The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-01-25

'u'd keep FER busy. I tell 'er I'm done
with all that sort e. thing, but Jest lei
me black my boots, shave up or put
on a clean shirt, an she wants to know
whar the womans hidin'.''
''What are you watchin' Abe today
fer?" Abner asked, his thoughts far
. from his friends domestic affairs.
'sWhy, 1 jest imagined" Pole an
swered, 'Fsince I ketched Abe prayin'
t'other day that maybe this rousin'
meetin' might work on his conscience
in the way you spoke of. 1 thought
I'd keep an eye on i'm, anyhow"
Abner was silent for several minutes
then, facing his companion, he said:
"You started me out on this particu-
o. the credit If any good comes from
it. don't feel right in keepin' you
out of it SO much. I'd "a let you do
more, but I was afeard two on the job
would scare i'm off. You are cautious,
Pole, an I want you to do some'n' fer
me this morning. Don't you think you
could run across Abe sorter by acct
dent-Iike an say some'n' or ether in
a. offhand, roundabout way that d
tend to make i'm sorry fer Howard?'
81 reckon / could, Uncle Alb, an I'll
try it eff you think it will do any good
fsWell, go ahead, but don't stay long,
fer I'm goin' to talk to i'm myself this
mornin'. Let me know when you are
through an I'll take some step or ether.''
Leaving Abner among the trees, Pole
walked around the shed till he was.
close to where Abe Fulton sat on the
log, his shaggy head down.
You hain't got a good seat, Abe" he
smiled cordially, 'sbut it's better'n one
you have to stay on till the doxology is
sung"
The man addressed made a failure
Of a smile. my wife's in thar, but 1
didn't want to go" he muttered. Il
hain't a member Pole sat down, tax
ing his knife from his pocket and be-
Ginning to cut straight sprout of
hickory growing at his feet.
I'm a backslider,'' he laughed
I've slid an slid down grade, Abe, till
/ 'u'd take a railroad derrick to hoist
ne to a seat among the =favored. Thar
50 many sad things in the world
hat it takes the heart out of a Teller
Z m worried right now. I've got a
friend, Paul Chester-you know i'm,
reckon. Abe? He's a good hearted fell
Ter, but was runnin' blind tiger
jail. He sent fer me, an went to see
i'm. expected to find i'm down In
the mouth; but, la mel He didn't care
so much fer what happened to i'm as
he did fer some'n' else. 1t seems that
his cage is right across from the one
Tinsley's in, an the sight o,
awful condition made I'm
think his own case wasn't nothin' to
compare to it. Paul couldn't talk o.
nothin but Howard. I took a peep at
through the bars, an I GER
tailly understood what Paul meant.
He's wasted away to a bare shadow,
an it looks like all faith In man an
God has left 'ina.''
Pole paused, and Fulton suddenly
fixed an unreadable stare on him.
What do gom think about, it?" he
asked, his thick lip hanging loosely.
his big right hand c1utching his knee.
Pole blinked visibly.
i Me? Well, it's like this, Abe: You
see, I've heard so many confictin' re
ports that I hardly know whatkto be-
ieye. The truth is, I'm so sorry fer
Howard an his nanny an fer that
nice gal that's workin' in his place,
go1n to see i'm every day an prayin'
ter i'm SO hard that-we1, I hain't
fully made up my mind, though I'm in
eIined to take his word. ives knowed
i'm sence he was a little tot. an I
1ain't never knoEved i'm to lie. T
aain't done no particular good in the
world-I've been, bad egg from the
START an'-an'-welI, you'll laugh, L
reckon, at the idea. but considerin' all
hat lies in front o. Howard, III be |
larnedkef L wouldn't be wiIlin' to take
his place an let i'm go Free
The singing was beginning under
he shed. A verse was sung, and the
began to intone another in a
clear, mellow voice Abe was now
staring at the ground, and Pole, close
" watching him from the corner of his
eyes, saw CULVER pass over him. Pole
decided that his prompt departure now
would strengthen the effect of his
words, SO he yawned careIessly and
rose well, I'll be goin','' he said.
Hold on; wait a. minutel'' Fulton
,urned suddenly, Pole sat down again |
IN the log
what is ft,sAbe7' he asked.
81 jest wanted to ak a question:
Fulton faltered. 81 don't want to go |
o any o them in thar, because I know |
What they would say, but IL want to |
TX you. Is all that singin' an prayin' ;
u thar pure poppycock, or do they /
mean it,"
''IlI tell you, Abe, it's like this, l |
'eckon,' Pole said finally EESome of 'ern
Ire dead In earnest-them that's done |
wrong an know it, but I think all
wen down to the youngest bene-
it in some shape or other
Then you think'-Abe's somnolent |
Eyes seemed to burn from fires of
lgony and indecision-"thatt thar really
$ sech thing as God?''
ooh, yes; oh, yesY' Pole felt himself
IN frmer ground. Scripture says, |
The fool hath said in his heart that |
har amt no Cod Oh, yes thar is
me, Abe, but / begin to believe as old
Abner Daniel does, that he hain't ex-
lctly the sort of a God that ever did
ell anybody precisely how many nails
% drive in the side of house or dicker
hn