The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-05-20

Ernest Hartwel modestly, shoulderinG
his hoe. Il believe somebody is look
ing for you, Mr.. Finder"
Ezekiel wheeled sharply about TO
confront a pretty girl, dark haired.
gray eyed, blue gowned, with sun kiss
ed cheeks and scarlet lips. We'll.
Miss Christie. how in thunder do You
do" he beloved. delightedly squeez-
ing her hands,
Very well. indeed. Mr.. Finder" she
replied, with q provoking glance at
HartweIl, who stood expectantly near.
I'm glad to see you looking so hale
and hearty
what train did you come on? Con /
sarn it all. Ia have met You if I'D /
known you was coming down today .
Maria said yesterday that she'd got a /
letter from you, wanting to know could /
you get board down here another sum .
mer for you and your aunt. But l
didn't know you was expected today
Il couldn't wait another moment
| laughed the girl. Aunt Phoebe Is
| coming tomorrow with all the trunks
/ and things came down in the noon
/ train. and the stage brought me to the
/ house. but Nancy says Mrs. Finder
/ has gone to her ethical culture club.
l came on down here looking for you"
We'll. here be. Guess we might as
we'll go along up to the house. Miss
Christine" He led the way, inten
tionaly ignoring the expectant en-
bryo farmer. But HartweIl was equal
to the emergency.
Introduce me. please. Mr.. Finder"
he said humbly. and Ezekiel smiled
sourly and performed the ceremony
that made the sculptor acquainted with
Christine Davidson
Miss Christine is like daughter to
me, Mr. HartweIl," he said meaningly
as the girl released her hand from
HartweIrs clasp and turned away.
And l am a plain farmer boy. and
I'm good" murmured Hartwell obsti-
nately.
You're n sculptor and you'll starve
to death some day" was Mr. Flinders
cheerful prognostication as he depart
ed for his own side of the rail fence.
The next day he came once more to
the rail fence and watched Hartwell
raking the accumulated weeds he had
uprooted the afternoon before. Amy
time you say IN bring Miss Christine
over to see the scuIping, provided it's
ali proper. told Miss Phoebe David
son about you-that's Chrisune's aunt
and she sad you might be worth in
vestigating." he observed, watching
HartwelIs face.
The deuce she did, calculated
Hartwell, his face growing very red.
, See here, Mr.. Finder; just keep all
, these ladies away from my place.
\ Understands He looked quite fierce.
We'll, I'll be stumped." CALCULATED
Ezekiel. backing of 'You confound-
ed young puppy, you, I don't believe
, yon dast show me none of your sculp-
, ing. I'll bet it's nothing but a mess
of mud pies"
Would you really like to see some
=, Of my work." asked HartweH with
outward seriousness. although there
= were all sorts of kinks in his blue
eyes He enjoyed his verbal Skin
mishes with his neighbor quite as
much as Ezekiel did and Ezekiel was
- secretly proud of the fact that Tea
- sculptor lived cheek by jowl with him
His one lament was that he could moi
boast To his fellows that he had seer
any of Hartwelrs work
Yes, Ia admire to look Mt it. Mebbt
/ could tell you if it was good enough
for the soldiers monument know
- / something about art even if | dom
- belong to no hysterical culture clubs,
:, grinned Ezekiel deightedly as ht
= stumped down the path i'm the wax,
- Of the young man toward the bunga
low.
- In the long low building which
Hartweu used as his workroom the.
,. paused a moment. while the farme
+ Cazed around at the several group
swathed under canvas coverings
- Smells damp in here" he said awk
wardly as Hartwen removed the can
vas from a large crouching lion model
ed in clay.
4. Lord love you. but he looks like b
would bite" exclaimed Ezekiel: the
u he scanned the young man suspicious
r ly. i scarcely believe you made tina
there critter. You don't look like so
T. had it in you. meaning no offense."
n Hartwell smiled and removed a we
- cloth from a mass of modelling clay
pr 'Seeing's believing" he said cheerful
and moved his fingers deftly. surely
g and with lightning rapidity. picking Il
10 and laying aside a modelling tool, n
a. brought before Ezekiers amazed visio
r, a startling picture i'm miniature.
Against a background Of rough ella
. was a rail fence. Sitting on the IA
o+ fence. one cowhide boot swinging MOI
chalantly over his clasped hands. wa
Ezekiel Finder himself. looking lik
- an amiable scarecrow as he nibbled
ho blade of grass.
o. Ezekiel stared. open eyed. ope
ur mouthed chagrined almost 10 tear
''Rv nllmmvr' he breatbed heavily {