The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-10-27

"Hullo. Lem" she replied, and kept
her eyes on her work.
"Ain't you glad to see mer
~Of course. Have you had q hard
timer"
"Dretful; somethin' awful. Work.
work, work, from mornin' It'll night.
and half-starved all the time. That
workhouse is q torture hole, II there
ever was one"
He was working up q fine case Of
self-pity. He had been very badly
treated. Mrs. Brown noticed that he
was clean, that his hair was trimmed
and he was not in the least thin, but,
on the contrary. looked very well fed
II s'pose I got to 80 look for job"
said Lem. II got to have Q little car
fare"
Mrs. Brown looked up.
''Do You, mean that Lemr she
asked. "Do you really want money for
car faref How much do you wantf
Where are you going to look for
job?"
The pale light of hope burned in her
eyes. Long years Of experience seemed
to have taught her nothing. This thing
had happened, oh, 30 many times be-
fore Lem drew q very long, woe-be-
gone face.
ITS night work." he said. "Over at
the docks, stevedorin'. That's the
hardest kind Of work-stowin' cargo In
ships. But I s'pcse got to sport my
family. I always have managed to.
except when when had one o. my
slip-ups. But that amt goin' to hap
pen no more. I'm through. I'm a re-
formed man. All want Is three dol.
lars to get me some overalls an a din
ner pail an pay my fare to the docks.
They're needin' men, and I can go
right on tonight"
"Wait a minute" said his wife. She
went into the bedroom. Lem looked
after her and treated himself to a
wink.
The door from the hall opened and
man stepped into the Brown kitchen
1t was Sam Thomas.
"Hullo, Lem Brown" he said.
Lem looked up. startled. When
man has been in Jail, one can't tell
what may happen.
You been AWAY. hear" said Sam
pointedly. you're goin' away again.
amt your
what, me? Coin away again? oh,
no. I was just tellln' Lottie l."
He stopped, for his wife had come
In. She held three one-dollar bills in
her hand, which she hastily thrust be-
hind her, looking very guilty, as II
Sam Thomas had caught her stealing
the money.
"Hullo. Lottie," said Sam. II see
LENS back"
YES" said Mrs Brown. Hes got
a job-over at the docks. He's goin'
right over there now, aren't you Lem2"
"M-hm. I'm goln' right over there
this afternoon-after I get me some
overalls and a dinner pail and"
And a half a dozen drinks of
whisky" put in Sam Thomas coldly.
"Oh. no, no, Sam. Certainly not"
protested Lem, certainly not. Never
again for me. No. sir. I'm goin' 10
work. l got q good job, stevedorin';
night work. you know, stowin' cargo
in"
"You lie, Lem"
"What's thatT" LENS artificial-look-
ing eyes stared with dull surprise at
Sam.
you lie," persisted Sam. "You
haven't got job; they amt loadin' no
vessels over at the docks now; and
they hardly ever work nights when
they do"
Jaw, SAM" whined Lem. $50 help
me, l."
"Somebody's goin' to help you, but
he amt goin' to help you to no
But, Sam. got to have some over
alls II go to work"
you'll git overalls all right all
right. You'll git sometfin' else, too.
Come, on, now. Well be on our way"
"What d. you mean, Sam?"
1--WE got you a job, Lem. A good
job-a right swell Job. You'll like it,
Lem, cause I know you love hard
work."
But, Sam, I'm not very strong-1
been sick"
You haven't been sick, and you're
a big, lazy, hog-fat liar, Lem Brown.
You give me another word Of your sass
and I'll hand you the grandest whalin'
you ever had in your life"
Sam shook a fist as big as a Chi.
cago ham under the nose Of the aston
ished and affrighted Lem. Then he
turned to the wife, who had stood
mutely and uncomprehendingly by.
"Lottie, this big hulk Of a husband
of yours has got to 60 to work, and
I'm goin' to see that he does. I've been
needin' help on the place for a long
time. Lem won't make first class help,
but I amt goin' to pay him much. II
he can't be handled, I'm goin' to have
him sent back to Jail; and this time
it'll be the penitentiary, for assaultin'
you and Mary Alice that night.
"And listen; Lottie. Maybe he don't