The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-23

were Keen ana hungry, and the young
cabbages and caulifiowers suffered.
| The presumably irate, but outwardly
| calm gardener, let Mrs. Jones come
| over and, with the aid of her offspring,
remove the offenders, still nibbling. She
was f7ustered, and for once her volubil-
| ity failed her. Something in the tall
bachelors attitude shamed her to a
partial silence. She broke previous
records by offering to pay for the dam
age. She would buy new plants for
him. He said it would be too late now
and he would use the space for some
thing else.
Joe was fascinated into decency for
a week or two. He did not understand.
And now, every few evenings. Reuben
would saunter over to the widows
porch and sit on the steps and smoke.
He got to exchanging dry jokes with
Name, who was so excited about this
wary new specimen. that she forgot to
pereave SADIE Dugan, four doors on, of
her latest beau.
It was Reuben Fairs custom each
night to paddock his front gate-also
made Of wire like the fence. One dawn,
early in May, he arose to find the gate
vide open. The Jones's Jersey was
peacefully browsing on the last of the
young sweet corn stalks: the Jones's
hens were scratching in the beds, the
rabbits were busy with the clover
planted to protect the newly sprung up
lawn grass. 1t was pretty bad.
helped him to get the creatures out.
His eye was blazing, and his lips close
set. Old Dugan, who came along, said
he heard the outraged gardener swear,
but Dugan had fine imagination.
This time, Mrs. Jones dared not even
apologize. To do her justice, she was
stiff with fear. And the mischief was
not all Intentional. Piqued by the pad
lock, Joe, like all boys, had tried ali the
keys which he could find. He had
ant nr4 20 IA
the paddock, which opened with diff
culty-but which would not lock again.
He had shut the gate, but the COW,
pulling up her stake, had pushed 1t
woe. The boy was frightened, and his
unoer-exercfsed conscience was work
Ing He kept himself out of the way
the following evening, being sure that
something would happen
1t did; but it was not the expected
Reuben Farr, after his supper, came
over to the Jones's house dressed in
MS pest, newly Shaven, and smiling
Name began something and got the
surprise of her life. He simply asked
MIS-. Jones If she would send the
children away while he spoke to her
a moment. Angry and surprised, they
went, standing out of earshot, but
anxious as to what was going on The
man talked, and the widow, from a
showing of fear at first began to pro-
test, then to laugh, and protest again.
Finally he showed her a paper and
Name held her breath. Had it some
thing to do with the law? They con-
tinued to talk. Then the widow went
indoors.
Name followed, eagerly, but got no
word of an answer to her inquiries,
save command to help her mother
get into her best dress. The girl had
an idea that her mother wished to
make good impression on some
magistrate and did as she was hidden.
Joe had sneaked up behind the house.
peeping around to see what had hap
pened
widow and Reuben Farr went togeth-
er down the street. Sophie, at a safe
distance, trailed them-and came
back to report that they had gone to
the pastors, a few blocks off. 1t
seemed that the church was to inter-
vene! The whole neighborhood, in
shirt sleeves and dressing sacks, came
out on the porches, and into the yard.
What had happened? Even Joe re-
gained his impudence, and in half
hour, or less, when in the first dusk
the two came slowly back, he waited
boldly in the front yard as one who
stood on his native heath.
AS the boys mother and Reuben
Farr stepped into her yard, with the
eye of the world upon them, young
Joe INDUCED in a gesture of defiance
and contempt. Then Fate descended
upon him. Reuben Farr caught the
uIlSUSpeCIlHS youth Dy the dTI1s sat
down on the bottom step, laid him
over his gaunt knees, and gave him
the spanking of his lifetime. Joe
yelled in rage and grief, but the pun
ishment. proceeded until even the |
neighbors were fully satisfied. He |
kept on spanking and the mother did |
not interferel
what right you got?" yelled the |
boy.
And the answer was this:
THE rights of a good, able-bodied |
stepfather, who knows that boys will |
be boys! Tomorrow Well see about |
selling off some superfluous animals |
about this place"
There was nothing more to be |
id.-(Copyrighted 1910, by Asso-
ciated Literary Press.)