Evening star., 1919-01-05
BY SEWELL FORD.

aHsWerln any O'CLOCK whistle yet q
while. Not him."
And for a spell there it looked like
scott was right. AS soon as few
more OF our boys begun driftin' back.
some from demobilizin' camps and
some from convalescent hospitals, we
mad little victory parade of our own
ana peace meeting in Odd Fellows ,
ran Corp. Kinney was prominent at
both affairs. They even got him to
make speech. Wasn't such a bad
speech at that. He didn't pull any Of
lhe spread-eagle stuff such as some of
our f1re-eatin' stay-at-home patriots
Ied US. his talk was modest and sober
Tor the most part, although that tale
or his about how he tried to coach
squad OF Trenches through base
ball game was good enough to go in
q book.
But two or three weeks went by and
Euck didn't apply for the job in the
Nut q Bolt orks that we had waitin'
Tor him, / saw him around town only
once or twice, so ! concludes he's still
rest!n up. And Scott amt in eXi- q.
dence. either. Finally. one Saturday
afternoon, | takes another run down
10 the marsh.
kinney up on little knoll about hun
dred yards from the shack, dggin away
with spade, so busy that he don't no.
tee me Until I'm almost over him. He
i'ro MS wal oli anu ms sleeves FCtlru
up and he's leakin' generous. although
it's a chilly afternoon.
Look like you was mimi. Scott
says I.
face Might as well 'bs.' be. The to- top OF Of
this ground is froze hard enough
But what's the scheme?'' l goes on
Better ask Buck" says he. Its his
fpoi idea. Buildin' hothousea, he says.
though WIZ he can't wait till spring is
by me, Him? Oh he's up near Port
chester workin in a place where they
raise cucumbers and lettuce and such
truck under glass. He'll be home soon
and then Wen both pitch in and work
until dark Bound to get this up by the
end of the month. but l don't see how
it can be done"
| gathers that Buck plans on startin'
in the hothouse business for himself
early in the spring and has sort of
drafted the old man in as high private
"One of the ideas he brought back
from France" says Scott. And say,
he's got a lot of 'em."
II take 1T. " says l. that there's more
or less labor connected with most of
en-"
rs there" snorts Scott. Say. I
amt been worked 50 hard in all my
born days as l have since that boy
came back. This is only sample.
You amt seen the house. have you?
Well jest come up and take a, look"
Honest. | hardly knew the place.
First off little yard had been fenced
off all around. and inside of that the
ground had been cleaned up and level
ed and raked until 1t looked as neat as
a city park. Paths had been laid out
and bushes and shrubs planted. The
shack itself had been whitewashed so
it fairly slistened, So had the fence,
and even the wharf. New panes of
glass had been set in the windows and
all of 'em scrubbed. The chimney had
been topped out and out and back of it
was a new shed with run of chicken
wire leadin down to the creek
Whats that for, Scott?" l asks.
Geese says he. Bucks started to
raise 'em. Another of his French no.
tions. Coin to have pigs and Il COW
. later on, too, You know what that
and mixin' bran mash twice day.
He's got his nav at 1t, too. Take "A
look inside if YOU don't believe it."
It's fact. The floor was as clean as
the windows the stove had been pol
ished up like new, and a freshly IRON
cd tablecloth had just been spread.
Also Mrs. Kinney was spruced up
moron I'd ever seen her before With
her hair washed and done up careful
and in that pink and white checked
dress she looks like different party
More careful, too, She comes in from
out back hummin a song an most
bushes when l remarks on the
change,
6uCkS IDEAS says She. lie s.
he's awful particular about things
since he come back from France"
Then she shows me the geraniums
CROWN in the window box and where
Buck has planned to put a big fire.
place with an outside chimney
"But I don't believe I'll ever learn
to cook all them French messes he
wants." says she. Think of tryin' to
make soup out of q few onions and
some grated cheese; or from Il scrap
of meat and a carrot and few green
weeds he picks UP beside the road, 1t
seems jest plumb foolish to me, but of
course keep ut it, Bucky knows best,
| expect
That seems to be Scotts verdict too
although he ain't enthusiastic about It,
"'Coursa, | don't mind his branchn'
out this way" says Scott. land doin'
things like he's seen 'em done over
there, but | wisht it didn't take so
much dad -blistered work to nut em
through. Them t'renchies must he u
mighty restless lot. Must be catchin',
too. Bucky was never like this before
he went to war.
Then he amt satisfied to wait for
Uncle Sam to take care OF him, eh?',
| suggests.
''Bucky?" says Scott "fie amt sat.
stied to wait for nothn'. Routs me-
out at 1880 these cold mornins and
has me eatin what he calls chow by
In haf l.