Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-11

uncovered -ly emotions so that put
my elbow Oh the wood-box and leaned
my head dpon it and scbbed.
81 amt g0in' to be hard on ye.
Baypes," said Mr.. Grimshaw as he
rose from his chair; "rll give ye
three months to see what you cen Go.
| wouldn't wonder il IT, hoy would
.urn out all right. He's big an eordy
Of his age and purity likely boy, they
tell me"
Mr.. Grimshaw opened the door and
stood for a moment looking at US and
added in Il milder tone: you've got
one o. the best farms in this town an
If We work hard an use common
sense ye ought to be out o. debt in
five years-mebbe less"
He closed the door and went away.
Neither of US moved or spoke as we
listened to his footsteps on the gravel
path that went down to the road and
to the sound of his buggy as he drove
away. Then Uncle Peabody broke
the silence by saying:
"HeS the dam'dest-"
He stopped, set the half-splintered
stick aside, closed his jackknife and
went to the water-pail to cool his
emotions with a drink.
Aunt Deel took up the subject. where
he had dropped it, as if no-half-ex-
pressed sentiment would satisfy her,
saying:
"-old skinfint that ever lived in
this world, ayesl / amt goin' to
hold my opinion O. that man no
longer, ayes! l can't. It's too pow
erful-ayes!"
Having recovered my composure
repeated that l should like to give up
school and stay at home and work.
Aunt Deel interrupted me by say
ing:
Il have an idee that Sile Wright
will help us-ayes! He's comm home,
an you better go down an see him
ayes sHadn't ye?"
Bart an III go down t0-m0rreJ,
said Uncle Peabody.
Some fourteen months before that
day my uncle had taken me to Pots
dam and traded grain and salts for
what he called "trip roarln' fine suit
O. clothes" with boots and cap and
Shirt and collar and necktie to match,
| having earned them by saving and
cording wood at three shillings a
cord. How often we looked back to
those better days! The clothes had
been too big for me and / had had to
wait until my growth had taken up
the "slack" in my coat and trousers
before l could venture out of the
neighbour Ood. l had tried them on
every week or so for long time. Now
my statue filled them handsomely
and they filled me with a pride and
satisfaction which l had never known
before.
Now may the Lord help ye to be
careful-awful, terrible careful o.
them clothes every minute o. this
day" Aunt Deel cautioned as she
looked at me. "Don't gt no horse
sweat nor wagon grease on 'em."
To Aunt Deel wagon grease was
the worst enemy of happy and re-
spectacle home.
We hitched our team to the grass
hopper spring wagon and set out on
our Journey. 1t was a warm, hazy
lndian-summer day in November. AS
we passed "the mill" we saw the ST.
lent Woman looking out of the little
window of her room above the black.
smith shop-a low, weathep-stained,
frame building, hard by the main
road, with a narrow hanging stair on
the side of it.
"She keeps watch by the winder
when she amt .travelin'," said Uncle
Peabody. 'Knows all that's g0in'
on-that woman-knows who goes to
the village an how long they stay.
Waen GrimsnaW goes by they say she
hustles off down the road in her rags.
She looks like sick dog herself, but
I've heard that she keeps that room
o. hers Jdst us neat as pin"
Near the village we passed a smart
looking buggy drawn by spry-foot-
cd forse in shiny harness. Then
noticed with a pang that our wagon
was covered with dry mud and that
eur horses were rather bony and our
harness a kind of lead color. So 1
was in an humble state Of mind when
we entered the village.
There was a crowd Of men and
women in front of Mr.. Wrlght's office
and through its open door l saw many
of his fellow townsmen. We waited at
the door for few minutes. l crowded
in while Uncle Peabody stood talk
ing to yillager. The Senator caught
sight of me and came to my side and
put his hand on my head and said:
"Hello Bart How you've grownl
and how handsome you look Where's
your uncle?"
He's there by the door," l an
swered.
"Well, les go and see him."
Mr. Wright was stouter and grayer
and grander than when l had seen
him last. He was dressed in black
broadcloth AM wore big beaver hat
and hipb COLLAR apd bic bofr xx,oc oil.