The Mena weekly star., 1909-12-30
FOLLOWING
 "OLD SIDE
BY ROE L. HuNDRIcK

HKth heavy shawl drawn abou Ais xhoHlders Farmer Youngloye sa zndzIed beside the dining-room stove EaxpSug from an attack Of his ol enn1zy. quinsy Mrs. Youngloye hui wisd h from the Kitchen with pou' See xor his throat Then Lucy ant Asoorge entered.
 -'Xcu children will have to take 4Ese hogs to Blakeslee's," he said AnskiIy 4 got cold Dutchering, as almost always do. The carcasses arr in the pung. You put on the th1Iis and harness up old Side; the ssaxts are too skittish for the station. HIzksslee knows the price. All you hare gut to do is to see to the weighing. Lucy take the money and Eusy right back home, for can't 5p any chores today"
 EH fifteen minutes the girl and boy mnrs ready to start.
 The horse. "Oid Side, whose full zaznc was idestep-to-the-Right,-was szazchcd to the heavy sleigh, in which wsEe the carcasses of six hogs. killed and dressed the day before.
 asucy was fifteen. George only ten sezrs old, and this was their first ampwlatt business trip from the zarm, so. despite their fathers ill., Mnrs. they felt pleased at the respon- aEhEIay-
 The snow path was in fair condi- szGn for their ten-mile journey, al z<nugh the road was little travelled fur the first half of that distance. DIa Side was a perfectly safe horse, hut hy no means speedy.
 He had earned his singular name S1sing to a peculiarity he had ac- unlrea when a colt. The moment he stepped. when in harness. he in- EarizAly threw his hind quarters far to iAe right and stamped heavily, a startling manoeuver to strangers. al zhozgh 1t no longer more than faint 2y amused the family. A wide band @f s0rrel hair was worn off by his riRhg feg and flank where he had r1Esbha against tug, pole or thill in klsis manner.
 4 mile fran home. in a place where z hollow made the snow deep and saEgy, Side pulled off his near hind xhoe. which George got out and re- reseEcd. Thereafter he limped where fhe path was hardest, and went even rn1re slowly than before.
 When the Corners was reached, sseorge complained of being so cold aiszf Lucy turned into the church gArd. fastened the horse beneath the zac1. and after carefully blanketing him- Followed her brother into Rog- ef's store The glowing stove proved srcn source of comfort that twen- zs minutes passed before the boy npzl& be induced to leave.
 Upon walking back to the shed. the fwo found 1t empty! They stared al aaca other in amazement. Side never I,sslicd at his hitching-strap: more @Eer. af was not broken, but had been neatly untied from the ring.
 The snow showed where the horse ssad Seen backed out. and there were aarBe boot-tracks just under the esveS Then the sleigh had gone eastward. on the road to the sta tnn-
 l4-sry ran across to the blacksmith sacp 70 Mir Walden she cried, -6Isa you see anybody back our horse md puug out of the church shed just mowz~
 TAe huge, slow witted man she ad- sressed raised himself from bending prer he anvil at his task
 Why no. Lucy, I didn't" he re- rhea. scratching his head. But may. s'e fifteen minutes ago saw old Bin Simmons drive his sleigh out, loaded xish hogs.s
 'rAat was our pungl' Lucy ex xsAasmsd- Didn't you notice old Es6sys
 The boss was sluein', that's a sArk.S said the blacksmith, with awak. eaiag interest, but I was busy and guyEn' no particler attention. Come 1s think. maybe it want Bill Sim msn<A It didn't hump down like him. nxL khe man wore Scotch cap and q yeiiow overcoat"
 George began to cry, and Lucy did r1l know what to do. A little group Ez1Aered. asking questions and gir- hng all sorts of conflicting advice. A 2Taner offered to drive to Blakeslee's. f5 head the thief of Mir. Rogers was sure the man would never venture to Ee there. lest the rig be recognized Int weald head for Morton. the coun. iy feat. or else swing south over the 1IiES fo one of the two cities score sx miles away.
 s- adenfy Lucy reused herself
 go right back home. George.
 zid. @and tell father I'm going
 sEzDx the sleigh"
 Eos afoot?a gasped MT. Rogers.
 Kes; old Side has lost shoe ans | can track him. He can't go fast zzz aa foot can tell wherever h sz1vpm If you'll please telephone t Hzx Hakeslee and to Morton. Nil E<zsxFs. I'll try to overtake the thief.
 -7zss you haven't any money. sis. E<csxr interposed.
 ~sWsIi--r she began. blushing, whe Mzr. Rogers handed her a bill.
 rHere's five dollars. Lucy" he sait 1za if that doesn't carry 70 szn0akh. call me up by telephon' EA1s you're undertaken big contra. 1u . Kiifi no oHhaaer than you are Ann know what else you can d.