Bridgeton pioneer., 1909-01-28
Training
HARRUIQG
By LULU JOHNSON.
By LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.


drew great drafts of the cool air down
Into his lungs, assuring himself that
people who took vacations in the hot
months were fools indeed. He even
felt sorry for poor Fannie, who was
left behind in the city. A few weeks
of this bracing air would do her more
good than the five-dollar-a-visit special
ist who looked grave and shook his
head when he stood by the bedside
and declared that she must have COM
plete rest.
1t was true that Harrington himself
had wanted to take his vacation in
August and when Fannie's collapse
had prevented his leaving then he had
stormed and chafed and succeeded in
making everybody uncomfortable and
bloodthirsty to varying degrees, ac-
cording to their temperaments and
fondness for Fannie. Harrington's
calm assumption that Fannie had no
right to be ill when he wished to go
on his vacation was irritating to the
others.
Now as the steamer moved slowly
giving way to the first blush of autumn
tints the world seemed good to Har-
rington, and he could even think kind
1y of the little woman who lay at
home in darkened room and whose
breakdown had been responsible for
his delayed vacation. In August he
would have gone to the shore, as was
his custom but in the latter part Of
September the country offered greater
appeal, so he was to spend month
with his sister. The latter had lent no
ear to the call Of the city, but had re-
manned content to live a farmers
wife as she had been born a farmers
daughter.
1t was afternoon when the train
pulled into the tiny station. The ride
had been hot and dusty and, after the
early morning on the boat, the worse
by contrast. Harrington met his broth
er-in-law with the tolerant patronage
that the city man feels for his country
cousin and considered that he had
discharged his obligation when he Of
fered the other a smoke with the ex-
planation that it was a city cigar.
"I guess most of them come from
the CITY," suggested Sam Dryer, with
chuckle, as he bit off the end and
applied the match. "I guess you're
about the twentieth chap this summer
that's given me city cigar with the
air of expecting me to drop dead with
delight because it comes from the
city"
"You don't have to smoke it If you
don't want to-" snapped Harrington as
the last vestige of the mornings bene-
diction fled
II don't mind,". explained Sam good
humoredly. "I'm used to smoking city
cigars. That's Lafe Spence's new barn
over there. Before he got it done a pill
man came along and painted one end
up with his sign, and Lafe got hoppin'.
He danced around and told the man
that was just what he built barns for,
and the man said If that was the case
he guessed he'd paint the other end
too"
"Well, what's the rest of the story?"
demanded Harrington sharply when
pause was not broken by speech.
II was waiting for you to laugh at
that" explained Sam. "The answer
Is that he painted the hull barn, just
like you see 1t. Lafe's constable, and
he threatened to put him in the lookup
If he didn't do the right thing"
Harrington cursed the evil fortune
that brought him into contact with his
brother-in-law and inane country jokes,
and his irritation against Fannie re-
turned. If she had remained we'll
they would have gone to the shore,
where amateur humorists could be
snubbed into silence. He was glad
when the old homestead came into
sight and ELLA, on the front porch,
waved him welcome.
The remainder Of the afternoon and
the evening passed off pleasantly
enough, but the morning brought its
troubles. Harrington was always at
his worst in the early hours. He had
been compelled to rise full hour be-
fore his accustomed time, and there
was no hot water for shaving The
studs were not in his clean shirt, nor
was the shirt laid out. At home, even
from her sick bed, Fannie had made
certain that the little things were
looked after. 1t was the little things
that Harrington cared about, and he
was in a black humor when he came
to the breakfast table.
He had been slow In dressing, and
the breakfast was cold, though it had
been placed in the oven to keep warm.
Sam had already left the table and
Ella was alone.
Harrington pushed the bacon from
him.
II never eat bacon unless it's crisp"
he said irritably, "and don't like the
eggs fried so hard. Can't you cook
some more that are just set? And for
heavens sake, Ella, please remember I
can't eat hot bread for breakfast"
"I'n get some cold bread" volunteer
ed Ella. "It will only take a few