Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-04-09

tne young man with undfmtnished vi
-vacity 4 am glad to get TO a shell
ter. By the way. l hear this is a dry
town. Win some OF you gentlemen
have something with me2@ He had
pulled out a flask and was flashing
his brilliant smile at Robbins.
No. thank you. don't drink" said
Robbins: but he felt bis throat itch
ing at the sight.
Wen drink your ticker after we've
finished our business with you" the
gray man struck In. He was old
Captain Sparks, who had been very
bitter since his eldest son went crazy
with oYerwork and sunstroke and
billed himself The other men laugh
ed. They looked at each other; they
looked with goading hate in their dull
eyes al the stranger; and they laughed.
Here. Johnny" said the young
man, taking no notice, run up 10
twenty-five and fetch me the bag
there, the black one. IL We are to
drink to our business, l want you all
TO join. You are all interested. take
It? And get some glasses while you
are about It.
The boy nom he addressed, the
landlords, son. lad OF twelve. had
been busy staring at the stranger
ever since he entered the room. He
ran away, but as he ran could not re-
strain himself from flinging one or
two glances back over his shoulder
Don't you smoke. elther?" said the
stranger TO Robbins. his hand to his
breast pocket
Only a pipe" answered Robbins.
He wished that he didn't feel an
absurd. morbid sympathy for the poor
FOOLS pluck sneaking into his con-
sciousness
What are we waiting for?" The
captain whispered 1t to a mild-eyed,
short-bearded man next him; but the
captains whisper carried far. "Aw,
give him rope!" suggested the mild
eyed man; maybe he amt so sandy's
he seems"
Not seeming to recognize any chill
In his reception, the young stranger
approached the stove. No one moved
to admit him to the inner circle; this,
also, he did not seem to observe.
This whole country looks as il you
had been having hard times" he con-
tinued His voice had full. rich, mag
etic notes, but its unfamiliar intona-
tons Jared on his hearers; they knew
them to belong to the east, and they
hated the east. It's pretty sad to
ride through miles and miles OF farm
ing country and see the burned fence
posts that caught fire from the GIN
ders, just lying where they fell. and
the smoke not coming out of one
farmhouse chimney in six. 1t looks
as If the farmers out this way had
simply given ~ the fight"
You've hit It," said the mild-eyed
man; they have. Some OF them have
moved away and some of them have
killed themselves, after they've lost
their stock on chattel mortgages and
lost their land to the Improvement
company There ought to be lots OF
ghosts on those abandoned farms and
in those houses where the fences are
down. This country is full of ghosts.
We amt much better than ghosts our
selves"
1T was the three dry years, sup
pose"
That and the mortgage sharks and
the Shylocks from the east" old Cap
tain Sparks interrupted in venomous
tone; what pickings the drought left
they got"
Pretty tough" said the stranger,
declining the combat again. There's
one man / want to meet here: his
name is Russell-Doctor Russell"
The mild-eyed man explained that
his name was Russell; the other men
looked puzzled and suspicious. What's
his little game?" whispered the cap
tain. 1T won't go. whatever it is,
said the man next him. Robbins heard
question and answer distinctly; but
the young fellow near him did not
vince. Are you the one that wrote to
Fairport. Doctor Russell? | guess you
must be.
Yes, wrote to Fairport, said Rus
sell.
Well. hope you liked the barrel
we sent. and the boxes. They were
going to send them TO another place,
but your letter decided us. That's my
church, you know, which sent them.
And, for that matter. 1t was your let
ter first turned my fathers attention
to investing in your part Of the coun-
try. oh. tell me. where did that tea
go? My mother would send her best
London mixture"
Was /. your mother" Robbins
spoke With red face and fash
OF his eye at the sulien group about
him, he withdrew his chair, making
clear passage to the stove. I'D like
to thank her. then, and her son for
her; that tea and that ounce jam
whose was the ounce JAM"
Il rather think my mother put that
in. too.
We'll. IL almost cured my wife; II
was better than medicine, that and
the tea. for, not to mention that we
couldn't get any medicine, II gut heart
into her as medicine couldn't | won
der was II your mother. or who was it
put in that volume OF college songs?
l got that You wouldn't think 1t. but
I'm university man--Harvari-"
The young fellow caught his hand
and gripped il hard Harvard? So
am Martin Wallace. 81
My name is George Robbins. and
I'm a good deal farther back: and. as
you can see. I'm down or my luck