The Dermott news., 1919-05-15
CHAPTER xIV-Continued.


June l.
Dear Hir.-I am Interested In the
BOY Barton Bnynes. Good words about
him have been flying around like
pigeons. When school is out | would
like TO hear from you, what is the rec
ord? What do you think of the sou
I'm hims What kind of work Is best
for it, IL you will let me maybe
can hep the plans Of God little. That
is my business and yours. Thanking
you for reading this. | am, as ever
Gods humble servant,
KATE FULLERTON"
Why tbs is the writing of the 81.
lent Woman. said before had read
the letter half through.
"RovH' knte?"
Rowing Kate; never knew her 9th.
or name. hut | saw her handwriting
long ago"
Bat look-thls is neatly written
well-werded letter an the sheet Is as
white and dean as the new snow. I'm
canny woman They say she carries
the P"~v o God in he right hand
So do an The wronged"
Il wonder Why Kate is asking about
me said
'Sevtv mind the reason. She Is your
friend aud Lee us thank God fer 1t.
Think how she came To yer help in the
old barn ~ say IA thousand prayers.
my las !"
Having come to the first flight OF
the mihnds he left me with many a
kind word-how much they mean to
a boy WHO ia choosing his way with II
growing sense of loneliness
rcacecd the warm welcome of our
little scrse Just in time for dinner.
They wege expecting me and 1t was n
regular company dinner-chicken pie
and SIRE wNcrvy shortcake.
How wad remember that hour with
the doors open and the sun shining
brightly On the blossominC fields and
che jog q man and bird and beast in
the rNurn q summer and the talk
about Nc late visit OF Alma Jones and
Mr.. and Mn Liucoini
WhNe We we're eating | told them
about ne LITTER OF old Kate
''Fu1rtoa :" Aunt peel exclaimed.
Are Ve snre that was the name Bartf"
Yes
Goodness gracious sakes alive"
She snd Uncle Peabody gave each
other hooks Of surprised inquiry.
10 yos know anybody by that
namet" ast ed
we ~Sod to-" said Aunt Deel az she
resumed h.v eating Cant be she's
one o ne Sam Fullertons can IT."
'Oh. prahry not" said Uncle Pea
body. "Bod East they's more Fuller
tons than We could shake a stick at"
A wecs later we had our raising.
Uncle Peabody did not want n public
raising. but Aunt Deel had had her
way We had hewed and mortiSed and
bored the timbers for our new home.
The nsghbers came with pixies and
helped to raise and stay and cover
them. A great amount of human kind
neN s~snt Into the beams and rafterS
~ that home and Of others like 1t. /
knew chat The Thing was still alive
in the nc4ghhorhood. but even that
could not psraly2e the helpful hands ~
those people. Indeed. what was said
Of my Pncie Peabody was nothing
more s. less thun a kind of Conyersa-
tionai trewead. | cannot think that
any one really believed It.
We had IA cheerful day. A barrel Of
hard cider had been set up In the door
yard. and remember that some drank
IL too freely. The he-o-hee of the men
rs they lifted on the pixies and the
sound ~ the hammer and beetle rang
In the mir from morning until night.
Mrs. Rodney Barnes and Mrs. Dorothy
came to help Aunt Deel with the cook
ing and . great dinner was served on
an inpecvised table In the dooryard,
where the stove was set up. The
shinsffS and sheathes and clapboard
were on before the day ended.
Uncle Peabody and l put in the
floors uId stairway and partitions.
More than once In the days we were
working together tried TO tell him
what Sally had told me. but my eour-
age failed.
The day came. shortly, when | had
to speak out, and i took the straight
way of my duty as the needle of the
compass pointed. 1t was the end of
summer day and we had watched the
dusk fiji the valley and come creeping
up the slant. sinking the powders and
thorn tops In its food. one by one. As
we sat looking out of the open door
that evening | told them what Sally
had tod me of the evil report which
had travelled through the two towns.
Damn. little souled. narrer con-
tracted-" Uncle Peabody. speaking In
low. sad tone, but with deep feeling,
cut OH this highly promising opinion
before IL WAS half expressed. and rose
and went to the water pail and drank.
AS hong as we're honest we don't
care what they say" he remarked as
he returned to his chair.
"If they won't believe us, we ought
10 show EN- the papers-ayes." said
Aunt Deel.