Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-04-22
A BLUNDER
BY LIZZIE M. PEABODY.


zled look as from her window she
gazed after each in turn.
Both were of medium height, but
Uncle Eds kindly blue eyes were tad
ed, he was thin, and his hair was
snowy white, while Uncle Zeke was of
stockier build, his dark eyes were still
bright and his hair was an iron gray.
why, they didn't speak, the girl
gasped in dismay, and added softly,
"And they've always been such good
friends. / hate to think that they may
be unhappy"
Still thinking of the veterans she
was soon on her way to the far end of
the village, and accepted Uncle Eds
cordial invitation to come and sit with
him on the tiny porch of his little old
weather-beaten house.
The new spaper he had brought from
the post office was still unfolded, and
he appeared depressed.
She was troubled when Uncle Zeke
passed by and said softly, He didn't
look up, Uncle Eb."
mum hC SAOA lCds A4C 0OCSh ! III V
to! l don't care If he never speaks to
me again."
'Nowi Now! Uncle Eb! And you
have always been such good friends"
she said, protestingly.
After a silence Uncle Eb spoke. 81
know" he said softly. "And always
We have lived here side by side. We
began going to school the same day,
enlisted in the army together, and in
the same company fought side by side.
after the war;" he continued remi-
niscently, "Zeke ran little grocery
store and 1 cobbled shoes for a living
until we settled down here to putter
around and keep hens" With soft
little sigh the veteran paused. "Who-
ever first said that an old dog won't
learn new tricks" he inquired resent
fully.
Rover surprised us both one day by
going over to Zeke's and killing his
chickens"
''Then it became habit, but the DAY
he killed four of Zeke's best pullets
Zeke lost all patience and shot him.
Don't think l blamed Zeke. / didn't.
But l missed old Rover, and somehow
1 couldn't feel so friendly again to-
ward the one who shot him. Perhaps
Zeke knew it. Anyway he sold his
poultry and went over to Wingfield for
a while. You remember, Dolly?"
She nodded and he continued:
when he came home again twas
toward night and / was out in my yard.
was glad to see him, and he seemed
so friendly that hoped for return
of the old happy times"
Again Uncle Eb paused and then
burst out wrathfully. And that very
night that sneaking, revengeful,-well,
anyway, that night he shot the major"
''The major?" she asked. my cat i" he
explained.
II thought you called him the cor
poral," she said smiling. Uncle Eb
Strengthened. "He wasn't a common
cat" he declared proudly. Il taught
him many tricks, and the best ones
CdIntu Well-uCScINSu
"How Zeke would have roared at
some of Majors tricks" he said re-
gretfully. "He was great company,
Maize was" he resumed. "He'd wait
patiently on limb of the old elm tree,
and on my return home he'd drop down
on my shoulder as came through the
gate.
"But are you sure Uncle Zeke shot
him?" she asked.
Eyes! By the moonlight had seen
Major in his yard short time before
and when l heard the report of gun
ran to the window of my unlighted
room just in time to see Zeke enter his
house. Then went looking for my cat
and found him dead"
did you ask Uncle Zeke to ex-
plain?" mot /. When he spoke to me
the next day turned away. We've
never spoken to each other since"
I'm very sorry" Dolly said, as she
rose to go, "and ! wouldn't have be-
lieyed it of Uncle Zeke."
II am provoked; but still I suppose
I must run over to see him.
Hello, Dolly!" greeted Uncle Zeke
as he placed a chair for her. 81
thought you'd never get away from
Eb. He's some buzzer when he gets
started. All talk or no talk, Ed is"
he said bitterly, land as full of whims
as an egg shell is of yolk and white"
"Why do you think that?" she asked
cOldly. Hes more than friendly one
day, and for no reason at all refuses
to speak the next or afterward," he
returned holly.
Her blue-gray eyes flashed. ''You
shot his pretty black and white trained
cat!" she cried. "That's news to me ="
he said "Think" she urged. "The
night you came from Wingfeld."
His face grew troubled.
ssWas it Eb's cat / shot that night?"
He sighed as he said ruefully: 81
thought it was a skunk after Eds
chickens, and I've been well punished
FOR my blunder.
"We are seventy-seven and we've
travelled down the long trail together.
How I've missed Eb. no one will ever
know-unless Eb does" - he added
thoughtfully. Hastily he patted lis
pockets. His pipe and tobacco pouch
were there "Come, Dolly! I'll explain
and then I'll tell him I'll get a cart
load of kittens and train them all for
him if he says So" he said eagerly,
Uncle Eb saw them coming, their
faces alight with happiness and raised
his white head as parched and drOOp-
ing plant raises itself az the coming Of
the blessed rain.