The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-07-06
When Pa Kicked Over the Traces
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By GERTRUDE G. BLAISDELL

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Ma looks out of the window, fan
ming herself vigorously with her blue
checked gingham apron.
at beat the Dutch" she says to
Arvylla, the younger daughter. "It
does beat the Dutch how your Pa
tramps over to the neighbor's for
water. Here's our cistern full and all
we need is drinking water brought,
and by actual count that's the elev-
enth time he has fetched a pail to-
day."
"Why, Ma says Arvylla, as she
drops the pea pods in the wide bas-
ket, and glances down the path at her
father as he plods along between the
banks of blossoming roses. "Why,
Ma, we don't drink no eleven pals of
water day.
Land sakes alive. Arvylly, of
course we don't; he jist pours it out
and says he thinks he'll get some
fresh water. I'm afraid, I'm afraid,
Arvylly, that something dretful ails
your pa. Now his consin, Sallie
Brown, her that was Sallie Perkins,
died with some such an ailment, and
that is jist the way she acted, was al
ways thinkin' about fresh water.
would drink hull pail at a time, SO
they said"
The tears were coursing down Mas
placid face and Arvylla looked up
scared and white, ooh, Ma" she
gasps, Don't"
Meanwhile, Pa, the object of their
concern, plods along the path and
INTO the yard of their neighbor.
thoughts and impulses TO which lie
had always before been stranger
surge through Pas gentle breast.
Heretofore life has held for him only
his "wimmenfolks." Ma and the
girls have been the sum and SUBJ
stance of his existence. When a
few years before they had decreed
that the old farm should be sold and
home made in town, Pa had not de-
INJURED. ma knows best" he said.
What if out behind the barn with no
one to see but old Rover, few tears
had trickled down the withered old
cheeks. The "wimmenfolks" had
never known. He had said good-by
to the dear old farm where his whole
lie had been spent, to the cows and
horses, the lambs and calves. No one
mad known the cost to the poor old
man. No one unless it was Rover
who looked up in his eyes in such a
sympathetic way that Pa felt he un-
derstood, even = Ma and the girls
did not. Poor Rover, town had been
TOO much for the farm dog and the
syringa bush had blossomed over his
grave now for two seasons.
-Four weeks ago when Pa had gone
to the neighbor's. for a pail of water
there, in the woodshed, curled up be-
side their savage little mother, were
six of the plumpest, most winning
iox terrier puppies possible to inn
agine. That was the beginning. The
puppies were very friendly and soon
would scamper to meet him, growl-
Ing and barking and jumping about
him in delight and Pa enjoyed the
1rolic even better than they.
Better take one, Mr.. Perkins,
said the neighbor pleasantly. But
Ma and the girls had Instantly We.
toed such a possibility when Pa had
timidly suggested it.
What, puppy trackin' over my
clean floors, well, l guess not
gasped Ma.
One day when Pa went ever there
were only five brlght-e,oa. ;risky
puppies left. The next day Fatty was
gone. To-day there is only one. but
the brightest and best of the lot
thinks Pa as he grabs little Spott,
up. "Oh, Spotty, Spotty, can't lei
you go, / can't" he groaned. Ther
something very like twinkle
cleaned in the old mans eyes, ant
he muttered tremulously: 'Ill do it
will, I'll kick OYER the traces thi!
once"
II the "wimmenfolks" had worried
over him before they were in agon,
about him now. His peculiar desir,
for fresh water gives place to man!
new but equally startling vagaries
1t is usual thing now when they 81
down to an unusually good dinne
and the old man has prepared tn,