The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-04-22

lawn, and if he'll eat the grass for me
it will save cutting it,
Madge thanked him and invited
him to stay for supper. In view Of the
fact that he had furnished the supper
she could not well do otherwise, even
had she so desired, which most emphat.
ically she did not.
He looked at Cicely good deal while
they ate-Cicely was very good to look
upon-but his conversation was ad.
dressed for the most part to Madge.
AS matter of fact, it had to be
that way. Cicely's accumulated woes
pressed SO heavily upon her that she
was utterly incapable Of anything be-
yond an occasional subdued eyes, and
mo"
Madge, however, chatted gayly. Tc
her mind the situation was decidedly
tolerable and growing more so every
minute. And when next she looked
upon the bleak vista Of rocks that
made up the immediate landscape she
found it almost attractive.
''The only hope" observed Madge,
"has come home again"
Cicely joined her in the doorway.
"And he's thinner than ever" she de.
clared pessimistically.
Then Mr.. Ellwood came into view.
He was doing an elaborate imitation
of man who has been running fast.
Gle got loose" he painted. "And
I've been following
"Yes," Madge broke in genially. u
know you have. I've been watching
you down the road for the last five
minutes" She waved a hand toward
the mule. II never in all my life." she
said, "saw anybody so reluctant to
take advantage of handicap. How
! on earth did you induce him to get
here f1rst?"
Mr. Ellwood had the grace to blush.
Tits very warm day." he STAN.
mered, tactfully trying to shift the
conversation to safe topic Of general
interest
''It u.s." Madge agreed. "And I don't
believe so much exercise is good for
the mule Besides, it will take lot
Of your time to lead him home with
you every night and dri-follow him
back here every morning. Why don't
you bring his meals to himT
Every day?' inquired Mr.. Ellwood
hopefully.
"Well, I really think he ought to be
fed every day, but I'll leave that to
you"
Cicely, who wondered miserably at
her friends high spirits, had retired
into the other room, hopping her eyes.
'.She doesn't like It," Madge observed
confdentially to Mr. Ellwood.
"And no WONDER" he rejoined SYM
pathetically. you're going to stay p
he added
1--WE must" said Madge, .for we've
no money to get away on. And any
way" she added after a moments
pause, II believe it isn't going to be
half bad"
eff I can help it," said Mr.. Ellwood
heartily, "it's not"
He was as good as his word. and
better. For Cicely he brought ham,
mock and flowers in pots and many
little comforts that helped to render
her life more tolerable. He treated
her as might an elder brother a low
able but incapable sister.
But Madge was his comrade and
friend She had assumed the burdens
Cicely was incapable Of bearing and
he very naturally thought her the own
er Of the farm. He liked her pluck
that wreSted her hardly won garden
from the rocky soil and her sturdy in
dependence that always returned favor
for favor. His own little place took
ON an added value because she had
approved it, He gave the house a
new coat of paint and planned when
the. crops should have been harvested
to build bigger porch. And he
evolved little conveniences for the
kitchen, shelves and closets and -four
bin, things of which his masculine
whistled as he worked and before him
there was ever girls face. laugh
ing face growing daily roster and more
sunDurned-and happier.
''The only hope" observed Cicely
complacently. SIS certainly growing
fat If we could sell him by the pound
as they do beef on the hoof,' think
they call it. we'd get quite lot for
him."
"He's too fat" Madge objected. HE
looks stuffed. think you feed him
too much, Cicely. II Mr.. Ellwood were
at home I'd ask him to take a look at
him. I'm quite certain his eyes ought
not to have that CLASSY stare"
Later in the day the only hope sue
cumbed.
"I don't really blame him for dying"
said Cicely, who was weeping over the
remains. II suppose he was just nat
urally tired and discouraged and didn't
care whether he lived or died-I've felt
that way myself-but do think 1t was
most inconsfderate Of him."
"He might at least" said Madge,
"have gone off and done 1t somewhere
else. Then we could have pretended
he wasn't ours. AS it is, We'll have to
bury him, and how on earth we're ever
going to dig a hole big enough to hold
him I'm sure I don't know"
''We'n leave it to Mr.. Ellwood,"
Cicely suggested. 1--WE can wait till
he gets back"
II suppose we can," said Madge, "but
there are reasons why the only hope