The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-11-07

per syndicate.)
"bir. Valentines late" announced
Esther. as Matilda came in with her
hands full Of arbutus. 'Did you see
him anywhere2 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-peddier," she
replied. mot eve If he Is a travelling
department store and bringing my dear
mt her new summer gown. / was
listening to the robins and the blessed
little spring peppers. and hunting for
Mayfowers. Why, auntie dear, it's
spring-and summer Is coming, and
anything may happen In summer, even
IF you do live deep In the woods and
have only one old horse to go gadding
with"
Esther caught but a 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 a horse than
one of those ~destroyers," she declared.
Sand surely something will happen
right now If it meets anything"
Before the machine was out Of sight
It happened. Old Mr.. Valentine, driv-
Ing his old horse and his box Of a 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 no 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 n "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.
IFS his hip" said Aunt Esther.
STOPPING to examine his injuries. ave
mustn't move him. Run and telephone
for the doctor. And bring pillows
when you come back. I'll watch in case
anybody comes"
s Old Mr. Valentine vas q relic of the
past. Before the days Of automobiles.
drummers and mail-order houses, he
andshis peddler's cart had been al reg
nlar, 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
broons Of the tin peddler, but buttons,
thread, cloth. ribbon; anything that
the dwelTers 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
a few customers who bought from him
Cor 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 anne
Remember, Mr.. Valentine had been
coming for many years. Miss Esther
knew about his son. too. who a 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 1t might be when Matilda
called up. so l brought Alick along to
help me nov him. Run ahead and get
the room ready, girls. This Is nc
woman's job here-Alick. rip a picket
of Miss Esther's fence"
Next day, the old wagon. repaired
by Alicx and the doctor, stood in Miss
Esther's barn, no more helpless than
the impatient man TINT lay In the
spare bed.
Hes worryin' about his trip some
thin awful" Esther confided to Ma
tilda. II know 1t amt good for him,
bein' so upset In his mind"
"ITl 60 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
Whlpple to come and help you do the
work."
Matilda Peters. what are you talkin'
about? And where r you goin' to
get a horse? And how do you know
where to go? And what II you should
meet a drunken automobile, like he
6d?"
I'm going to take your horse. dar-