The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1919-08-21

Copyright. 1919 by the Western News
usrer UnionD
A little girl Of six was screaming
out In a transport Of mingled grief
and fright. sobbing rs though her heart
would break. A bravc-faced lad sup
ported her with one arm, while he
shook the fist Of the other at a grls
zlcd. sullcn- faced old man who held
the birdie Of horse he had Just led
across n neatly planted space about
twenty feet square at the edge Of a
vacant lot
You're a bcar-a great biz. ugly.
wicked monstcrl' shouted the hoy. at
was a peace garden. aud We were
working to send the things we raised
10 the starving children In Europe"
well, you impudent young rascal"
grated out the man. this happens 10
be my property. and II want to lead
my horse across IL I'll do IL. Who gave
down on my land with your rubbish
patch Of truckf'
Every decent man In town who had
lot he wasn't usingy' re,orted the
lad doughtily.
Tie harsh-eyed old man seemed to
take a malicious delight In his iuva-
sion 81 the chlldren's cherished garden
plat As the horse nibbled the tender
sprouts and sank his heavy hoofs deep
into the carefully prepared soil the
little girl became positively hysterical
Her champion reached over, picked up
stone and hurled II at their ruthless
;ormentor. The missile grazcd the lat
ter but struck the flank Of the horse.
who started and kicked out. There
was crack and groan. and Mark
Blair lny prone on the ground with
broken limb.
The lad Vainly endeavoring to
soothe his distracted companion. led
her from the spot. \ man from the
house near by huxiel over TO the side
II the writing victim 10 his own
meauues~ In few moments Blair
was borne 10 his home and Il physician
was sent for.
man who seemed to hate everybody,
and particularly the man who had
married his niece. Elsie Dayton. She
had run away with Walden Throop
and had married against the viii of
her tyrant relative. From that hour
Blair had disowned her. had never rec.
ognized her husband. and 80 acute was
the situation that when little Lucy
came Ia the welded pair he never
spoke Of her nor noticed her. nor had
the Throops ever enlightened her ~
to the Identity Of the relative who
ignored her.
II was this same child whose little
garden had been devastated, one Of
many created by the patriotic children
Of the town. II was located short
distance from the Throop home, and
Lucy and her boy friend had devoted
all kinds Of care upon Its culture. Be
fore the day was over there had Gu,
into the soul of Mark Blair like
knife the knowledge that his lnhu-
manity had led to serious result.
Ril'I INV i'itt sunni Nv nn' N'hl iNI
had set his broken limb Blair heard
him say 20 the housekeeper:
al will call again later in the eve
ming. have another urgent case.
that little Throop girl. Somebody de
stroyed her garden and she was
brought home in distracted condl-
ton"
In his uneasy bed Mark Blair
squirmed and groaned. The next day
another remark of the doctor pene-
trated the hard shell OF his seliishness.
I'VE have finally quoted that poor
little mite up at TROOPS" he heard
the physician say. For hours she
was In a delirlum. constantly calling
out about her garden. She Is stlll IN
with the shock and fever, but we have
soothed her by telling her that the
garden is all right. and have promised
TO take her over To see II just as soon
as she Is better"
For the first time In his life Mark
Blair cOunseled with his own soul.
His past life and its ignoble motives
arralgned him as culprit. 1t was
the next morning when he called his
man Of all work and impaired Ia him
secret instructions which were the
first measures Of his atonement. That
night the most extraordinary garden
ever was had superseded the one dew
astated
"It's been made smooth as a foor."