Bisbee daily review., 1911-09-08
ABE SPEAKERS
 RETURN
By CARL JENKINS
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Literary
 Press.)

Ape She0rer had been born on a farm. Al 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 Q slow. uncertain way. He could also spell the easy words if not hurried. Arithmetic was almost sealed book to him and he reioiced when he had added seven and four together and was assured that his sum of eleven was positively correct. From the age of twelve 1t was all hard work and no chance. Abe was a good hearted fellow and a hard worker, but he grew up a boor.
 Mary Baxter was a farmers daugh- ter. As soon as she was old enough to lift the churn dasher 1t 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 a term or two. She learned more and faster than Abe, who car rted her dinner basket for her, and sometimes took her hand for the long mile walk. Thay were always in love, 1t seemed, but nothing was spoken of marriage until Abe had reached the age of manhood. Tn 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 niles away
 The hired man was called to and he responded. After haE an hour be was lucky enough to find the cause of the trouble and remedy 1t, but that half LcUr had worked change in him. Abe had never been in a city. He had never seen a handsome girl. He had looked into the face of Mary Baxter thouscr6s of times, but never to ask himself if she were homely 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 10 him. She was neI- ther a fiirt nor a coquette. Their talks as lovers had always had a sober tinSe
 The girls in the auto were full os 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 a hick- ory shirt and overalls and with rusty straw hat on his head and they fat tered him. They praised his strength and admired bis sunburn and freckles - -7F'fr-y--saiC T if they-eyer married it would be to men like him. And as a climax the handsomest and most mis- chievous of the Quartette whispered in the hired mans ear as the auto was ready to proceed:
 Tt is a case of love at first sight with ne. 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 bis days work and bragged of the rec ord, but he wasn't vain or egotisticaL He was just a farmers hired man and was content with his lot But new epoch had come into his life He had been praised and fattered by hand some girls. He had won the love or 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 stTCng. Abe's old straw hat was cooked or his ear for the rest of the afternoon, and the family won dered at his superior air as he sat ct the supper table. IL seemed as if 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 10 marry. She noted this sudden change in him quick CT than the others, and she knew the reason Of i-. EIc had bccn 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 di- vined where he was going. She asked no questions and made no comments. Sbe of all the household was awake at midnight when Abe stumbled upstairs He carried a puzzled, disappointed look next morning but she had no com ments. At four o'clock that afternoon the rural mall carrier hailed the hired man from the road and gave him let ter with the remark:
 You must be getting up among the high-toned. Abe. Bet you that's a love letter from one of the goodlooking girls at the hotel"
 Abe sat down under a thorn-apple tree and opened the little robin's-egg colorsd envelope. On the dainty sheet of peper within were written the words
 T was detained last night Please be there at the same hour this eve ming"
 ~By hokeyi" exclaimed Abe, as he hourished 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.
 When darkness came Abe set out as before. Father and mother looked al Mary for an explanation, but she had
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