The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-11-20
His Better Self
- RALPH HAMILTON

and fright sobbinG a. though her heari
would break. A brAye-faced lad sup
ported her with one arm. while b.
shook the nst Of the other At . mis-
Eled. suilen-faced old man who held
the bride OF Z horss be had just led
ncross Z neatly planted space abOui
twenty feet square At the edge Of {
vacant lot.
you're 4 bear-a great big, ugly,
wicked monster I" shouted the hoy. ''Ft
was peace garden. and we were
working to send the things We raised
to the starving chIIdrep in Europe"
.Well. you lmpudent young rascal. .
grated out the man. "thls happens TO
he my property, and II ! want to lead
my horse across II I'll do II. Who gave
you permission to come and camp
down on my land with your rubbish
patch OF truck?"
Every decent man In town who had
lot he wasn't usingw retorted the
lad doughtily.
The harsh-eyed old man seemed to
take malicious delight in his inva-
sion OF the chldren's cherished garden
plat. As the horse nibbled the tender
sprouts and sank his heavy hoofs deep
into the carefully prepared soil the
little girl became positively hysterical.
Her champion reached over, picked up
= stone and hurled II ut their ruthless
tormentor. The missile graxed the lat
~ 90 - ~
VINO started and kicked out. There
was a crack and a groan, and Mark
Blair lay prone on the ground with
4 broken limb.
The lad. vainly endeavorinE to
soothe his distracted companion, led
her from the spot. A man from the
house near by hurried over to the aide
OF the writing victim OF his own
meanness. In a few moments Blair
was borne TO his home and physician
WAS sent for.
Mark Blair was Grabbed. lonely old
man who seemed to hate everybody.
and particularly the man who had
married his niece. Elsie Dayton. She
had run away with Walden Throop
and had married against the win of
her tyrant relative. From that hour
Blair hadhiisowned her. had never rec
ognized her husband, and so acute was
the situation that when little Lucy
came 10 the welded pair he never
spoke OF her nor noticed her, nor had
the TROOPS ever enlightened her ~
to the Identity of the relative who
ignored her.
II was this same child whose little
garden had been devastated one OF
many created by the patriotic children
Of the town. II was located q short |
distance from the Throop home, and
Lucy and her boy friend had devoted |
MI kinds of care upon its culture. Be
fore the day was over there had cut |
into the soul of Mark Blair like
Knife The knowledge that his inhu-
had led to serious result.
After the physician he had sent for |
iad set his broken limb Blair heard
him say TO the housekeeper. ~
FL will call again later In the eve
hing have another urgent case,
hat little Throop girl Somebody de-
'troyed her garden and she was
brought home in distracted condi-
lon"
In his uneasy bed Mark Blair
quirmed and groaned The next day
E4other remark of the doctor pene-
rated the hard shell Of his selfishness.
1--WE have finally quoted that poor
title mite up at TROOPS" he heard
he physician say. For hours she
vas in a deliriunl. constantly calling
MI about her garden. She Is still Ill h
With the shock and fever, but we have
oothed her by telling her that the
arden is all .right. and have promised
o take her over to see 1t just as soon
$ she Is better"
For the first time IN his life Mark
Hair counseled with his own soul.
lis past life and its lgnoble motives
rralgned him as a culprit. 1t was
he next morning when he called his
ian Of all work and impaired TO him
ecret instructions which were the
MT measures Of his atonement. That
light the most extraordinary garden
yer was had superseded the one dew
stated.
.It's been made smooth AZ q noo<."
arratea Lusy'S boy friend. and all
hut 10 with . little fence. and the
Mons ara sN anA the beans. and The
eas, and never cav. = garden grow
. quick. Oh, ] know It's fairies
'osk r
TIE Throops sote tSasnsd q ~
Idden hand that had Wrought all ~
scarAtion. Theyi,sOk sAe Aslightpe
oey over to vtsw her pseciopa truck
Atrh. She was lsft . suruiss that
. destrnctton vAs , hidsous dream
ID liz present nagniAcepes TIE wsrk III
I Kindly nature
4 week later Ne 1Mroops learned
VI MAX had in toWn for health
sort. There came from him . note II A
, Elsie: iii
swhen ! get Do0s Of the neanness
ut .qe nv DxAtsm," the old man wrote,
shall core % see you and ask the i
ear little angel 20 cruelty offended
, 6ali D1eGrandpa. In the meantime.
Aving learned that Walden's en-
loyer has found II necessary to sd-
Al