Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-03
Precious Moments

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Serena was proud of her brother, He
was so clever with his hands, and he
was bright, mentally, too. Back some
where among the forefathers there
must have been an ancestor clever with
tools. Serenas father couldn't drive
nail. Serenas mother was quite too
busy with her household cares to find
any time for manual deXterity.
Serena's father and mother were
both dead and she and her brother,
Hal, lived with an uncle and aunt
Hal was independent, but Serena had
no income that could be counted upon.
She was the substitute school teacher
for the district school in the village,
but the six teachers there We're rarely
absent from their rooms. She helped
about the hOusewOrk, too, and Hal aid
ed In keeping her wardrobe replenish-
ed. Uncle Jim and Aunt Mary were
very kind to these orphans, but the
farm wasn't doing we'll, and Serena
felt that she couldn't help being a bur-
den to the worthy couple. What she
wanted to do was to live in the bustling
town eight miles away, In the opposite
direction from the village. 1t was her
dream to keep. house there for Hal
when he set up a little shop of his
own.
"Pd move right away if 1 had
couple of thousand ahead" said the
boy, ''but that's not to be had for the
wishing"
Hal was twenty-five and the work
Ing partner in the old gunshOp down
by the creek. The owner was Joe Hib-
bard, but he was crippled with rheuma-
fism and chung close to his big rocking
chair In his comfortable sitting room.
There wasn't a great deal to do in
the shop, and Hal was competent to
handle it all and what leisure he had
was spent in improving his knowledge
Of mechanics. He had a few books on
the subject ranged along shelf above
the work bench, and he subscribed for
two technical weeklies. And he had q
set of draughtsman'5 tools and these
and the reading gave him no chance for
drawing tools, too. She was handy with
them, even handler than Hal. And
when she went to live In town she
meant to attend the art school and had
meant to attend the art school there,
which was a very good art school and
had a widespread fame There were
other plans she had made for that
ideal time and they were plans that
gave her much harmless pleasure. One
day something remarkable happened.
When Serena came down through the
east meadow to the gunshOp she saw
strange looking vehicle standing in the
open space before the shop door.
IAN automobileI" she cried and hur-
rIed forward.
Hal was looking at the machine with
his brows knitted.
'It's Sim AshbrOok's," he told her.
'Broke down in front Of the shop early
this morning Sim asked me if I
thought l could fix it. l told him I
thought perhaps l could. 1t depended
some on what was the matter with it.
Sim was in a hurry to get over to
BrOOkdale and Tom Austin happened to
come along with his trotting mare and
Sim went with him. He said he'd be
over after the car in the morning"
isn't it fine! Can you fix it, Hal?"
1--WE fixed it. There was a rod that
bent and interfered with the steering
gear 1t didn't bother me any,"
He turned suddenly and went into
the shop. When he came back he had
q small book in his hand.
whats that Hal?"
Its book that tells you all about
automobiles and automobile parts. l
want to see how the two go together
the book and the car. ITS the first
time I've had a chance to put my hands
on anything in this line"
Get it all down fine, Hal. We may
own an auto when our ship comes in"
Guess if we had a ship we wouldn't
care so much for an auto"
He was down on his knees studying
The car. Section by section, piece by
piece. he looked it over. Serena watch
ell him for a while. Then she went
into the shop and got out the drafting
tools and entertained herself for an
hour or more.
"Sis!"
Ii was Hars voice. Serena put her
pencil aside.
What is ii, Hal?"
He was frOwning at the machine.
He did not look around.