The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1919-01-30

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and Dolly DIS pretty face wore p4|-
zled look as from her window she
| gazed after each in turn.
Both were of medium height, Dut
Uncle EDS kindly blue eyes were fad-
ed. he was thin, and his hair was
snowy white while Uncle Zeke was OF
! stockier build, his dark eyes were sun
bright and his hair was an iron gray.
..Why, they didn't speak !" the girl
/ gasped in dislnay, 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 Nld OF
the village, and accepted Uncle I'D
! cordial invitation to come and SIT VIVID
him on the tiny porch of his little Ola
weather-beaten house.
The newspaper he had brought trSm
the post office was still unfolded, ana
he appeared depressed.
She was troubled when Uncle Zeke
passed by and said softly, HE dIdh
look up, Uncle Eb.'
Huh! !" he snorted. "He doesn't have
to! | don't care if he never speaks 10
me again."
Nov! Now! Uncle Eb! And you
have always been such good friends
she said, protestingly.
After a silence Uncle Eb spoke.
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 ID
the same company fought side by side.
after the war;" he continued reInl-
niscently, "Zeke ran little grocery
store and l cObbled shoes for living
until we settled down here to putter
around and keep hens" With SOFT
little sigh the veteran paused. VINO
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 Zekes and killing his
chickens"
Then it became habit, but the day
he killed four of Zeke's best pulets
Zeke lost all patience and shot MN.
Don't think l blamed Zeke. didn't.
But l missed old Rover, and somehow
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 Wingheld for
a while. You remember, DollyT
She nodded and he continued:
when he came home again twas
toward night and was out in my yard.
1 was glad to see him, and he seemed
so friendly that hoped for a 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" he
explained.
81 thought you called him the cor
moral" she said smiling. Uncle ED
Strengthened He wasn't a common
cat" he declared proudly. 81 taught
him many tricks, and the best ones
earned him well-deserved promotions"
'FHow 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 a limb of the old elm tree,
and on my return home he'd drop down
on my shoulder as l came through the
gate.
but are you sure Uncle Zeke shot
him." she asked.
Eyes BY the moonlight had seen
Major in his yard a short time before
and when l heard the report OF gun
| ran to the window of my unlghted
room just in time to see Zeke enter his
house. Then I went looking for my cat
and found him dead"
did you ask Uncle Zeke to ex-
plain?" mot l. When he spoke to me
the next day l 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-
lieved it of Uncle Zeke."
Il am provoked; but still l suppose
| must run over to see him"
Hello, Dollyw greeted Uncle Zeke
as he placed a chair for her. Il
thought you'd never get away from
Eb. He's some buzzer when he, gets
started. All talk or no talk, Eb 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 "Thnk!" she urged. 1.-THE
night you came from Wingield."
His face grew troubled.
"Was it EDS cat l shot that nightT
He sighed as he said ruefully: 81
thought it was a skunk after Eds
chickens, and I've been well punished
for my blunder.