Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-12-22
OLD LADY,: :; ! s
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1zcIOUISf TORSSLUND
% AUTHOR OF THE STORY OF SARAH" "TtE
SHIP OF DREAMS" ETC. ooenmonr oy 7roouw7yoa
: STORY OF SARAH" THE

luSy US 6ApSClSu " uHuCi Sedld' AACy
burst into guffaw of laughter, and
Abe, not even conscious that he had
betrayed a sacred confidence, sput-
tered and laughed with the rest.
Samuel had half mind to return
tomorrow, lest to spite EN-" Let's
see, how many days of this plagued
| week were left? Six. Six whole
twenty-four hours away from Blossy
and his snug, warm, comfortable nest
She wasn't used to keepin' house by
| herself, neither. Would she remem-
Der to wind the clock on Thursday,
and feed the canary. and water the
| abutilon and begonias regular?
Grimly Samuel took up offense No.
8. Abraham had further told the men
that ne had been brought over here
for hardening process; but he was
willing to bet that If Samuel could
keep up with him, he could keep up
with Samuel.
Then followed offense on offense.
Was Samuel to be outdone on his own
one-t;me field of action by an old
ladies' darling? No!
When Abe sat for half-hour In the
lookout, up in the freezing, cold Gu
pola, and did duty "jest to be smart, "
Samuel sat there on top of his own
feet, too.
| When Abe helped drag out the ap-
paratus cart over the heavy sands for
the drill, Samuel helped, too. And
how tugging at that rope brought back
his lumbago!
| When Abe rode in the breeches-
buoy, Samuel insisted on playing the
sole survivor of a shipwreck, too, and
went climbing stif1y and lumberingly
up the practise mast
Abraham refused to take a nap after
dinner; SO did Samuel. Abe went
down to the outdoor carpenter shop in
the grove and planed board just for
| the love of exertion. Samuel planed
| two boards and drove a nail.
We've got two schoolboys with
u.s." said the keeper and the crew.
EFF I'd a-knowed that yew had more
lives u my Maltese cat" Samuel was
muttering over Abe by this time,
| I'd"
Count, count went Captain Darby g
fingers He heard the keeper rafting
papers in the office just across the
| threshold, heard him say he was about
to turn in, and guessed Samuel had
, better do likewise; but Samuel kept
on counting.
| Count, count, went the arraignine
fingers. Gradually he grew drowsy
but still he went over and over poor
Abe's offenses, counting on until of 8
sudden he realized that he was nc
longer numbering the sins of his com
panion; he was measuring in minutes
the time he must spend away from
Blossy and Twin Coves, and the be
gonias and the canary and the cat.
What would Blossy say if she could
feel the temperature of the room In
which he was supposed to sleep
What would Blossy say if she knew
how his back ached? Whatever would
| Blossy do to Abe Rose if she could sus
pect how he had tuckered out her "olC
MANI"
He's a regular hoss," brooded Sam
uel. "Oh, my feet!" grabbing at hi:
right boot "I'll bet yer all l got It'll
them air chilblains. That's what" hi
added, unconsciously speaking aloud
Abe's lids slowly lifted. He rubbed
his eyes and yawned. He turned hi
head on his hard, blue gingham-cov
cred pillow, and stared sleepily at th'
other.
"Yew been noddin', Sam1? Ain
gittin' sleepy already, are yer?" HI
glanced at the clock. Why, it's onl.
half-past nine. Say, what's the matte
with me an yew goin' west ter NEE
No. 8? Leetle breath o. fresh air'l
make us sleep splendid"
He started up from the couch, blu
dropped back, too heavy with weari
ness to carry off his bravado Samuel
however, not noticing the discrepanc,
between speech and action, was al
ready at the door leading upstairs.
"Yew don't drag me out o. this sta
ton ternight, Abe Rose. Yew're
regular boss; that's what view be.
regular boss! A reg'lar-a reg'lar-
He flung open the door and wen
trudging as fast as his smarting fee
could carry him up the steep and nal
row steps, wherein the passing Q
other feet for many years had worl
little hollows on either side.
Abraham limped from the couch t
the door himself, and called after him
"Sam1, don't yew want tew slice
by the fire? Yew seem leetle softe
than l be. Let me come upstairs"
There was no answer beyond tn
vicious slamming of Samuels boot
upon the floor above.
Ate raised his voice again, and no'
came in answer a roar Of wrath fror
the cot next to Samuel's.
| 60 to bedl" shouted No. s, burl,
red-headed Irishman. go to bed wi
yei TIL young folks do be nadin'
little schlape!"