The Florida agriculturist., 1907-10-23

affair, was seen mostly upon dusty
country roads. John avoided the
larger villages. His best customers,
wherever he went, were the farmers
wives When he drove up to the
farmhouses the women would bring
out their ragbags to exchange the
contents for tinware. Occasionally
there was sharp dickering on both
sides before the difference of few
cents between buyer and seller was
overcome.
John Shore was tinker as we'll as
a tin peddler. He was, indeed, one OF
those unfortunate men who can do
anything," but who, alas can do
nothing thoroughly. He could re-
pair clocks, set window glass, mend
1eaky vessels, repair chairs, cut hair,
make biscuit and play on the fiddle,
but his skill in all these directions
was limited, and he was unfortunate
in being unable to concentrate his
energies on any one thing long
enough to master all it's details. He
was like other scatter-brains, good
natured and easy-going. Of course,
he was also poor.
Johns home was in a small rented
house on the outskirts of the village
of Waver1y. There was where he
left his wife and six children when
he went out upon the road. Lucy
was the eldest She was tall, angu
lar freck1ed-faced girl of 16, old and
woman1y beyond her years. She had
spent most Of her life as an amateur
nurse to her younger brothers and
sisters. She was round -shouldered
from carrying heavy, fretful babies
about for amny hours every day, and
when she was not carrying them she
was usually bent half double sewing
on their clothes, or on her knees
scrubbing the tracks of their muddy
little feet from the bare floors Of
their home A faithful, uncomplain-
ing little drudge was Lucy.
The village talk was that Lucy was
more of mother to the Shore chill
dren than the mother herself, for
Mrs. Shore was a fretfu1, inefficient
woman, who spent much Of her time
in reading sensational story papers
and in running about gossiping with
her neighbors, leaving Lucy in full
charge at home But the stronger
and better qualities Of some remote
ancestor must have come down as
good1y inheritance to Lucy Shore, for
she was energetic, keen-witted and
more ambitious than one would have
supposed possible, considering her de-
pressing and discouraging surround
ings.
Mrs. Shore died suddenly one Au-
o1St morning when her husband was
away from home. Lucy won the ad-
miration of the neighbors who came
in to help, by her calm and se1f-pos-
sessed bearing at this trying time.
'I had to be calm on account o1
the Children" Lucy said, simply. She
faced the unpromising future brave1y
on their account. Three weeks later
her courage and self-possession were
again put to the test. It was time for
her father to return from his last trip.
Lucy went to the door half expecting
to see the familiar team coming slowly
around a bend in the road. Yes, it
was Just coming in sight.
"Father's coming! Fathers COM
ingp she called out eagerly to the
children, who were eating their fru-
gal supper of bread and milk at the
Kitchen table.
Instantly five pairs of bare, brown
feet, belonging to five bareheaded,
shouting children, went flying down
the dusty road to meet John Shore
and to come riding g1eefully home
in the cart, munching the candy and
the nuts their father always brought
them from one Of his trips.
d. IL