drop