Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-02

Dalton broke out laughing. "lsn',
that delicious? He calls his wife
'motherl' vote we go there"
1T looks like what we want" said
the other man. Cornish, "anG with
vacation only ten days away, we'd
better make up our minds now. This
w. Allen Is evidently an honest,
straightforward old fellow, who will
treat us well and make no fuss about
lit."
I'VE must get some buckshot and
load up few shells for that bear"
remarked Dalton.
| When Billy opened letter and read
that Mr.. Thomas Dalton and Mr..
Edward Cornish wished to engage
two rooms for two weeks, and would
arrive on August 31st, he was tremu.
lous with Joy at his success. He
gave the letter to his mother with.
out word; and when he saw how
her face lighted up. first with sur
prise and then with sudden hope, he
went out and split wood for an hour,
because he felt 30 happy that he had
to break something.
During the week before the thirty
first there seeraed to be new spirit
OF energy in the Allen family. Billy's
mother freshened up the spare rooms
| with pictures and chairs from her
own room, and gaily stripped her own
and Billy's beds Of the best sheets
and coverings.
I'm going to see that our guests
go back inclined to give us recon-.
mendation, even II the rest Of US
have to put up with a few things"
she said.
Her husband displayed renewed
activity in cultivating the garden.
which at least had not suffered much
1 from the bad year. And Billy went
about, tinkering and mending, and
roofing the grass out OF the path;
|'it did not do much good, but 1t show
ed good spirit. Also he wrote a
formal letter to Mr.. Dalton. announc-
ing that he had reserved two rooms
for him and his friend.
On the afternoon OF the last day OF
August he was at the station, with
the old horse and wagon, to meet
the guests When the train stopped
and two young men alighted. Billy
sauntered forward. with broad, en-
barrassed smile on his freckled face.
Hello, son!" said one of the young
men to him. "Can you direct US
to Mr.. w. Aliens house?"
I'm W. Allen" said Billy. LET
me take your things"
/ Dalton stared down at the small
boy, who stroye to relieve him of
his valise.
i well, Welt" exclaimed the young
man. "And you're the gentleman
with whom I've correspondent
Yes, sir" said Billy, still Juggling
at tne valise. Wont you let me
take these?"
1 II guess we're better able to lug
them than you are" Cornish remark
ed. looking kindly at the small, eager
figure. you lead the way and we'll
follow,
4 And that was what Billy did in.
defatigably for the next two weeks.
The young men had taken a fancy to
4 him, and insisted that he should ac-
company them on all their excursions.
4 Ie guided them to all the trout
brooks, where their success was be.
You'd anything that they had dream-
4 ed; they took him swimming with
4 them in the lake. Two days they
beat the mountain slopes in search
4 of the bear; but traditional bear
is always hard to kill, and doubtless
that one still roams the forests OF
4 Little Hawk. s IS
The young men joked Billy good
deal about the bear, but on the last
day of their vacation, when they
/ had strolled to the hilltop for a
last view OF the distant lake, Cornish
said to Dalton:
.-The little fellow ought to have
gun. Did you see how he looked
at ours? Maybe he could kill the
/ bear"
Dalton laughed. There's a village
boy who offers muzzle-loader for
five dollars" he said
That afternoon they sought out the
village boy and secured the gun,
and in the evening, just before leav-
ing for their train, Cornish gave 1t
4 to Billy, with an elaborate presenta'
ton speech.
cried the boy. i haven't done thing
Never mind,' said Dalton. "All
we ask is that when he come back
to stay with you next summer, you
4 hoya a hoo rrliv, - ,ho,,X ,,r,