The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-05-29
UNCLE LUTHER DOWELL
AND HIS WOODEN LEG

1870 tAkC IpDtS tlAp
bright glow. Then he bent over to warn
his hands.
jonathan Dowell came down the Ian,
oetween his prosperous fields, on his wa.
TO town. Little Dick vas with him. whei
Uncle Luther saw them. he went 10 tn,
uoor and beckoned.
come in. Jonathan. come In" he called
MS face shone with pride, and he tolS
Win feverish eagerness of the new honor
whtch the day had brought hini.
Nonsense interrupted Jonathan. ties
tliy; don't you know, father. tina you're
gettfn too Old an feeble to take part In
such thinSs7 You amt able to walk tc
the graveyard an back, an you're only
stirrin trouble between the families
Uncle Tommy'il never forgive YOU
The end of the lane was the end OF
LtSk little world, and he turned and
ioltsred back, humminE . tune 70 him
self. as a child will. or a sudden he re-
called how Uncle Tommy had looked when
they were boys together.
Jus ike Tommy. exactly" ne said,
half aload, gazing fondly at the little fell
low, Thsa he sent over stiffy and beck
oned,
Come sse Sran'p," he said, smiling en-
~ticingly.
Dick crossed his hands behind his back.
ard looked st Uncle Luther soherly. He
was 8 sunny haired little fellow. With blu
eyes and pucke-y red lips, and he stood
full In the erish, May sunshine
Uncle Luther regarded him seriously.
y told en- I didn't want 10 march. he
sSNd. SroSsstasly Il said Tonmy'd Go
it eetter'n I could; but Captain Eaoch.
asr Z OF EN- wouldn't listen 10 me
Don't ~ Way, DicSS, don't go way. an
leave srAS'p&, he~ssecningiy
But the liitle BOY was edsing away; he
didn't understand. and ne was afraid
Don't SO way. sSid Uncle Luther.
Eagerly, some an' see whsI g-an'ra got
Dsekey.'r
He flrn&3 and hoholea painfully across
his shop He put on MS spectsclx-. ard
opened 4 drawer in his workbench. ana
In rs depths be oun a stick q hore
hound candy. Dick stood with one pudgy
hand resting on the door frame, pesr1ng
Into the shop With wide eyes
Candy" announced Uncle Luther ex-
presssvay
Dick drew a little nearer. g~lsnclns from
candy 10 his grsa6tsther's wrfnkled
face Uncle Luther waved the stick
4 w5zars's wand, and lnred Dick nearer
nearer uutfl E dirty little hand closed
3 and cautiously and gathered Dick In |
ais arms.
Aim you goin' to kiss graa'pat" he
asked eagerly.
But the little boy wuggied away asd
an out OF the door. Uncle Luther
him lettering up the lane in the
sunshine. sucking his candy. until .he
'is;oa blurred IN has dim Did eyes, Then
le returned 10 his brazier. He sat down
md drew his chair almost over It He
vent double, with his elbows on his knees
nd his head resting on his hands. and
here he sat alone for E long time, Final
y he Strengthened UP. The subtle warmth
# the FIRE had stolen through all his body.
lie leaned back III his chair, his head
-rooped over to one side, and his work
sorn old hands lay palm upward on his
He was fast asleep.
The brazier under him continued to glow,
nd send It's CHEEKY comfort stealing up
round his chair. II had a friendliness
nd hearty warmth thai were more than
he kindness of many OF the old mans
riends.
dusk of evening came down and
He'd the corners with shadows. And pres
ntly a glow that was not all in the bra
Ter began to illunine the center of the
oom. A thin. wavering mist OF smoke
up around the old man, and crept
along the dingy ceiling. A mo-
tent later there was a sharp burst of
arne, that disappeared as suddenly as 1t
anne. The old mans ~trouser-leg rested
sainst the hot braier, and the fine fire
nawed and sparkled In the heavy cloth.
few shayings on the Uttered floor of the
Top were crisping with sudden wisps OF
anle. and the chair legs were on fire. 1
Uncle Luther slept on, wholly un- |
,nscious of his danger. i
Doweli, returning from the t
Hage, saw a sinister glare in the shop I
tndows. He rushed into the room, 6
szed the old man, and lifted him swiftly {
one side. Then he beat out the fire I
it'll a gunny sack.
Uncle Luther sat UP, trembling and ter ]
fed His wooden leg was gone. 1t had t
irned almost to the stump, and the
iarred remains were still smoking. (
Jonathan Dowelrs voice rang with d
,ger. +
VIVA won't you do next, father?' he
i'd You've set yourself on fire, and t
,arly burned up the shop. That wooden q
8 OF yours cost me just $50, and it'll be \
time before I can afford another" q
And then he saw dimly the agony in
5 fathers face, and he softened. He +
rs not a bad man, nor wen a harsh man,
ly thoughtless. You must learn to be n
ore careful. father" he said gently, and q
7 inststently. as II he talked to a child. il
Uncle Luther was glad when his son
snt away He crept to his little back I
ON like q wounded dog, and lay down a
eAS pSu.N VIZ dBe TIA maze MIN SlOW,J I
q he could not realize at first the full /
of his disaster; but he knew t
at ne had deeply angered his son. +
Too bad to trouble Jonathan an, his I
fe," he muttered. Cory is no thrifty a
particlar.s I'm careless, 1 know it. I
n gettins old And then after a time h
: mind reverted to the earlier interests
the day. and he said aloud: II visit
got IT.,
travels quickly In a small town,
d the next morning the sympathetic and d
g curious came to condole with Uncle '
and to examine the remain OF the d
leg. and to point out where the lre
d charred the chair. They went about
lernnly. as at a funeral, glancing side
ays from the corners of their eyes, and l
t not missing anything. "a
Among the very first to call waa Captain !
loch Bradley, who was a hearty, warm :
,oded. irascible old fellow. and his bluff Z
went far teward solacfng Unc1s :
In his affection. ]
.'Twanst 50 bad as II you hadn.t lost Il )
fore he c~oniforted. !,
Uncle Luther had no mind Tor treat ,
8 his loss f~rivolously. The years hsl
all of the humor out OF him. and !
4 him only tragedy. :
4 was thinkin' he said, that now I
MT march. p'raps gou-p'raps AInery--
lght let Tommy hav # (.