The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-07-25
Tin Pedd1er
C. Co.
M
BY BERTHA PORTER
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure N,
per syndicate.l

per syndicate)
mfr. Valentines late" announced
Esther, as Matilda came In with her
hands full Of arbutus. "Did you see
him anywhere7 Tn anxious TO have
that blue gingham."
Matilda, cheeks as pink as the flow
ers she carried, laughed with all the
Joy Of her twenty years. II wasn't
looking for any old tin-peddler," she
replied. "Not even II he Is a travelling
department store and bringing my dear
aunt her new summer gown. / was
listening TO the robins and the blessed
little spring peppers, and hunting for
Mayfiowers. Why. auntie dear. it's
spring-and summer is coming, and
anything may happen In summer, even
II you do live deep in the woods and
have only one old horse to go gadding
with"
Esther caught but part Of her
words. She was at the window, look
ing after a great automobile that was
laundering madly down the narrow
country road, scattering hens and dust
impartially.
Il should rather have q horse than
one Of those destroyers," she declared.
"And surely something will happen
right now II II meets anything"
Before the machine was out Of sight
II happened. Old Mr.. Valentine, driv-
ing his old horse and his box of ped
dler's cart up the narrow road had no
chance. The horse leaped to escape
the monster bearing down upon him,
but that did not save the cart from the
blow. Freed from hanging splinters,
old Peter galloped away out Of sight
and was not located for several days.
In the other direction the car raced as
madly, its drunken occupants intent
only on escape from what they vaguely
realized as smash"
When Esther and Matilda reached
the wreck they found the wagon less
damaged than had seemed possible.
Old Peter had swung It nightly, and
splinters and scratches were the worst
of its hurts. Not so with Mr.. Valen-
tine. He lay In the road. unconscious.
cts his hip" said Aunt Esther,
STOPPING TO examine his injuries. "We
mustn't move him. Run and telephone
for the doctor. And bring pillows
when you come back. I'll watch In case
anybody comes"
Old Mr.. Valentine was relic Of the
past. Before the days Of automobiles.
drummers and mail-order houses, he
and his peddler's cart had been as reg
ular, II not as frequent. on these coun-
try roads, as the mail stage. He was
progressive, too, and carried not only
the conventional kitchen ware and
brooms of the tin peddler, but buttons,
thread, cloth, ribbon; anything that
the jewellers in the country, far from
stores, might want. He was indeed, as
Matilda had called him, a travelling
department store. Now the advent Of
automobiles owned by the farmers had
almost killed his trade, but there were
few customers who bought from him
for the sake Of old times. There were
some. too, like Miss Esther, who liked
the CHEEKY little old man and looked
forward to his monthly visit. When
ever he came to Miss Esther's house
he timed his arrival to be able TO stay
to dinner, and she somehow knew his
favorite dishes and they always ap-
peared on the table when he came.
Remember. Mr.. Valentine had been
coming for many years. Miss Esther
knew about his son. too, who was a
commercial traveller, and about the
wife, who had died when the boy was
born.
Now she sat with his head In her lap,
watching the road for the doctors
buggy.
Broken hip" said the doctor. II
thought II might be when Matilda
called up, so brought Alick along TO
help me move him. Run ahead and get
the room ready, girls. This is no
woman's job here-Alick. rip a picket
of Miss Esther's fence"
Next day. the old wagon, repaired
by Alick and the doctor, stood in Miss
Esther's barn. no more helpless than
the impatient man that lay In the
spare bed.
He's worryin' about his trip some
thin awful" Esther confided to Ma
tilda. II know it amt good for him,
bein' so upset in his mind"
"rll go In and talk to him."
Twenty minutes later she danced out
Of the room. "Aunt Esther, he's all .
right now. I'm going TO finish the trip
for him, and you must get Flora
TO come and help you do the
work"
Matilda Peters, what are you talkin'
about? And where are you goin' to
get a horsef And how do you know
where TO gof And what IL you should
meet a drunken automobile. like he
Ihdf"
"Im going IN take vour horsa dar-