The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-11-25

uhNG W Dc dWLullJ
lected. can't so with Jackie very
often on account OF the babies. He'll
get you "A good pony and turn you
loose on them, and, my, oh, the good
you'll do them A special providence,
I call it,
Mae Maude smiled as the immediate
past rushed before her minds eye." A
queer kind of providence, she thought
But she fell into line and was soon gal
looping over plain and prairie, a full
! sized benediction In the settlers homes
and the backbone of the nearest school,
house Sunday school, to which the COW.
boys 6ocked for miles around for "a
good look at the new super, just on
from the east"
One Sabbath Mrs. Agnes crimsoned
to the roots Of her hair with the ter
rible publicity" of telling the Sunday
school folks about the "bee" they were
going to have, to put up lean-to with
a porch for vines, to give the new su-
perintendent a living room, and would
they, all Gomez And those who hadn't
any women folks Of their own to bring
to help get the big dinner and supper
might bring somebody else's, and Mr.
Duncan was over on Forty Mile run or
just the same and have n mighty good
time putting up the new Sunday
school lady's lean-to.
When Mae Maude climbed up on the
rear car OF the express, after throw
Ing her old shawl and her boys hat
into the river that bleak November
night of the baby's funeral, she was
sure she could never laugh again. But
when Mrs. Agnes told Jack the next
day about her announcement of the
"bee" Mae Maude had to put the frills
on the story. Jack Duncan caught his
wee, plump wife In his arms, with a
baby or two thrown I'm for good meas
ure. their squeals of merriment ac-
companying his full throated American
laugh. their heels kicking his broad
chest gleefully. while the second edi-
ton Of Melville Tremaine squeezed his
mothers neck, shouting mildly; I'VE
don't have to preach, momsy and me.
We'm goln' to farm Itl'
Then all Joined. big and little. In the
chorus of laughter and there came
near being riot OF hugs and kisses.
Mae Maude, with the help of the
second generation OF Duncans and her
correspondence with the back to the
soil'' wise men of Washington. made
the manse ten acre lot bud and bios
som as the rose Many good hint did
she give the settlers and their wives
that made her word on farming Il"
take the place of their rule of thumb"
methods.
Dan Wetherell, thoroughgoing
young ranchman, with his eye on the
legislature. noticed her neat, trim ap-
pearance while she took notes in the
"lecture car" and Increased the fire.
quency of his visits at the manse
One day he quizzed Mrs. Agnes about
her friends widowhood. quite shock.
Ing her by asking her IL 1t were sod
or grass"
Mae Maude heard only the word
| widow" but 1t sent the 'creeps" III
and down her spine. After that Dar
Wetherell might as well have tried Il
| win one OF Grenfel's Labrador peaks.
She kept tab on the home folks
through the Duncnns. even to the mys
terlous disappearance of Melville Ire
maine soon after her own. Every
body had given him up for dead; but
woman fashion. she held stubbornly
the hope that she would see him agalr
- her very own--the noble fellow tina
he was when she first knew him. Hav
ing been through the ordeal hersel
and knowing how they always though
along the same lines when he was him
self she looked for him TO come to he
permanently redeemed.
One evening day or two befor,
Thanksgiving John Duncan came hom
from two weeks trip He was sllen
and absentminded. though the smal
house was fairly tipsy with merrimenl
Agnes usual expedlent of putting tn
baby In his NrrGs was Hat failure. |
came near breaking the child's neck
for he set II down on the floor, its lon
clothes wadded about its useless feet
and when It was tumbling over on 1t
small nose he took 1t, this way an
that. as he would have done bag o
grain to make II stand on end,
Mrs. Agnes sprang to the rescue
For mercy's sake. JnCk!"
lie came to the surface long enoug
to beg the baby's pardon and stop wit
a big. brushy kiss It's issue OF protest
ing notes. Come, Aggy, let's so an
take walk"
He drew her hand Into the bend o
his elbow, leaving the baby and tn
Thanksgiving box that had just al
rived from the home church, the cor
tents OF which the junior Duncan
were almost perishing TO explore,
Just fairly beyond earshot he brok
out with. Lost my trail yesterday, Al
gle. and you can't guess whom I ra
across"
mo, Jack, Who?" certain that tn
mystery OF his abstraction was aho,
70 unrayel itself
Melville Tremaine"
mo, Jack He's dead"
''Not by long shot! The llyelle,
. fellow I've met for many dayl Sta.