The diamond drill., 1919-02-15
AUTHOR or
EBEN HOLDEN DRi AND l. DARRtL or THE BLESSED HlEa
KEEPlNo UP WITH LIZZIE. ETC. ETC

teacher 10 take brain no Digger tnan
fiy's foot an make II visible to the
naked eye"
One OF the children, OF which there
were four In the Backet home, called
us to supper. Mrs. Hacket. a stout
woman with red and kindly face, sal
at one end OF the table. and between
them were the chlldren-Mary, a pret
~ daughter OF seventeen years; Mag
gle, six-year-old; Ruth, delicate
girl or seven, and John. noisy, red
faced boy OF five. The chairs were OF
plain wood-like the kitchen chairs OF
today. In the middle of the table wa,
an empty one-paInted green. Befor,
he sat down Mr.. Hacket put his hand
on the back Of this chair and said:
"A merry heart TO you. Mlchae
Henry"
I wondered at the meaning OF this
but dared not TO ask. The oldes
daughter acted as kind OF moderator
with the others.
"Mary Is the constable OF this house
with power to arrest and hale into
court for undue haste or rebellion o.
impoliteness," Mr.. Hacket explained.
'I believe that Sally Dunkelberg Is
your friend" he said to me presently.
''Yes, sir" answered.
"A fine slip OF girl that and born
scholar. i saw you look Mt her as
the Persian looks at the rising sun"
blushed and Mary and her mother
and the boy John looked at me and
laughed.
"Puer pulcherrlme Mr.. Hacket
exclaimed with a kindly smile.
Uncle Peabody would have called II
"stout snag." The schoolmaster had
hauled II out OF his brain very deftly
and chucked II down before me in
kind Of challenge.
"What does that mean2" / asked.
"You shall know I'm a week, my son."
he answered 81 shall put You into
the Latin class Wednesday morning.
and God help you TO like it as well as
you like Sally"
Again they laughed and again l
blushed.
Hold up yer head. my brave lad"
he went on. "Ye've perfect right TO
like Sally II ye've heart TO.
"a lad in his teens
Will never know beans
IL he hasn't an eye for the girls"
II was n merry supper, and when Il
ended Mr.. Hacket rose and took the
green chair from the table, exclaim-
ing:
michael Henry. God bless your'
Then he kissed his wife and said:
"Maggie, you wild rose OF Erin I've
been all day In the study. / must take
walk or i shall get an exalted abdo-
men. One is badly beaten I'm the race
o. life when his abdomen gets ahead
OF his toes. Children, keep our young
friend happy here until come back,
and mind you, don't forget the good
fellow I'm the green chair"
Mary helped her mother with the
dishes, while / sat with a book by the
fireside. Soon Mrs. Hacket and the
children came and sat down with me.
Lets play backgammon" Mary pro-
posed.
II don't want to-" said John.
Don't forget Michael Henry" she
reminded.
"Who is Michael Henry?" / asked.
"Sure, he's the boy that has never
been born" said Mrs. Hacket. "He
was TO be the biggest and noblest OF
them-kind an helpful an CHEEKY
hearted an beloved o. God above all
the others. We try to live up to him."
He seemed TO me very strange and
wonderful creature-this invisible oc.
cupant OF the green chair.
1 know now what I knew not then
that Michael Henry was the spirit OF
their home-an Ideal OF which the
empty green chair was constant re-
minder.
We played backgammon and "old
maid" and Everlasting" until Mr..
Hacket returned.
The sealed envelope which Mr..
Wright had left at our home, long
time before that day. was in my pocket.
At last the hour had come when 1
could open II and read the message
OF which l had thought much and
with growing interest.
rose and said that should like 10
20 to my room. Mr.. Hacket lighted
candle and took me upstairs TO a
little room where my chest had been
deposited. There were I'm the room a
bed, a chair. n portrait OF Napoleon
Bonaparte and a small table on which
were dictionary. Bible and a num-
her OF schoolbooka
These were Mary's books" said Mr..
Hacket. II told your uncle that ye
could use them an welcome"
1 sat down and opened the sealed
envelope with trembling hands and
found In a this brief note:
Dear Partner: want you 10 ask
the wisest man you know 10 explain
these words TO you. suggest that
you commit them 10 memory and think
! often of their meaning They are from