The Arizona copper camp., 1919-03-15
CHAPTER x.
A Party and-My Fourth Peril?

DOuy anu ndu Ser OUT III our spring
buggy with the family unl'rella-a
faded but sacred implement, always
carefully dried, after using, and Lung
in the clothes press. We were drenched
to the skin in spite of the umbrella.
1t was still raining when we arrived
at the familiar door in Ashery lane.
Uncle Peabody wouldn't stop.
He hurried away. We pioneers rare
ly stopped or even turned out for the
weather.
Come in,'' said the voice of the
scEoolmaster at the door. F'There's
good weather under this roof"
He saw my plight as I entered.
'Tm like a shaggy dog that's been
in swimming" 1 said.
"Upon my word, boy, we're in luck"
remarke11 the schoolmaster.
looked up at him.
'.Michael Henry's clothes l--sure,
they're just the thing for you!"
/ followed him upstairs, wondering
how it had happened that l1ichael
Henry had clothes.
He took me into his room aF
brought some handsome. SCI q
out of press WI sIlift ~
boots to match.
'There, my laddie buck" said he
'put them on"
'sThese will soon dry on me-" / said.
"Put them on-ye laggard Michael
Henry told me to give. them to you.
It's the birthday night O. little Ruth,
my boy. There's a big cake with cans
dies and chicken pie and jellied cook
les and all the like o. that. Put them
on. A wet boy at. the feast would
dampen the whole proceedings"
/ put them on and with great
sense of relief and comfort. They
were an admirable fit-too perfect for
an accident, although at the time !
thought only of their grandeur as I
stood surveying myself In the looking
glass. They were of blue cloth. and
saw that they went well with my
blond hair and light skin. I was put
ting on my collar and necktie when
Mr.. Racket returned.
We went below and the table was
very grand with its great frosted cake
and its candles, i'll shiny brass sticks,
and its jellies and preserves with the
CLEAN Of polished pewter among them.
Mrs. Hacket and all the children, save
Ruth, were waiting for us in the din
ing room.
"Now sit down here, all O. We, with
Michael Henry said the schoolmas-
ter. "The little lady will be impatient.
I'll go and get her and God help us to
make her remember the day."
He was gone moment, only, when
he came back with Ruth in lovely
white dress and slippers and gay with
ribbons, and the silver beads of Mary,
on lher neck We clapped our hands
and cheered and, in the excitement of
the moment, John tipped over his
drinking glass and shattered it on
the floor.
'Never mind, my brave lad-no glass
ever perished in a better cause. God
bless you'll"
We ate and jested and talked, and
the sound of our laughter drowned
the cry of the wind in the chimney
and the drumming of the rain upon
the windows.
Next morning my clothes, which had
been hung by the kitchen stove, were
damp and wrinkled. Mr.. Hacket came
to my room before 1 had risen.
Michael Henry would rather see
his clothes hanging on good boy
than on a nail in the closet" said he
"Sure they give no comfort to the
nail at ALL"
Il guess mine are dry now," I an
swered.
'They're wet and heavy, boy. No
son O. Baldur could keep a light heart
In them. Sure ye'd be as much out
O. place as sunbeam in a cave o.
bats. If ye care not for your own
comfort think o. the poor lad in the
green chair. He's that proud land
pleased to see them on We it would be
a shame to reject his offer. Sure, If
they were dry yer own garments
would be good enough. God knows,
but Michael Henry loves the look O.
We in these togs, and then the presi-
dent is in town."
That evening he discovered a big
stain, black as ink, on my coat and
trousers. Mr.. Hacket expressed the
opinion that it might have come from
the umbrella, but am quite sure that
he had spotted them to save me from
the last homemade suit l ever wore,
save in rough work, and keep Michael
Henry's on my back. In any event I
wore them no more save at chore time.
Sally came and went, with the Wills
boy, and gave no heed to me. In her
eyes I had no more substance than
q ghost, it seemed to me, although I
caught her, often, looking at me. I
judged that her father had given her
a bad report of us and had some re-
grets, in spite of my knowledge that
we were right, although they related
mostly to Amos.
Next afternoon I saw Mr.. Wright
and the president walking back and