The Lamar register., 1917-12-26
The Shadow
Lifted
Copyright. 1917. western Newspaper Union
By RUTH EVELYN LEE


you'll be glad" piped old Darius
Morse, and he grinned and chuckled as
though enjoying concealing the ren-
son why.
His son-in-law of month, blum,
hearty, supremely contented, gripped
the shoulder of the old man In a play
full, affectionate way.
"Tm glad now!" he cried effusively,
"the gladdest man In the world. II
was much gladder I'd sing and dance,
instead of wrestling with this stub.
born, hard-hearted patch of land. Fa-
ther Morse. this Is home, and it's a
dream of glory TO be with Lettie all the
time, but will say that you can't make
the garden part of 1t blossom like the
rosei"
"Never mind; 1t gives us enough to
eat, and with what you earn Wen man.
age quite comfortably. I'll toddle
along"
What the venerable philosopher con-
sidered "glad" for Mark Wilton was
that the latter had married the sole
companion of his later years, gentle
motherless Lettie. II had been a real
love romance. but whenever the old
man realized that the infatuated young
man had given up quite a social and
business position in the city to settle
down into a new humble. humdrum
sphere. he was wont to enunciate that
mysterious propaganda Of gladness.
Mark paid no attention to this pro-
nunciamento of his aged father-in-
law.
One morning Mark arose to attend TO
the cows and chickens before he went
to work in the town. As he passed
the room in which Mr.. Moore usually
slept, he noticed that the bed was un-
tenanted, but the clothing of its usual
occupant was lying across a chair.
Mark went downstairs to find the rear
door open.
Arrayed In his nlght-dress. lying on
the ground near his favorite chair un-
der the big elm tree was Mr.. Moore.
He clasped a hatchet in one hand.
Mark hurried to his side. The old man
was dead.
1t was lonely and strange about the
old house after that, but time and new
anxieties subdued the sorrow of Lettie
and her husband. A little child was
born to them and hard winter began,
for the local factory where Mark was
a bookkeeper burned down and did
not resume business. They began to
feel the pinch of poverty.
'T fear shall have to try and find
work In some other town." suggested
Mark anxiously. 1.-The potatoes are all
gone and the last Of the bacon. might
go somewhere else and send you what
I earn to get along on. until we make
a final move in the spring.
"No. no, don't leave us alone. baby
and II" pleaded Lettie. Let us stick
together till the winter ends. We will
manage to pull through some way"
Then a piece of rare fortune came
their way. Just at the edge Of their
little patch of ground the railroad ran.
One morning a freight train buckled
In going down a curving grade. Two
cars went of the rails into the ditch.
One of them was loaded with potatoes,
split in two, and the precious tubers
were scattered broadcast.
The wrecking crew cleaned up the
twisted iron and splintered wood and
abandoned the scattered potatoes.
Mark spread the glad intelligence
among his neighbors and all hands
were provided with half years sup
ply Of the coveted vegetable.
Then cane long cold snap. The
two coal T Hers found 1t difficult to
supply t customers.
I've do 1t, Lettie, dear" he
annouM ,Jrrowfully one morning,
coming i..-J the kitchen with the wood
axe. "The old tree has got to CO."
Lett.e choked soh.