The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-05
-. CHAPTER XIV.
Back 70 the Old Town.


selling snow, bend upward ever sc
lightly. and presently are wands oil
furry gray. In the clay gaps OF the
hills one hears the tinkle OF water un
der ice and over rock, answering the
frat call OF the robins. The rabbit
tracks along the fences drabble down
10 mere, muddy markings in the snow
and then are lost In the first faint
green. Also, in town, housewives
hang their rugs on the porches and
beat them. stopping TO look up at the
blue and breathe. as II the winters
housing had taken bit out of their
souls which now was coming back;
and one sees the children digging their
toes into the mud on their way TO
school. testing eagerly its release from
the frost
But chiefly. in Rome people know
spring. has come when RUDE Van Hart
disappears. When the former Lacquer
began to climb the hills in February
and look of south and when his
work In Carmichaels stable grew
slack and his eyes vacant and his
promises TO coach the high school ball
team more vague: and when he came
SILENTLY In the News office to read the
pink uns" OF the Chicago papers,
Taid no attention to Jim Minis, the
tramp printer asking for chew, or
to. Wiley when he asked who looked
good for the second cushion with the
Cubs since Delehanty was sold-pald
no attention to any one at all, but
wandered down TO the Junction ana
dreamily read the names OF the box
cars Jogging down the cut. why then
II was safe to set out garden truck
spring had come.
Then the News announced that Rl-
fus Adrian Van Hart, one-time catcher
with the Cubs, had gone south TO help
with the spring try-outs at san Anto-
MO and would also get himself in con-
d,tioh This pleased Rube and all the
town kids and hurt nobody Poor old
Rube WAS merely slowed in box car
Ketting away Just because spring call
ed and baseball was here and he could
not help H. Among the Van Harris
there was no accounting for Rube.
And when Rube came back 10 town
the women knew it was near time 10
take In house plants and let the chill
dren go for hazelnuts, and resume the
lapsed work OF the Shakespeare club.
But now spring, and Uncle Michigan
spading up Mr.. Currans garden, dis
puting with his houseke eper while
they knelt In the black, damp earth
lover a package of seeds magnanimous'
BY distributed by the Honorable James
Is. Hall, NJ. G. Their voices came TO
the editor at his desk. Jim Minis had
Zone 10 the blind tiger in the haymow
of Carmichael's livery stable; and
Aleck. the press boy, had stolen on
10 Sin creek to see If II was yet good
bullhead fishing.
"If I'm ever going to Congress,
anurmured the editor. Il must hre
this spring fever and scold everybody
Into working" He was watching ia
net Vance tie her team OF colts TO the
county.yard hitching-rail, her trim
blue figure against the young elm
|green. She looked at her watch de-
cisively Ii was early for county
cfficer ito be downtown. She came
across the street with her direct ana
sspringy step and to the News door.
frhe editor took his feet off the desk
and waved his hand lazily.
Janet, let's go fishing. Let's get
old Mowry's wagon and take Aunt
Abby and Jim Mims-if he's sober
and Mich and Aleck and all go hsh-
ing"
wiley, that's what you've always
done the first spring weather. But
this year--now--'
Don't finish IT, Now-Congress-
~ drove in behind your back lot,
ahe went on calmly, and | see that
he w, C. r. U. ladies are right. the
size OF that pile of beer bottles III
hour alley. Just suppose you'd bought
books all your life instead or beer!
Janet" Curran smiled at her, i
never had q place to put the books all
INV life. But there's always been
blace for the beer"
She looked at him in her old de-
.hpair. "Now--now-" he went on and
waved hand at her. don't scoid.
Inn up--rm doing, In for career
k,ongress-anything But the wealth
ksr Janet. Can't fellow sit once
In while over his pipe-and watch
kou through the smoke, perhaps-and
bream?"
She shook her head II know he
went on lugubriously The problem
with the new woman is, will she ever
let a man go fshing?
She smiled but continued her direct
hess: tom Purcell, of Earlville, Is
kong to take the active management
|bf your campaign this summer the
eommittee of the Progressive league
decided on him"
He shrugged. Up the clin back Oh
his shop the bluebirds were calling.
krhe committee OF the nascent FRO
kxressiye league-and Janet-had kept
MIR. .Curran plugging rather steadily
hll winter He had addressed farmers
Institutes and gone to state confer
Knees of the Progressives, had met
.Hovernor Delroy and the men OF the
state organization "glad-handed
|kround the circle" as he put it-ana
had also gone among the men of MS
bwn county--lodge meetings, church
ka.rs. district school entertainments
Hand on Arne's visits from school they
had taken long drives to lonely pre-
ctncts where they had discussed farm
|mroblems from Arne's new angles,
Ind Wiley had told the men simply
Ind frankly that he wanted them TO
vote for him in the primary.
II don't know any other politics,
he assured Janet.
..sYou don't need TO- The county
erowd knows now your candidacy ~
not q joke hear Judge Van Hart
has written Congressman Hall that