Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-11-15
OOSOOOeOSSSSO SSOVSSSS0SSSS
Hiram'S
Butterfly
A Story of an AerOplane
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.
A Story of an AerOplane
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright. 1910. by American Pre-.
Association.

IL was pOlSeu ou tue ToliHis green
turf Of the west meadow and with It's
outspread wings looked very much like
a great white butterfly.
'I call II an air tiier,'" explained Hi
ram Butler to the little crowd Of men
and women who had gathered about
the machine ~ feel justly proud Of
her too. Made every bit myself except
the engine"
Must have cost pretty penny"
drawled James LummoX enviously.
IF it'd teen Inc I'd rather have an
autermobile. You can take the hull
family out in one Of them cars"
1T do seem sort of selfish con-
traption." put in Mrs. Deacon Skinner.
For instance, suppose you wanted to
take Ellen out on Sunday afternoon.
Where the land would she sit?' She
leered cunously at the broad leather
strap that served as the single seat In
the flying machine.
~ wouldn't want to CO. snapped
Ellen Butler with an angry glance at
her husband. Catch me trusting my
self in the air with any man.
All the while that her husband was
demonstrating the wonders Of his in
vention and even while he made a
short experimental fight above the
clover tops Ellen was thinking bitterly
Of the money that had gone into the
useless machine. The bank account.
savings of years. had been drained to
its last dollar, and the mortgage which
| Hiram had placed on the house TO get
more money to perfect his patents
seemed TO Ellen like some huge blotch
! that would never be eradicated.
| When the on!ookcrs had gone away
/ Ellen still remained. silently watching
! Hiram's movements about the ma
. chine. Presently he looked up. and
! hi gaze met her hostile eyes. He
! Strengthened Immediately.
Il wish you didn't feel so bitter
/ about this. Ellen he said soberly.
, "You know I wouldn't have taken the
| money out the bank or mortgaged the
place If didn't expect to make hun
drcd times us much with this inven-
! ton.
! If it's failure Ellen" he went Oh
quietly. "I'll take a job in the pin fac
tory to Dodgeville till I've earned
, enough to pur the money all back.
III do it and run the farm too. But
I'm not going to fail. DO you think
I'd put that money in it if hadn't
felt pretty sure Of success? I'm going
UP tonight too. Don't you want to see
me?"
NO. don't. Hiram Butler, and ]
wish you wouldn't fly over the house.
, The pesky thing might fall on 1t and
knock off Il chimney or come through
+ the roof. Land knows. I'd like to keep
roof over my head even If starve
, to death" Ellen turned and proceed
ed toward the house without one back
ward glance ut her husband.
Hiram stood by the machine, his
shoulder dropping slightly, his broad
forehead knitted thoughtfully. His
brown eyes seemed to peer anXiously
beyond the low lying hills as If timor-
Gus Of the result Of this evenings ex-
pertinent. Budauet. the aviator, had
an estate there, and he had promised
! Hiram he would buy the patent out
! right If the "air fier'' would make a
! successful flight across the twenty
miles of country that separated their
respective homes.
| Now, as he stood there In the pas
ture, his invention the public topic of
the community, Hiram spoke as II IN
self defense against his neighbors'
disapproval and his wife's bitter res
, ignation.
II may be farmer born and bred"
! he said slowly, still with that farsee-
! ing glance across the hills, land may
, be that's the very reason I've invented
a flying machine when couldn't con-
trive corn shelter or moving ma
chine to save my life. It's the birds
have done 1t. I've studied 'em till
believe could almost fly myself"
The supper bell tangled nolsily from
the front porch, where Ellen awaited
his coming. He was quick to catch
the note of impatience In its brazen
tongue and hastened toward the house.
AS he entered the kitchen his wife
passed into the dining room and sat
down at the table.
| ell
the meals in that house since the mort
gage had rested thereon. At last HI
ram pushed his plate aside and arose.
"Tm going down to the postoftice,
Ellen. When come back I'm going
to make the longest flight I've ever at
tempted. II succeed in getting over
to Budauet's place he's promised to
buy me out. You wouldn't want to
come out and see me off?" He spoke
little wistfully.
Ellen's face turned obstinately away
as she poured herself another cup OF
tea.
excuse mew she said emphatically.
"One ninny in the family is enough!
II you get as far as the chicken house
hope you'll look up the chickens.
You forgot 'em last night
When she had cleared the table and
washed the supper dishes Ellen stood
in the doorway looking out into the
moonlighted yard. Hiram had not
vet returned from the village or else
he was about to start on his strange
aerial journey without coming to th'
house again.
Half curiously and with much un-
easfress Of mind. Ellen stole softly
through the garden into the great pas
ture, which was flooded with pale
moonshine. Tall, black shadowy &C.
dars were grouped about the southern
boundary, and now they were dew wei
and smelled family aromatic.
Ellen approached the machine. which
lay shrouded In it's canvas blanket, and
it's very bigness suddenly attacked her
with terror Of the prospective journey
and the danger that menaced her hus-
band. She wrung her hands nervous
ly, striving to think Of some method
that would deter Hiram from flying
that night. Under the blue sky and
sunshine It would not seem so dread
ful-so dangerous.
Fifteen minutes later she was return
ing from the barn tugging at long
rope at the end of which a small
.uchor bumped over or stuck into the