The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-10-19

hens pOked impatient heads At him
from nest boxes flied with fresh ha}
"Humph" muttered Mr. Sh.ftpr. and
carried the tools into the 81. d. IA =
more he sought his wife. Z = on. son
didn't clean that chicken hoa%e: liz
demanded authoritativeiy.
mo, | didn't" returned \irs, Shaf-
ter, Smelling peas on the side li,z2;
"Aunt Electa is responsible for th:;..
Aunt Electa" shouted The Horr:sad
husband. ''Why-why that's no sort
of work for an elderly lady
"Who calls me an elderly lady?
demanded Aunt Electa from the door
way.
But. Aunt Electa. that chicken
house is not the sort of worn"
go to, James," interrupted the good
lady smiling; "stop arguing and enjoy
your holiday"
Holiday" snortcd James from force
of habit and then, with sudden re>ol-
lection of how his work was OWN
ding. he redeemed and sought the eel
lar to vent his discontinue in SIapping
WhiteWaSh on it's stone walls But
once more was he fOied-again he was
daZzled. for the work was done. Ie
opened the door and peered into the
coal bin in the desperate hope that
| the coal man had neglected to coi2e.
and he almost whoopcd with JOY when
he saw that his hope was fulfilled.
He was gathering in the secluslon 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 it's evenneSs-
he wondered if she was laughing
James. dear, just to make sure | tele-
phoned the coal office and as it is
holiday they will not deliver until to-
morrow. ! can see about it when it
comes. Now, do clean yourself up and
try and enjoy your holiday. that's a
dear!''
The dear" choked helplessly. Did
Aunt Electa do the ceIlar?" he asked
weakly.
Both of us-we did it last night aft
er you went to bed. 1t 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
T time and after dinner was a hiatus to
be filled 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 solitary walk.
A wooded lane led him in a new di-
rection, and presently be found him
self leaning over an old picket fence.
surveying 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 man OF his own age with
a gaunt, haggard face and sunken, pa
tent eyes.
Il said it was a pretty day." re-
peated the man in the window
Eyes" returned Shafter cordially;
Its hot, but mighty pleasant You've
got a nice little place here
at was nice before got cut up in
the railroad wreck. | 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 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 if | would give
most anything to get in line with the
boys and march, but not for mer
He held up the stump of an arm,
and in response to Shutters inquiry
said he had lost foot also. He was
too poor to employ lawyer to take
his case against the railroad.
'WhereS your garden toOlS?" de-
manded Shafter. entering the gate.
And five minutes later be 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, sirr' muttered the
man awkwardly as his benefactor pre-
pared to go. 1T isn't every gentle
man would do what you've done.
and"-
Eve got two hands and two feet,
and I guess that's what they're for"
returned Shafter quite as awkwardly.
| 81 have a friend who is n LAWYER and