Manchester Democrat., 1919-04-09

thinking out loud while you take them
down In sound-hand. Then you can
& draft them neatly and I'll sign them.
You have tact and good manners and
can do many of my errands for me and
cave me from those who have no good
4 reason for taking up my time"
"You will meet the best people and
the worst. There's just chance that
It may come to something worth while
who knows7 You are young yet. It
will be good training and you will wit
ness the making of some history now
and then"
What elation I felt!
Again the voice Of the hound, which
had been ringing in the distant hills,
was coming nearer.
I'VE must keep watch-another deer
Is coming" said the senator.
/ We had only moments watch be-
fore fine yearling buck came down
to the opposite shore and stood look
ing across the river. The senator
raised his rife and fred. The buck
fell in the edge Of the wafer.
'H0w shall we get himT my friend
asked.
ut will not be difficult" answered
- began to undress. Nothing was
difhcult those days.
I swan the river and towed the
buck across with beech withe In his
gambrel Joints. The hound Joined me
before was half across with my bur
den and nosed the carcass and swan
on ahead yelping with delight.
We dressed the deer and then I
/ had the great Joy Of carrying him
on~my back two miles across the c0un-
try to the wagon. The senator wished
to send guide for the deer, but in.
sisted that the carrying was my privi.
Leg.
well. I guess your big thighs and
broad shoulders can stand It. }" said he.
my uncle has always said that no
man could be called hunter until he
!. can 60 into the woods without a guide
and kill deer and bring It out on
his back. want to be able to testify
that am at least partly qualified"
"Your uncle didn't say anything
about fetching the deer across deep
river without boat. did hep Mr..
Wright asked me with q smile.
Leaves Of the beeches. naples and
basswoods- -yellowed by frost-hung
like tiny lanterns. glowing with noon.
day light, above the dim forest aisle
which we Travelled.
The sun was down when we rot to
the clearing.
"What day It has been I" said Mr..
Wright when we were seated In the
wagon.
zone Of the best In my life," I an
swered with a Joy In my heart the like
OF which have rarely known in these
many years that have come to me.
y, We rode on in silence with the calls
LOT the swamp robin and the hermit
thrush ringing in our ears as the night
fell.
aIt's good time to think, and there
we take different roads," said my
friend. "Yon will turn into the future
and into the past"
"Tve been thinking about your
uncle" he said by and by. HE Is one
OF the greatest men have ever known.
You knew of that foolish gossip about
him didn't you?"
Eyes" answered.
~Well, now, he's gone about his busi-
naw the same as ever and showed by
his life that 1t couldn't be true. Not q
iword out of him! But Dave Ramsey
fell sick-down on the fiat last winter.
By and by his children were crying for
bread and the poormaster was going
10 take charge Of them. Well, who
should turn up there, just in the nick
bf dine. but Della and Peabody
Baynes. They fed those children all
winter and kept them In clothes so
hat they could 60. to school. The
strange thing about It is this: 1t was
Dave Ramsey who really started that
Gtory. He got up In church the other
hight and confessed his crime. His
conscience wouldn't let him keep 1t.
1e said that he had not seen Peabody
Baynes on that road the day the
honey was lost but had only heard
Eat he was there. He knew now that
lie couldn't have been there. Gosh
almighty as your uncle used to
hay when there was nothing else to be
aid"
It touched me to the soul-this long
elayed vindication Of my beloved
ncle Peabody.
The senator ate supper with US and
ent his hired man out for his horse
nd buggy. When he had put on his
vercoat and was about to 60 he
arned to my uncle and said:
peabody Baynes. II have had any
1ccess in the world 1t Is because I
i've had the. exalted honor and con-
.iousness that I represented men like
pu."
He left us and we sat down by the
owing candles. Soon told them what
amsey had done. There was mo-
ent Of silence. Uncle Peabody rose
ID went to the water pail for drink.
Bart, believe I'll plant corn on
at ten-arce lot next spring
! DON'T" he said as he returned to
chair.
None of us ever spoke Of the matter
ain, to my knowledge.
CHAPTER XVIII.