The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-05-10
A MATTER OF
CHOICE
BY ALVAH J. GARTH
Copyright. 1920 Western Newspaper Un.onl

sis travel. My ambition Is to see the
world"
action Is what wish TO expert
society, politics. and such so that l
gain training that fits me for my
final mission in life"
Adventure for met" chirped Aleck
Martin doughtily. Battle, wild AMI
mails, aviation, fighting outlaws or
trailing animals. The daring and
thrilling is my forte
And then Reuben Merle and the
three who had spoken looked at Cliff
ton BrOss inquiringly.
"Come, speak up. Clifton" ordered
bluff, hearty Reuben Merle. How do
your inclinatiOns rum"
II can say IL In word" came the
careful measured reply. "education.
and the old man looked impressed, the
others amused
"As if six years in college hadn't
given you a surfeit of that" jeered
Martin.
.Well, | wish to use it In practi-
cal way out in the world" supple
mented BroSS.
Take your fling. lads" broke IN
Merle You have the time to demon
strate your various preferences. Then
come back and settle down. and there's
room enough and money in this lonely
old house for all of you-and four
pretty, CHEEKY wives in the bargain. If
you chOose!"
"He was a quaint old fellow. this
Reuben Merle, and he had been like an
own father 70 the quartette of lads
he had adopted from an orphan asy-
lum eight years previous and develop
ed into manly, intelligent young fell
lows. He had now started them out
on an independent test" as he called
1t.
"Come back satisfied; that is all
ASK" he told them; and although he
| missed them from the first he consoled
himself by philosophizing that few
months ION their own hook" would
vastly expand their ideas.
1t was three months tota day when
Robert Wayne one morning burst in
upon Merle with a hearty handshake
and a CHEEKY note of gladness.
bad penny-bound TO come back 10
/ youi" he tried to joke. "Well, I've
had my fill of travel. On the way TO
| the slope we were nearly frozen to
| death and starved, stalled In a snow
drift. Tried to get to Honolulu.
Steamer wrecked and lost all my be-
| longings Intend TO do my travelling.
| right around this comfortable dear old
home and study law with purpose"
Good" commended Merle heartily.
You're settled then. Wonder who
will be the next OneT'
1t was Haywood and he little
resembled the spick and span young
knight errant who had left home with
such lofty ambitions.
I'm through" he reported with de-
initeneSs. Action? | got ii with
vengeance. Thought / had business
, head and joined in with a promoter.
He got my money at the beginning
and have been hanging around wait
ing for the gorgeous dividends ever
since. l eat humble pie. do. and if
you'll let me rest bit I'll put up my
! shingle>as q doctor and find my action
with surgical experiments and acids.
you're welcome. l can tell yeu
that" said Reuben Merle. and was
! tender and indulgent as a loving shep
herd welcoming stray lambs back -
e the home fold.
, IT was just a month after that when
Aleck Martin put in an appearance
They scarcely recognized him. He
had half-healed scar on his cheex,
one arm in sling, and limped.
Adventure" be explained briefly
| 81 got 1t in mining camp when a
| joyful cowboy flung a bowie knife at
that cheek. A playful encounter with
grizzly did the rest"
"Wonder what has become OF Cliff
ton .Bross and his quest for practical
| education?" more than once suggested
Merle, and one day he walked in.
. Whereas, he had been naturally pale
i and slight looking. he was now
r bronZed and husky He greeted all
e hands with q new self-assurance that
II bespoke success, or at least satisfac-
5 ton.
"All here?" he commented in n
, pleased way. "Good ! have solved
the problem OF practical education.
d am pleased to say. | have always
r maintained. you know. that man
y may be q gentleman farmer, or a
5, scientific carpenter, If he has the
e brains. Fellows, I've learned more
's about agriculture in eight months than
| could have acquired by study in rs
= many years. Dear old patron. friend
and adopted father / have come back
'e to ask you to put me In charge of the
is farm here"
"Welll well!" commented Merle In
er q gratified way. "How did you come
u to take up the plowshare and harvest
- err"
I'll swell, 1t was fate" responded Cliff
,el ton. 81 fell sick near a farmhouse
I'll Kind people took me In. A kinde,