The diamond drill., 1919-01-25

/ back. / looked down at my bare feet
and my clothes, both OF which were
dirty. Sally and her friends had
stopped their play and were standing
In group looking at US. heard
| Sally whisper:
Its that Baynes boy. Don't he
look dirtyf"
/ stopped and withdrew my hand
from that of my guide.
"Come on, Bart" he said.
/ shook my head and stood looking
over at that little. hostile tribe near
me.
"Go and play with them while step
into the house." he urged.
Again shook my head.
"Well. then, you wait here a mo-
ment," eaid my new-found friend.
He left me and I sat down upon
the ground. thoughtful and silent.
In a moment my friend came out
with Mrs. Dunkelberg, who kissed me.
and asked me TO tell how I happened
10 be there.
II just thought would come" said
as 1 twisted a button on my coat,
and would say no more to her.
''Mr. Wright. you're going TO take
him home, are your Mrs. Dunkel-
berg asked.
"Yes. I'll start off with him in an
hour or So" said my friend. II am
interested In this boy and i want "a
see his aunt and uncle"
"Well, Sally, you go down to the of
fee and stay with Bart until they GO
you'd like that, wouldn't your" the
man asked of me.
III don't know / said
"That means yes" said the man.
Sally and another little girl came
with us and passing a store l held
back to look at many beautiful things
in big window.
us there anything you'd like there
BartT" the man asked.
II wisht l had pair o. them shiny
shoes with buttons on" ! answered
In a low, confidential tone, afraid 10
express, openly, a wish SO extrava-
CANT.
"Come right in" he said and l re
member that when we entered the
store could hear my heart beating.
He bought a pair of shoes for me
and / would have them on at once.
and made It necessary for him to
buy a pair of socks also. After the
shoes were buttoned on my feet / saw
little of Sally Dunkelberg or the other
people of the village. my eyes being
on my feet most Of the time.
The man took us into his Office and
told US TO sit down until he could
write a letter.
Soon n horse and buggy came for
us and / briefly answered Sally's good
bye before the man drove away with
me. l remember telling him as we
went on over the rough road. between
fields of ripened grain, of my water
melon and my dog and my little pet
hen.
/ shall not try to describe that home
coming. We found Aunt Deel in the
road five miles from home. She had
been calling and travelling from house
10 house most of the night, and l
have never forgotten her JOY at seeing
me and her tender greeting. She got
into the buggy and rode home with
us, holding me I'm her hap. Uncle Pea
body and one OF our neighbors had
been out In the woods all night with
pine torches. / recall how. although
excited by my return, he took on
his hat at the sight of my new friend
and said:
'Mr. Wright. / never wished that
lived In palace until now"
lie didn't notice me until l held up
both feet and called: "Look a there,
Uncle Peabody"
Then he came and took me out OF
the buggy and | saw the tears In his
eyes when he kissed me.
The man told of finding me on his
little veranda. and / told OF my ride
with Dug Draper, after which Uncle
Peabody said:
"I'm goIn' TO put In your hoss and
feed him, Comptroller"
"And I'm goin' 10 cook the best
dinner l ever cooked In my life," said
Aunt Deel.
When the great man had gone Uncle
Peabody took me in his lap and said
very gently and with a serious look: /:
"You didn't think I meant II. did
ye?-that you would have TO go way
from heref"
'I don't know" was my answer.
l
"'Course didn't mean that. just
wanted ye 10 see that it want going
20 do for you 20 keep on tippin' things
over So"
That evening as I was about TO go
upstairs to bed. Aunt Deel said to
my uncle:
'Do you remember what Oh Kate
wrote down about him? This is his
first peril an he has met his first
great man an l can see that SIle