The bee., 1916-11-24
HODGES NEED
BY LESLIE BROWNE.

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Hodge Perliss had run 70 seed. One
had but TO glance at his shambling
gait, baggy trousers and fringed collar
TO realize that But after the first
casual glance, II one care to go fur.
ther, he might discover that in spite
Of neglect in grooming Hodge had, or
once possessed, all the essentials Of a
gentleman.
Hodge and Lily Sears we're to have
been married, It was understood, be-
cause II was the natural thing to do.
They were the two best fixed" fami-
lies in the community and their pa
rents arranged the matter.
But nothing came Of it. Sears whip
factory burned and the bank failed
with the Perliss money. The Searses
moved away and Hodges father died.
The years rolled on and after his
mother died Hodge was left alone on
the farm.
Time continued to roll along. Hodge
shaved less and slouched more. When
he was thlrty-eight he looked fifty.
A neat little red roadster stopped at
Hodges gate one day and a woman
got out. The woman was a stranger,
neither fat nor thin nor beautiful. But
she was 1.-the and well built and
dressed with n simplicity that smacked
Of tallOrs, good taste and expense.
And, moreover, she had something in
her face more wonderful than beauty.
mo-" after her inquiry, 81 guess I'm
not so awful busy. Come up and sit
down." nodding toward a porch.
'I've come on business" she said.
I'll frankly confess that I'm an agent.
l want to sell you something"
Hodge sh"fled his feet uneaslly and
fingered th hat on his lap. II don't
know as need anything" he said
"oh, yes, you dol I'm going to con-
vince you of that. have a little plan
l hope you'll approve of and it won't
take your time, either. Let me go over
your house while you're working and
find out what you need. Let me see |"
She looked at wrist watch. Its half
past ten. can be done and have your
dinner ready by twelve. Do you mind
If l cook your dlnner"
Hodges jaw dropped. "Well, I
don't care. You'll find things
sort of unhandy, suppose, and most
Of the kettles leak, but I'll pump some
water and kindle up the fire."
Hodge led the way into the house,
and going on back to the kitchen, he
nodded toward the sitting room.
'You can take your things of in there.
Maybe it's a bit dusty. I'm not much
on cleaning"
A faded photograph of a very young
girl was on the mantelpiece in place
Of honor in front of the silent clock.
She picked it up and looked at 1t a
long time. "Poor little LilyW she
breathed. Then she put it back and
looked around.
Destruction everywhere! Dirt,
neglect and cOrrosion. What house
What home for any manw
Hodge was washing at the pump
when a most compelling Odor Of cook
ing met his nose, and then a voice
from the doorway called: Every
things ready to serve. You are ex-
actly on time"
He ran comb through his hair be-
fore a cracked mirror on the porch and
went inside. The odors, long strange
to his bachelor nose, made him raven
Ously hungry.
Hodge Strengthened. The smell Of
good cooking, a woman in the house,
a table with a white cover and flowers
he could see through the dining
room dOOr-brOught a current Of
thoughts into action that had been
stagnant for years. Here was q situ-
alton for him to act the gentleman.
'Td-Pd better change my clOthes"
he said.
He came down. There were baggy
knees and fringed collar, to be sure,
but Hodge no longer slOuched. There
was a snap in his eye and his head
was up.
Such a meal And such a womani
snow, Mr.. Perliss," said the latter,
after a dessert of fluffy pudding that
had melted down his throat. II am
going to surprise you when 1 tell you
the things you need. You are expect
Ing to hear Of rocking chairs and dish
pans, bedspreads and washing ma
chimes. No doubt you need them all,
but I'm going to tell you what you
need more than that. There's a big
world going on at a rather amazing
rate outside Of your valley, and you've
it. What you need is energy
energy to take part in the worlds
work. It's terrible to anyone who
goes away and comes back to see how
you waste your lives here"
"GOes away and comes back" ("
ayes. Don't you know me, HOdger
He looked at her hard for a minute.
'YOu're not" and after long time
-"LilyT'
She nodded. There were tears in
her eyes. Yes, Lily, plus twenty
years."
Then suddenly he saw things as they
were, the sOrdidness, meanness Of his
own surroundings and the splendid