Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-07-09
AN INVOLUN-
TARY BATH
By ALDEN CHAPMAN

Walt" spoke Robert Bryce, suspending
operations on the barrel upon which
he was putting the finishing touches as
an expert of the cooperage art.
What for? I'm afraid" came
voice from anywhere, nowhere, certain
IL not emanating from dny person in
view.
We'll, Dan Milton has just gone
down the road and he's got a stick
with him. Now, Walt. you follow my
advice and sneak home Get into the
house as quick as you can, and maybe
hen forget to hunt you up and all
about your breaking that jug today"
Not hint" scoffed the same nays
ferrous voice, and then its owner pro-
truded a head. and then pair of thin,
ragged shoulders into view from the
depths of barrel standing at one end
of the Old cooper's work bench. "Say.
| can't stand it no longer, being half
starved and damned fer ns.h hing and
treated like dog! I'm going TO run
away from home, / ami"
Don't you do 1t, son. counseled
Robert bryce, seriously. 'Tt never
pays. Say and fight it out. You're
nothing but a homeless orphan boy
buffeted about at everybodys win, but
such have come to the top as great,
good men In my knowing"
why don't you get me away from
Dan Milton and make cooper of me?''
suggested Walt earnestly. IF ] am
nobadys boy. you can get me. can't
your You like me. and so does Miss
Rosy, and so does Ned Townsend, and
I'd die for any one. or all three of sou
together, If it had to be-"
What has Ned Townsend got to do
with it?" demanded the old cooper.
pricking up his ears.
He-oh, well. he's RcAy's fellow, or
hopes to be, and wants TO be. pon't
You like him, MIR. Bryce
Like him well enough" growled out
the old cooper, "but he's poor as we
are, and I'm sot going TO let Roxy join
her life with fellow who can't give
her better than she's got Now, you
run home. It's your chance"
But 1t was not Waits chance. He
crawled from the barrel and made
dash across lots only to run squarely
across the path of big. wicked faced
Dan Milton, who had doubled on his
tracks. it seemed.
'E1i You come here" yelled Dan.
I've rod In pickle for YOU"
Walt uttered weak, terrified wall.
Then he formed sudden resolution.
His little limbs increased vivid action.
1t was getting on towards dusk. A
clear stretch spread out before him.
Beyond that was rising ground and
struggling timber, further on yet the
wilderness of derricks and tanks mark
ing the on fields active and experiment
tai There were a thousand places
where he could hide.
Dan Milton pursued, kept up half
mile chase, then halted, irate and
GREATNESS, to shake his club menacing-
ly at the refugee who dove into a
swanpy stretch Of brush, rock and tim
Der and was lost in its depths. There
was a splash, cry, less of pain than
disgust. Past some sheltering vines
Walt plunged, to land up to the neck
into small but deep pool. His feet
touched bottom, but a heavy, sticky
substance overcoated him completely.
It was with difficulty that Walt waded,
climbed and crawled out of his pre-
licament Even then he staggered as
he walked. The substance adhering to
him seemed heavy as lead. The oily
odor emanating from it was more nau-
seous than pungent.
"Apd now Tn in q fixl'' he dolefully
nicditated 'Tve spoiled my clothes
and I'd be about skinned alive If
went home this way. OH It's get far
and fast away from Alton for me, and
Walt turned his face away from the
town, FEELING that it would never do
to return Half mile laboriously COW
cred, Walt halted. and his longing
glance was fixed on a light in a little
clean cabin he knew well.
II shouldn't wonder If Ned Town
send would house me fill get these
clothes scraped off and rested bit"
mused Walt and hopefully trudged
over to the shac. where his friend
lived. Ned was foreman of a we'll
boring crew. He smiled a pleasant
welcome as Walt crossed the thresh-
old Of his humble domicile. Then he
stirred at him almost in stupefaction.
Then he came closer and shifted. and
then ran his hand across the glistening
stuff that coated Walt as if he weresa
mailed knight and examined II closely
Meantime Walt stumhlingly told his
story. There was n vivid token of in
terest in his auditors eyes.
'Say, lad" he spoke, and there was
trace of keen excitement In his tones,
.can you lead me to where You fell
into that pool of oil2"
IL sure can" assented Walt, and did.
And then, more reused up than ever,
Ned took him back to me cabin A
better meal and more comfortable
couch Walt had never enjoyed. and.
seeing his young guest comfortably set
4,ad Ned ToWDSpnd scurripd from the