Evening star., 1915-01-03

der and ran to the wagon, while Sam mount
ed the barn and took up his work, which, SO
far as could yet Sec consisted OF making
strange marks up and down. which did not
seem to have any particular meaning.
You don't mean to say YOUR goin' to
let us do that too?' he demanded of Charley.
"Yes,' said Charley, with sidelong
glance at me, Il guess so. Would -youe'
"Why not?" Charley looked from Ben to
me again.
We'll, for Heavens sake!' laughed Ben.
"And YOU the guy that had us paint the
sides of a whole flock of COWS only last
week."
"Aw, do your worst" growled Charley,
and Ben, selling pot of black and ladder,
made for the house.
| could not understand it at all. Suddenly,
as | glanced again up at the barn roof from
the elevated perch on the wagon to which
| had climbed, l saw something that as
tonished me.
why said to Charley, a can see what
they're painting there now. It's letters
"Why, so it is, said Charley. "Don't
them artists get fancy idees? Who'd ever
thought it? Can you see what it says2'
why, yes, it says-it says, GIVE
MOTHER A NIGHTS REST! Why,
that's what's on the side of this wagon. Is
is Ben goin to paint that on the house
too?"
NO." said Charley, "he amt. That's
only on the barn."
That rather relieved me- Somehow,
though | could not have told why, | had
my misgivings whether Father would like
to see this injunction lettered in huge blue
and red characters on top of the barn. The
portrait of the gray-haired old lady had
rather pleased me as clever novelty; but
well, | was glad Ben wasn't going to paint
the same thing on top Of the house, anyway.
WH-WHAT does that meane' 1 asked
w Charley.
He glanced at me. Honest, Kid, don't
you know?' he asked.
| shook my head. He reached down into
box by the side OF the drivers seat and
took from it little bottle, which he handed
to me.
Didn't you never see none o this?' he
| examined the bottle, reading on the
label, "MNIE FRANKLfN's TWILIGHT
NECTAR. TAKE A LOT OF IT, AND
GIVE MOTHER A NIGHTS REST"
| read the message aloud slowly; for the
lettering was rather fancy for me. Then,
mystifed, l looked at Charley.
That's it." he said. "'rhat's what gives
Mother nights rest. Nothin' like it in the
world. l was raised on 1t. It's great!
yes" l said; "but why-on the roof of
the barn?"
well, I'll tell you the honest truth, said
Charley "We're a little crowd O fellers
that's got nothin' to do but go roun' an
spread good tidin's an kind o perk up the
landscape. When we see place like yourn
that needs paintin' we're only too glad to
tend to it. an at the same time to do little
good fer other folks. Now here's this Nine.
Franklins Twilight Nectar. Without it
many poor mother'd be KEEP up half the
night walkin' a howlin' baby. You wouldn't
want your mother to do that, now would
you?"
"We amt got any baby" said.
"No; but you never can tell. So I'm goin'
to leave you few bottles O this in case the
time might come. In the meantime, if we
can kinder tell folks what good stuff it is,
it's kindness all round, don't you think?'
why, yes | s'pose it is, l said, marvel
ing at the philanthropy that would send men
around the country for such an unselhsh pur
pose.
AN sure your father'd be only too glad
to leave US put that on the barn, specially
when it's did SO artistic, don't you think?'