Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-17
,ouse ,s not the sort of workr-

I lady smiling; stop arguing ana ENJOY
/ your holiday"
( Holiday snorted James from force
/ OF habit, and then. with sudden recoi-
| lection of how his work was dwin-
! ding. be reCidened and sought the cell
| lar to vent his discontinue in shaping
whitewash on it's stone walls. But
once more was he foiled-again he was
/ dazzled, for the work was done. He
/ opened the door and pee-ed into the
/ coal bin in the desperate hope that
! the coal man had neglected 10 come,
and he almost whooped with Joy when
I he saw that his hope was fulfilled.
He was Gathering in the seclusion OF
| that blackened, stone walled room
when he heard the shrek of the speak
ing tube in the outer cellar.
he answered it.
James" said his wife's voice, and
there was a tremor in its eveuness-
he wondered If she was laughing
James, dear. just TO make sure tele-
phoned the coal Office and as 1t Is q
holiday they will not deliver until to-
morrow. l can see about 1t when IL
comes. Now, do clean yourself up and
try and enjoy your holiday. that's q
dearP'
The dear" choked helplessly. Did
Aunt Electa do the cellar?" he asked
weakly.
Both OF us-we did # last night aft
err you went to bed. It was fun for
US. You know we get tired OF our
monotonous tasks. Please, James,
aren't you going to come upstairs. 1t
will soon be dinner time"
The newspaper lasted until dinner
time and after dinner was a hiatus to
be filed in some manner. James Shat
ter was a man of activity. He must
be doing something every moment and
however he might fume and sputter
over his self imposed tasks, he took a
certain enjoyment IN them. Now, his
occupation gone, he wandered aimless-
ly around the house and grounds, sat
awhile with his wife and aunt on the
piazza and then strolled down the road
for a solitary walk.
A wooded lane led him in a new d.
rection, and presently he found him
self leaning over an old picket fence,
surveying a weed grown vegetable gar
den with disappearing eyes. A voice
startled him. and he had glanced over
the shabby little old fashioned house
before he saw the open window in
which sat a man Of his own age with
a gaunt, haggard face and sunken, pa
tent eyes.
81 said it was a pretty day." re-
peated the man in the window
Yes" returned Shafter cordially;
Its hot, but mighty pleasant You've
got n nice little place here"
at was nice before 1 got cut up in
the railroad wreck. 1 planted that
garden, sir, and now can't keep the
weeds out Of it. My daughters got
the ambition to do it, but she's young
and frail. and there's plenty for her
to do waiting on a sick man and tax
ing In work from the mill to support
me-" He spoke bitterly, and it was
plain to be seen that he resented his
inability to work. Its Labor day.
sir, and it seems as II I would give
most anything to get in line with the
boys and march, but not for mel"
He held up the stump Of an arm,
and in response to Skaters inquiry
said he had lost foot also. He was
too poor to employ a lawyer to take
his case against the railroad.
where's your garden tools?" de-
manded Shafter, entering the gate.
And five minutes later he was stripped
Of coat and vest and working in the
garden with hoe and rake. The sick
man talked to him from the window,
and his gratitude to the stranger was
pitiful. When the garden stood forth
NEEDLESS. with straight brown earth
ridges crowned with green and the
corn rustled in the breeze that came
up from the south, James Shafter
Strengthened his bent back and mop
ped his dripping face.
God bless you, sir!' muttered the
man awkwardly as his benefactor pre-
pared to go. at isn't every gentle
man would do what you've done.
and
1--WE got two hands and two feet,
and 1 guess that's what they're for"
returned Shafter quite as awkwardly.
81 have a friend who is a lawyer. and
If you like I'll bring him around to-
morrow and go over your claim. You
ought T. pull n lot Of money out of
that accident"
"I don't know how to thank you.
SIR" and tears stood In the mans
eyes. Skaters face, sunburned.
sweaty and very dirty, grinned up at
him with a smile that chased the dis
content from it forever.
SIT isn't me. There's two women
up at my house who are responsible
for my meeting you. and. say, you
know you've done me more good than
can ever do you. I've always done
lots OF work and liked II, but some
how 1 never tasted the sweetness of
doing it before. I've got to get along
and tell those dear women"
Its always the women folks tn;
back Of everything. God bless 'em.
said the man in the window. and the
words were echoed In Skaters heart
| AID II in a rorinn II