The Springdale news., 1915-05-14
HOW JOHN WAS CURED
 By CHARLOTTE coRBETT.

A SQcceSSIui dTCHlleCli WlALl a Cp1l h1- ing wife and four children, earning enough money to give him a comfort able home and send the boys through college, he looked back on his high hopes and felt that the promise of youth had been fallacious.
 The little village where he had been born, the early sweetheart whom he had not married, his boyish friends all assumed a rosy halo in the past. Forgotten were the hard knocks, the early struggles, the eagerness to get away to the big city, where he had at last succeeded
 Ella he said to his wife, T believe I'll auto down to Gravehurst next Sat urday, spend the night at the little place and return on Sunday. l want to look up some of my old friends
 You'll enjoy the trip. dear" an swered his wife, beaming fondly on her husband.
 But John Gardiner had remained re- ticent about the chief purpose of his trip He wanted to see Lucy Bates.
 Had she waited for him, as she had sworn to do. remaining a solitary old maid in the old-fashioned homestead?
 It was a mellow afternoon when his automobile stopped at Gravehurst. John had some difficulty in recognizing the place at first. A huge factory was vomiting smoke all over the landscape; however, it was a mile out of town, and the old-fashioned village itself was little changed, although an annex of cheap frame houses to supply the needs of the factory hands had sprung up.
 John put up at the little shabby ho- tel and made himself known to the landlord The landlord, Si H ggins, had been one of Johns old friends. John did not recognize him at first, and Higgins himself seemed little hay about John.
 They were talking over old times when John reminded the landlord of Tom Elmer.
 T suppose he's successful minister now he said
 What, Tom Elmer-Widow Elmer's son." shouted the landlord. Used to wear his hair in sort of pompadour? ?"
 That's him. answered John. the memory all coming back to him.
 Hi, Tom. the landlord called, and out of the stable lurched a blear-eyed ragamuffin of about forty-seyen, who came up with a surly seowl
 Tom, remember John Gardiner, who wett to Miss BIythes school with us?" the landlord asked
 Sure do Sort of sneaking. cow ardly little cuss he was, wasn't he?' asked Tom, breathing out a fresh aroma of Kentucky rye.
 This Is him." said the landlord. Come back to look up his old friends. :"
 Glad to meet you again, Johnny : said the stableman, unabashed. Could I speak to you in private a moment? ?" he continued, taking John aside. I'm behind with the rent this month, and"
 John handed him five-dollar bill, and Tom. looking at it in surly spite, made his way back into the stable.
 It was with some diffidenee that John approached the subject of Lucy.
 What has become of Lucy Bates?" John managed to say presently.
 Lucy Bates?" inquired the land lord. Why, there never wasn't but one Lucy Bates Hi, Lucy,"
 A disheveledlooking woman came in. wlping her hands upon a dirty apron Well, what is it now?" she asked.
 Remember Johnny Gardiner?' in. quired the landlord, with grin. in- dicating John. Come back from the city to look up old friends
 A faint flush crossed the tired wom- ans face as she extended a limp hand.
 "Yes. we've been married seventeen years" said the landlord. T was her first beau, too We used to go to- gether when we was children. Lucy never had no other beauy, did you, Luce?"
 Nope" said the tired woman, shak- ing her head and looking straight into Johns eyes.
 Well, I'm pleased to have seen you said John, moving out toward his automobile T guess I'll have to be starting back now" he continued. as he got In. He had changed his mind about staying in Gravehurst By the way, there was another old friend I-'
 But he got no further, for with an unearthly honk an automobile came tearing down the street and struck Johns fairly and squarely. shaking him from the step where he stood into the road. He rose to find black browed. fashily dressed stranger low ering at him from his car
 You've knocked my lamp all as kew," he snarled. 'Why in thunder can't you look where you are going? 9
 And leaving John speeehless with mo fication he whirled away.
 Manager of our factory" explained the landlord. "One of the big men oi Grayehurst- Hurt your eye. ain't you Johnny? Looks as if 1t was going tc hlackau m P