Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-05-30
UNCLE LUTHER DOWELL.
AND HIS WOODEN LEG

oteor pause, ne said aloud: But / WiSht
TOmnly'd got it,"
he opened the door of his little shop.
and went In. His eyes swept the familiar
disorder of the room, the rusty tools hang
ing on the wall, the blear-faced old clocks.
tne pots and pans, all the toys of n Sec
ono cnlidhood. He was glad to be at home
again, Tor he was worn out and trembling
with the unwonted excitement of the
meeting. Outside. the sun shone on the
green pralries. and there was warm,
puddiy dust In the road: but Uncle I.uth-
er's blood was thin and cold. and he shiv-
cred In the damp interior Of the shop.
SO ne brought his soldering brazier from
the corner and stirred the Goals into a
bright glow. Then he bent over to warm
his hands.
Jonathan Dowell came down the lane
between his prosperous fields. on his way
to town. Little Dick was with him. When
Uncle Luther saw them. he went to the
door and beckoned.
Come In, Jonathan, come in," he called.
His face shone with pride. and ne told
with feverish eagerness of the new honor
which the day had brought him..
Nonsense Interrupted Jonathan, tes-
THY; don't you know, father, that you're
gettin' too old an feeble to take part in
such thingso You amt able to walk to
the graveyard an back. an you're only
sttrrin' trouble between the families.
Uncle Tommyll never forgive you
The end of the lane was the end OF
Dicks little world and he turned and
foitered back. humming a tune to him
self, as u child will. OF a Ode he re-
called how Uncle Tommy had looked when
they were boys together.
Jus like Tommy, exactly" he said,
half aloud. gazing fondly at the little fell
low. Then he bent over stifiy and beck
|Oned.
Come nee gran'pa,' ne said. smiling en-
ticingly.
and o at Uncle Luther soberly. He
Wa a sunny-haired little fellow, with blue
eyes and pdckcry red lips, and he stood
full, in the bright May sunshine.
Uncle Luther regarded him seriously.
II told EN- l didn't want to march, he
said, protestingly. II said Tommy'd do
1t better'n r could; but Captain Enoch.
ner my of 'em wouldn't listen to me.
Don't go way, Dicky. don go way, an
leave >gran'pa." beseechingly.
But the little boy was edging away; he
didn't understand, and he was afraid.
Don't go way" said Uncle Luther,
Eagerly; come an see what gran'pa got
for Dickey."
He turned and hobbled painfully across
his shop. He put on his spectacles. and
opened a drawer in his workbench, and
in its depths he found Il stick of hore-
hound candy. Dick stood with one pudgy
hand resting on the door frame, peering
into the shop with wide eyes.
Candy" announced Uncle Luther ex-
pressively.
Dick drew a little nearer, glancing from
the candy to his grandfather's >wrinkled
face. Uncle Luther wave the stick like
a wizards wand, and lured Dick nearer
and nearer until a dirty little hand closed
over the candy. Then he reached out sly
his arms.
Amt you goin' to kiss gran'pa?" he
asked eagerly.
But the little boy wriggled away and
ran out of the door. Uncle Luther
watched him lettering up the lane In the
sunshine. sucking his candy, until the
vision blurred in his dim old eyes. Then
he returned to his brazier. He sat down
and drew his chair almost over 1t. He
bent double, with his elbows on his knees
and his head resting on his hands, and
there he sat alone for a long time. Final
ly he Strengthened up The subtle warmth
of the fire had stolen through all his body.
He leaned back in his chair, his head
dropped over to one side, and his work
worn old hands lay palm upward on his
knees. He was fast asleep.
The brazier under him continued to glow,
and send its CHEEKY comfort stealing up
around his chair. 1t had a friendliness
and hearty warmth that were more than
the kindness of many of The old mans
friends. ~
The dusk OF evening came down and
filled the corners with adows And pres
emily a glow that was not all In the bra
zief began to fllumine the center Of the
room. A thin, wavering mist of smoke
curled up around the old man. and crept
silently along the dingy ceiling. A mo-
ment later there was a sharp burst of
A,>& ~ elan 7f.ovHn n ,.1a NC a,,l54vl. la, IN. &
came. The old mans trouser-leg rested
against the hot brafer. and the fine fire
gnawed and sparkled in the heavy cloth.
A few shavings on the Uttered floor of the
shop were crisping with sudden wisps OF
flame. and the chair legs were on fire.
But Uncle Luther slept on. wholly un-
conscious of his danger.
Jonathan Dowell, returning from the
village. saw a sinister glare in the shop
windows. He rushed into the room.
seized the old man, and lifted him swiftly
to one side. Then he beat out the fire
witt a gunny sack.
Uncle Luther sat up. trembling and ter
rited. His wooden leg was gone. 1t had
burned almost to the stump, and the
charred remains were still smoking.
Jonathan Dowelrs voice rang with
anger.
What won't you do next, father?" he
said. You've set yourself on fire, and
nearly burned up the shop. That wooden
leg OF yours cost me just $50, and it'll be
a long time before l can afford another. "
And then he saw dimly the agony in
his fathers face. and he softened. He
was not q bad man, nor even aHharsh man.
only thoughtless. You must learn to be
more careful, father he said gently. and
yet mistakenly, as IL he talked to a child.
Uncle Luther was glad when his son
went away. He crept to his little back
room like a wounded dog. and lay down
OF the bed. Old age had made him slow.
and ne could not realize at first the full