The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-08
lips on the back of his hard.
Which wan?" he asked.

' lips on the back of his hand.
Which wan he asked.
ION Fourteenr street"
NO" he answered II never was 10
the city. Gidap. lie fell again TO
the rumiintion of his fife cut why
dye ask
II fought | seen yer deIe w'nst, e
Jimmie replied. vivid lady wot play
/ ell on de trambone. You wuz tcllln'
ier about de circus comm ter town,
lall' den yer did sand dance toged-
der
i.afe gaspcd in astonishment and al
/ most swallowed his tobacco.
! Look a-hore, young feller" he said.
II dunno what kind o dominies you've
got to New York. but NJ here ministers
/ OF the gospel don't allow no such car
ryin's on in their houses. Gidap"
Jimmie felt vaguely that he had of
Tended and offered prompt reparation
Excuse me lie said humbly. II
didn't mean 60 make no break
Freely grautedw cried Lafe. City
ways amt country ways, guess, but
! you seem right nice young Teller
Gidapr'
Jimmie blushed, and for the rest of
the ride neither ventured Oh any fur
ther conversation. Lafes sister met
them at the head of the farm lane and
greeted Jimmie with motherly smile
| well. Lafc, she cried. I.ympia
amt so spry as some. You'd better
come right in an set down. Biscuits
is burnin' this half hour past
For almost an hour Jimmie tucked
! IN honey ana hot biscuit. with steam.
/ ing coffee and ham. until his ruddI
! checks glistcned and the waistband OF
/ his trousers grew taut. By this time
( the conversation assumed more in
! innate tone, ana even LATE thawod
/ ont
well, sister" he said "y'orter seen
| Lynpia when the train came In.
I swan she was scairt out Of her wits."
shell get over 1t fast enough,r Miss
Goode commented, when they cut
the railroad through the pasture lot"
Iafe slapped his knee.
by Gregory" tie cr'cd, she'll never
get over It, " that's what she's wait
: Ing for, That Gayrcd railroad com.
pany won't own 10y pasture lot for
less than $500 an acre unless they
steal it from me-"
"Mebhe they will" said Miss Goodel
IF you stay M till all hours of the
night. You need to have clear brain
If you want to get ahead of the rail-
road company"
Lafc rose and stretched lazily.
"AIl right. sister," he grunted, and,
taking the lamp from the table. he
piluted jimmie TO the spare room on
tie second noor
Under Lafes tutelage Jimmie rapid
ly acquired all the accomplishments Of
a hired man, ana when his vacation
drew toward its close it had proved TO
be as profitable for LATE as it had
been enjoyable for Jimmie. \ profn-
sion.of fEecklcs obscured the healthy
glow in the boys cheeks, and east
off suit of Lafe's oyeralls completed
his trans Arnation into as rustic a
youth as nevcr saw Fulton market or
the Brooklyn bridge.
Il was, therefore not at all surpris-
Ing that he should be hailed rs bud"
by the thickset gentleman with the
Jet hlack pustache who drove smart
looking horse aud buggy up the farm
lane
Who lives here, bud?" he asked out
of one corner Of his mouth,
Jimmie took in at one comprehen-
sivc glance the panama hat, the dia-
mond breastpn and the general air of
Tenderoin insouciance that pervaded
the strangers personality
Come again. Jimmie said.
Where's yer papT
"Pap?" Jimmie repeated.
"Oh. rats" the stranger broke in i'm
patiently and drove rapidly up the
lane Jimmie gazed after him in un-
affected surprise. That essentially ur-
ban presence in its strange setting OF
pasture and meadow affected the boy
like Whit Of East river breeze, and
,Ie tuned TO his task Of moving the
border Of the lane, almost glad that
his vacation approached its close.
\ moment later the buggy drew no
near The barn, where Lafe was busily
engaged currying Olympia's rough coat
with handful of straw,
3 Mr. Lafayette Goodel?' the strang.
er asked.
Lafe nodded, and his visitors beady
eyes rested on Olympia.
That's a nice looking mare you've
got there, friend"
II lay great store by her" LATE re-
piled dryly.
about how much do sou ask for
her?'
LATE surveyed the strangers three
year-old trotter for one admirlng sec.
ond.
"I'll make an oven swap" be an
swered, and
C-----,--75-IvTu0 give yer 500 to
~ " boot"
12C The stranger
CO. " laughed. las If
lO%0N1 he were being
k.-srs.s paid for IT," LATE
i al =