Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-11-02
ABE SHEARER'S
RETURN
By CARL JENKINS
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Literary
Press)

farm. At six years old he was picking
up potatoes as his father dug them.
Between ten and twelve he put in two
winters at the district school and
learned to read in a slow. uncertain
way. He could also spell the easy
words IL not hurried. Arithmetic was
almost a sealed book TO him and he
reJoiced when he had added seven and
four together and was assured that his
sum Of eleven was positively correct.
From the age Of twelve ii was all hard
work and no chance. Abe was a good
hearted fellow and hard worker, but
he grew up boor.
Mary Baxter was farmers daugh-
ter. AS soon as she was old enough
TO lift the churn dasher it was placed
in her hand. To be farmers daugh-
ter meant feeding the chickens, peel
ing the potatoes, using the broom and
helping otherwise. She also went to
school for term or two. She learned
more and faster than Abe, who car
ried her dinner basket for her. and
sometimes took her hand for the long
mile walk. They were always in love,
IT seemed, but nothing was spoken of
marriage until Abe had reached the
age Of manhood. In intellect and in
tuition the girl was the superior, and
yet Abe was strong and rugged phys
ically and was looked up to.
One day as Abe was working in
field by the roadside an auto in which
four girls were riding met with some
accident They were girls from the
city stopping at a summer resort two
miles away.
The hired man was called to and he
responded. After half an hour he
was lucky enough to find the cause OF
the trouble and remedy 1t, but that
half hour had worked a change In him.
Abe had never been in a city. He had
never seen handsome girl He had
looked into the face of Mary Baxter
thousands of times, but never to ask
himself II she were homsly or good
looking He had seen her in many
dresses, but he had never thought OF
style or harmony Of colors. She had
been just Mary to him. She was mel
Their flirt nor coquette. Their talks
as lovers had always had a sober
tinge.
The girls In the auto were full Of
talk and laughter. Abe wondered that
God had made them SO handsome, and
that money could buy such hats and
dresses. He came to them In q hick-
DRY shirt and overalls and with q rusty
az hat hfo hnad =
tered him. They praised his strength
and admired his sunburn and freckles.
They said II they ever married 1t
would be to men like him. And as a
climax the handsomest and most mis-
chievous Of the quartstte whispered in
the hired mans ear as the auto was
ready to proceed:
1t Is case Of love at first sight with
me. Meet me this evening at eight
o'clock by the big willow tree just
this side Of the hotel Don't fail me-"
Abe Shearer had never thought
much Of himself. He had done some
big days work and Dragged Of the rec
ord. but he wasn't vain or egotistical
He was just farmers hired man and
was content with his lot But a new
epoch had come into his life He had
been praised and flattered by hand
some girls. He had won the love of
one of them without making the slight
est effort on his part. He knew for
the first time that he was handsome
as well as strong. Abe's old straw hat
was cooked on his ear for the rest OF
the afternoon, and the family won
dsred at his superior air as he sat
at the supper table. II seemed as II
he had been lifted up into another
sphere.
Abe was Farmer Baxter's hired man.
and he was therefore under the eyes
Of the girl he was going to marry She
noted this sudden change In him quick
er than the others, and she knew the
reason Of II. She had been In the
orchard while Abe was at the auto
mobile and she had heard the laughter
Of the girls.
After Abe had finished the milking
and put on his Sunday suit Mary d.
vined where he was going. She asked
no questions and made no comments.
She Of all the household was awake at
midnight when Abe stumbled upstairs.
He carried puzzled, disappointed look
next morning but she had no COM
ments. At four o'clock that afternoon
the rural mail carrier hailed the hired
man from the road and gave him q let
ter with the remark:
you must be getting up among the
heightened, Abe. Bet you that's a love
letter from one Of the good-looking
girls at the hotel"
Abe sat down under q thorn-apple
tree and opened the little robins egg
colored envelope. On the dainty sheet
of paper within were written the
words:
II was detained last night. Please
be there at the same hour this eve
ming"
by hokey!" exclaimed Abe, as he
fourished the note around his head;
and that superior air came back. The
girl had not kept the tryst last night
but she was all right. She wouldn't
disappoint him again.