Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1909-01-14
TRAINING
HARKIfgOTO
By LULU JOHNSON.
By LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted, lglS by Associated
Ia. / rtSf.

| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SN~S~~r<~S~s~ND
| Crisp and bracig was the morning
/ IA Harrington came on deck, and he
drew Great drafts of the cool air down
| into his lungs assuring himself that
| people who took vacations i'll the not
! months were fools indeed lie even
| felt sorry for poor Fannie, who was
left behind in the city. A few weeks
| Of this bTacing air would do her more
| good than the liycdollar-a-viSit special
| isl who looked grave and shook his
| head when he stood by the bedside
and declared chat 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 10 varying degrees, ac-
cording to their temperaments and
fondneSs for Fannie. Harrlngton's
calm assumption that Fannie had no
right to be i'll when he wished TO 20
on his vacation was irritating to the
others
Now as the steamer moved slowly
between banks on which the green was
giving way 10 the first blush Of autumn
tlnts the world seemed good to Har-
rington and he could even think kind
" OF the little woman who lay at
home in darkcned room and whose
breakdown had hccn responsible for
his dclayed vacation. In August he
would have gone to the shore, as was
his custom. but In the latter part or
September the country offered greater
appeal, so he was to spend a 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
II 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-aw with the tolerant patronage
that the city man feels for his country
cousin and considered that be had
discharged his obligation when he Of
fered the other smoke with the ex-
PLANTATION that it was city cigar.
81 guess most OF them come from
the city" suggested Sam Dryer, with
chuckle. as he bit off the end and
applied the match 81 guess you're
about the twentieth chap this summer
that's given me a city cigar with the
sir 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 yestige of the mornings bene-
diotion fed
II don't mind" explained Sam good
humoredly I'm used to smoking city
cigars. That's LATE Spenccs new barn
over there. Before he got ii done pill
man came along and painted one end
up with his sign. and LATE 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"
We'll, what's the rest of the story?"
demanded Harrington sharply when a
pause was not broken by speech
81 was waiting for you TO laugh at
that" explained Sam. "The answer
is that he painted the hull barn, just
like you see it, 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-ir-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 a welcome.
The remainder Of the afternoon and
the evening passed off pleasantly
enough. but the morning brought its
troubles Harrington was alwavs Mt
his worst in the early hours. lie had
been compelled 10 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 chat the little things were
looked after. II was the little things
that Harrington cared about. and he
was in black humor when he came
TO the breakfast table
lie had been slow I'm dressing. and
the breabfas; 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 irriably. and | don't Ike the
eggs fried so hard can't YOU cook
some more that are just set? And for
heavens sake. Ella, please remember
can eat hot bread for breakfast"
IN get some cold bread volunteer
ca Ella "lt viii only take few
minutes Ben"