The Winslow mail., 1920-03-19
- :. My
MisadVenture
! c<D
BY Otillia Frances Pfeiher
Copyright, 1919. BY Western Newspaper Union.l

Will dl1 IIy WOIEl0S 1t . dUOul tIluS IlC
buckled down to doing something use
full"
Don't scold, Uncle, dear. Martin
is good. boy, thinks the world Of both
of US, and if he is little forgetful
and needless at times, he makes up
for it when you remind him of it in
gentle, reasoning way. This especial
afternoon he begged off from his reg
ular chores to go hunting for those
two burglars who robbed the bank
night before last"
Expected to catch them and get
that $4,000 reward, I suppose" mock
ed old John Wadhams. "Oh, yes! that
unlucky wight ever strike such for
tune! It's not the way of this unfor-
tunate family. We've had nothing but
loss and mishap since mother died.
With the money / owe and can't pay,
and that boy wasting his time, I'm
fretted to death half the timer
I've got all the kindling in," said
Ora Dale, "and l agreed with Martin
to do the milking, SO everything will
be attended just the same as if he
were here. 1 gave him the afternoon"
Afternoon and evening, too, it looks,
for it's getting dark" @
"Oh, Martin will be along soon,"
soothed Ora. HE and his chums are
all excited about those robbers and
they have gone off with wooden guns
boy-like, to capture them, as they
hope and plan" Old John Wadhams
went off mumblingly reiterating his
complaints. Ora sighed a trifle, then
drove away the cloud that hovered by
humming a pretty little air about
birds, and sunshine, and flowers. She
had her cross to bear as well as Uncle
John, but it came from sharing his
troubles, real and imaginary. Ora was
his niece and homeless orphan when,
after the death of Aunt Mary she was
sent for by Uncle John to take up
her home with himself and his mother
less boy. She became the angel of the
house, blessing to the old man, If
he only knew 1t, for she helped him
carry his burdens and her diligence
and economy lightened the expenses
and brought comfort and contentment,
the latter to young Martin, at least,
who otherwise was inclined to 'go out
into the world and seek his fortune
on his own hook" as he expressed it,
although not yet twelve years Of age.
Martin fairly idoliZed Ora and fully
appreciated her numberless sacrifices
haI, 80 bie, fofl md hi 81
He knew, as all Cleveden knew, that
! Ora was giving up the dream and
glory of her life through her loyal un-
selfish devotion to her uncle. Ernest
Throop, in love with her, had told
her so and he was Su1tor to be
proud of-manly, Industrious and hon
orable. Ora loved him in return, but
she had told him clearly that she
could not leave her uncle while he was
crushed under a burden Of debt and
while Martin. was too young to shift
for himself. Duty was the watchword
of her life, and nobly she lived ap to
It's teachings. All Cleveden was astir
at the moment over the bank robbery.
Two men had broken into the institu-
tion and had made off with q small
fortune. The watchman had winged"
one Of them in their flight, he declared,
for he had seen the fugitive lift one
hand to his breast as he ran. A Sec
ond shot had caused the other burglar
to waver and limp and blood stains
had been traced for some distance
down the river shore.
Meantime Martin, the well Intention
ed but thoughtless, had fingered with
his companions clear into dusk. Then
in a game OF hide and seek he had
crept into one of the numerous earrhen
water pipes lining the river bluff,
ready to be used in a new reservoir
system adopted by the town. There
he cuddled, planning to wait till the
seekers had passed by and then make
for home. He chuckled as four of his
fagged-out comrades sat down on the
very pipe he was in. Then, starting
on again, somehow they gave it q push.
Over the ledge it rolled twenty feet,
reversed, spilled out Martin and
plunged into the river. Martin rolled
after it and, half stunned came to a
stop few yards from an old wreck
of house boat that had been a land
mark for year past.
In sort of daze he saw two men
come out of the dismantled cabin Of
the craft. One had his arm in sling,
the other limped. In flash Martin
Wadhams had an inspiration-these
were the bank burglarsl
The first words of one Of them con-
6rmed this conviction "Pipe rolled
over, I reckon. You go north, Tom and
me south. We must pick up chick
en- or some eggs or we'll starve."
ayes. we must make break from
here" growled the other.
It was after dark when Martin
Wadhams burst into the house in
frenzied state Of excitement. He car
rfed small sack and was breathless.
"Father Oral' he shouted, 1.-The bur
glarsr'