The Owosso times., 1919-04-18

you for reading this, l am. as ever,
Goods humble servant,
KATE FULLERTON"
"Why, this is the writing Of the ST.
lent Woman" l said before had read
the letter half through.
"Rovin' Kate?'
Rowing Kate; Inever knew her 9th
long ago."
But lOok-this is a neatly written.
well-wOrded letter an the sheet Is as
white and clean as the new snow. Tn
canny wOman They say she carries
the power o. God in her right hand
SO do all the wrOnged."
~ wonder why Kate is asking about
me-" l said.
"Never mind the reason. She is your
friend and let us thank God for 1t.
Think how she came to yer help in the
old barn an say thousand prayers,
my lad"
|, Having come to the first flight of
kind word-how much they mean TO
boy who is choosing his way with
growing sense of loneliness
reached the warm welcome of our
little home just in time for dinner.
They were expecting me and it was
regular company dinner-chicken pie
and strawberry shortcal1e.
How we'll remember that hour with
the doors open and the sun shining
brightly on the blossOming fields and
the JOY Of man and bird and beast in
the return of summer and the talk
about the late visit of Alma Jones and
Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln
While we were eating l told them
about the letter of old Kate.
"Fullerton !" Aunt Deel exclaimed.
"Are We sure that was the name, Bart"
Eyes"
Goodness gracious sakes alive!"
She and Uncle Peabody gave each
other looks of surprised inquiry.
"DO you know anybody by that
name?" asked.
"We used to-" said Aunt Deel as she
resumed her eating. Cant he she's
"Oh, probly not" said Uncle Pea
body. Back East they's more Fuller
tons than We conld shake stick at.
A week later we had our raising.
Uncle Peabody did not want public
rnising but Aunt Deel had had her
way. We had hcwed and mortlNvd and
bored the timbers for our new home.
The neighbors came with pixies aud
helped TO raise ard stay and cover
them. "A great amount of human kind
ness went into the beams and rafters
Of that home and of others like ito
knew that The Thing was still alive
in the nelghborhood, but even that
could not paralyze the helpful hands vi
those people. Indeed. what was said
Of my Uncle Peabody was nothing
more or less than kind Of cOnversa'
tional firewoOd. / cannot think that
any one really believed It,
We had cheerful day. A barrel Of
hard cider had been set UP in the door
yard, and remember that some drank
1t too freely. The he-o-hee of the men
as they lifted on the pixies and the
sound Of the hammer and beetle rang
In the air from morning until night.
Mrs. Rodney Barnes and Mrs. Dorothy
came to help Aunt Deel with the cook
ing and 4 great dinner was served on
an improvised table In the dooryard.
where the stove was set up. The
shingles and sheathes and clapboard
were on before the day ended.
Uncle Peabody and put in the
floors and stairway and partitions.
More than once In the days we were
working together I tried to tell him
what Sally had told me. but my cour-
age failed.
The day came. shortly, when l had
to speak cat. and 1 took the straight
way Of my duty as the needle Of the
compass pointed. 1t was the end Of
a summer dag and we had watched the
dusk fill the valley and come creeping
up the slast sinking the powders and
thorn tops In its flood. one by one. AS
we sat looking out Of the open door
that evening told them what Sally
had told me ef the evil report which
had Travelled through the two towns.
Damn, little sOuled, narrer con-
tracted-" Uncle Peabody, speaking In
a low. sad tone. but with deep feeling,
cut of this highly promising opinion
before 1t was half expressed, and rose
and went to the water pail and drank.
"As long N we're honest we don't
care what they say" he remarked as
he returned ts his chair.
'If they won't believe us, we ought
to show 'em the papers-ayes," said
Aunt Deel.
Thunder an Jehu! wouldn't 20
round the town tryin' to prove that l
ain't thief" said Uncle Peabody. 1T
wouldn't make nc differ'nce. They've
got to have somethin' to play with.
If they want to use my name for q
bean bag let 'em as long as they do II
when l amt lookin'. wouldn't won
der If they got sore hands by an by"
never heard him speak of 1t again.
Indeed, although knew the topic was
often In our thoughts It was never
A.