Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-03-05

l ~'t'hat VI nCnootuOyb. lntfth soint
new fellows here and we've been
Dragging about your acts"
IAN right. I'll see n Snowfoot has
forgotten his lessons. Don't let any OF
you fellows get the circus fever out
OF this. though. The glare and glitter
don't last long. and wasted the best
years OF my life In the sawdust ring
and you see what I've turned out TO
be-"
The jolly friend Of everybody e.
shouted an enthusiastic chorus OF
voices.
sYes. but a shlftless rover. never
settling down, Observation-Disclosures. n
meal today, none omorrow-Houpla !
snowfooti''
Everybody 10 town knew snowfoot.
He was a big built. gentle but strong
and steady and belonged 10 Widow
Brayton. Everybody. too. knew Widow
Brayton and pltied her. for she was
desperately poor and an invalid. There
were two children. Ned lad Of eleven
and Alma Just turning sixteen. When
the .atLer died these two had stepped
into the breach so far as their limited
capacity of earning could count. Alma
was receiving a mere pittance IN
sort OF apprenticeship to the village
mIliiner. Ned. young as he was,
earned ten dollars a week with old
Snowfoot.
This was how he did Il: A Mr..
Daily. sickly and cripple. with his
wife and a hired helper. run a small
farm a shor; distance from the Bray
ton place. There were fifteen cows.
and he made a proposition to Mrs.
Brayton to have Ned help milk these
and supply the milk to regular custom
ers. Mrs. Brayton had Snovfoot and
a wagon, Ned was loyal. entefprising
lad, worked early and late and II
booked as though the family was oR
the road to better times.
"As soon as I am able to trim hats
Instead Of sewing braid only. we shall
have all kinds OF money. mother" Al
ma used to say.
Paul Dacre had dropped into Fern
dale one morning early when Ned
stood leaning In dismay over snowfoot
on the public street. Snowfoot had
collapsed when some equine aIiment
came suddenly upon him and was IT,
Ing prone upon the ground between the
shafts. writhing and gasping.
Hes a goner" an old timer had pro-
nounced.
"Let me see. I know considerable
about horses" said Paul, coming up.
He examined the eyes and mouth OF
the animal. took a pencil. wrote the
names OF two ingredients on chip Of
wood and said: Go to the drug store
mix these powders In quart OF hot
water and hurry back as fast as you
can"
Ned sped away with the prescription.
He returned with steaming jar. Deft
and skillful. the stranger administered
the medicine. In five minutes old Snow
foot was regarding him with look as
though he fully comprehended his at
tentlon. and when he at length gained
his feet he lovingly laid his cheek
against Paul's shoulder.
They became great friends. those
three. Then a new token Of Interest
came Into Paul Dacre's life. He natur-
ally met Alma and they became quite
friendly. Head-strong, erratic. ne'er-
| dO-well as he was. there was some
thing beautiful In his love for Ned and
old SnOwfoot. Paul did odd jobs In the
town, but every morning he was on
hand TO help Ned get over his route.
AS to Alma. he ldollsed her. and told
hlr ~. "Some day Ill make fortune"
he declared. -rll make you all rich
and you'll have so many suitors you
can pick some prince or major general
for the husband you deserve"
And now Paul. homeward bound.
was surrounded by crowd OF juvenile
admirers. He pretended TO whisper In
SnowfOot's ear. Immediately the
clever animal he had trained In old
time circus tricks started running
around In a ring. Paul described a
running Jump, to land sQuarely upon
the back OF the horse. A dozen times
they sped arounu the ring. lheh run
made Snowfoot steal IA handkerchief
from his pocket locate hidden eur
of corn and nod his head seven times
when asked how many days there were
Ia the we.1
Paul stood spelibound with dread
and doubt when, late the next after
noon. he went up 10 the house 10 ac-
company Ned on his evening delivery
rounds Ned was seated ON the step
OF the wagon, picture OF disconsolate
dismay. From inside the house came
the wuilng OF Mrs Brayton. Alma
came out wlplug the tears from her
, eyes.
"Oh, Mr.. Dacre," she cried. snow
foot Is gone !"
"Gone !" repeated Paul, aghast
eyes. there was an old debt OF poor