The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-07-21
Lost and Won.


. cry. The thresher stopped and the
workers rushed to his side. With the
greatest difficulty they succeeded in
getting him, their master, Chaguy,
out of the steel claws of the machine
The wounded man groaned for mo-
ment, then he swore like troopc-.
His right arm was one bloody pulp
from wrist to shoulder.
He was carried to the house, and
as the men were carrying him across
the yard the servant girl, Jeannine,
appeared in the door. She had been
scared by the sudden stopping of the
thresher.
"What is the matter?"
ut is the master who got his arm
crushed in the thresher."
She Hooked at the bloody stump
and begun to sob aloud
'"It seems to hurt you a lot more
than it hurts me- the wounded man
said phlegmatically.
They wanted to put him to bed and
he refused.
Put me in the armchair near the
window
He was placed in the large, clumsy,
uncomfortable armchair. feminine
brought linen rags and wanted to
put bandage on.
They won't do any good, Jeannine.
Just tie something around what is
left and then tell Jean to hitch up and
30 for the doctor. Let him tell the
doctor he must be here before sun
down and cut off my arm. Patch
work won't do here"
Then he said to the others: "Now
you just go back to work. 1t is no
use to stop everything because have
lost an arm. The thresher costs
enough money to hire, anyway"
When Jeannine and the others had
gone, Chaguy began to think. He
was a strong, powerful man, who
cared nothing for the pain. The ac-
cident was unfortunate, but the re-
suits still more serious. BY working
from dawn to dark he had been able
to do without hired hand except
during the harvest time, even though
he had one hundred acres. The two
mares that were now resting in the
stable had been as tireless as he, but
In the future he would not be able
to plow. He would have to get a
hired man, and that would cost him
at least five hundred francs a year.
How was he to make that money?
When he had reached this point he
was filled with remorse for not hav-
Ing kept promise given to dying
person. 1t was his wife who would
not die until she was satisfied she had
arranged everything so that her death
would mean the smallest possible
loss. During her long illness this
thought had worried her. Her fear
did not arise from the thought that
the heritage should be scattered, for
she had no children, but from love of
the soil, to which she had devoted
the work Of her life.
At last she found a way out, and
said to her husband: "Chaguy,
have thought it all over. You are
only thirty, and not fit to remain a
widower, first because you are too
young, and next because farm with
out a housewife does not amount to
everything. You must marry jean
nine. She has been with us ten years
and never given any cause for COM
plant. She is young and strong and
willing, and that makes up for the
fact that she can bring no dowry.
Promise me to marry her, and l can
die in peace"
Chaguy had promised, but he had
always put off the matter. Not that
he was blind to her robust beauty or
her quick hands, but he was always
thinking of what improvements he
could make if he were to marry a
widow or girl with money. And
thus three years had passed and he
was still a widower.
His blood was boiling now when
ne thought Of himself with one arm,
ut only to weed turnips. Who would
marry him now? Nobody-not even
Jeannine. He would have to have a
stranger cultivate his farm, his in
come would go down, the value of his
farm would deteriorate and his saw
tngs would disappear. That arm
would cost him a pile of money. II
he had only kept his promise-then
he would laave had Jeannine; but, of
course, she would leave him now,
too.
Jeannine entered.
"The boy has gone she said. "and
the doctor ought to be here by
o'clock"