Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-29
SOWING SEEDS IN DANNY
By NELLIE L. McCLUNC
Author OF The Next Of Kim "Three Times and Outr etc.

bald spot. He made strange faces at
his mirror, wondering which side of his
race would be the best to have photo
graphed for his handbills. He saw
himself like Cincinnatus Of old called
from the plough to the Senate, and he
told himself there could not have been
as good a thing In It then as there is
now, or ,Cincinnatus would not have
come back to the steers.
Mr.. Ducker's social aualities devel- |
oped amazingly. He courted his neigh
bors assidnously, sending presents from
his garden, stopping to have protracted
conversations with men whom he had
known but slightly before. Every man
whose name was on the voters list be
gan TO have new Significance for him.
There was one man whom he feared.
That was Evans, editor of the Conser.
yative paper. Sometimes when his
fancy painted for him a gay and allur.
ing picture Of carrying "thc proud old
conservative banner that has suffered
defeat, but, thank God! never disgrace
In the face OF the foe" Quotation from
speech Mr.. Ducker had prepared), some.
times he would in the midst Of the mos,
glowing and glorious passages inadver-
tently think Of Evans, and It gave him
goosefesh. Mr.. Ducker had lived In
and around Milford for some time. So
had Evans, and Evans had most
treacherous memory. You could not de-
pend on him to forget anything.
when Evans was friendly with him
MIR. Ducker's hopes ran high, but when
he caught Evans looking at him with
that boyish smile of his twinkling In his
eyes the vision of chaperoning an Elk
party to st. Paul became very shadowy
Mr.. Ducker tried diplomacy. He
withdrew his insurance advertisement
from McSorley's paper and doubled his
space in Evans's. paying In advance.
He watched the trains for visitors
and reported them to Evans. He wrote
breezy little local briefs in his own light
cow-like way for Evans's paper.
But Mr.. Ducker's journalistic fervor
received serious setback one day. He
rushed in the Mercury Office just as the
paper went to press, with the news
that old Mrs. Williamson had at last
winged her somewhat delayed fight.
Evans thanked him with some cordi-
atty for letting him know in time to
make a note of 1t, and asked him to
90 around to Mrs. Williamson's home
and find out few facts for the obit-
uary.
Mr.. Ducker did with great cheerful
| ness, rather out OF keeping WIN the
nature Of his visit. He felt that his
way was growing brighter. When he
reached the old lady's home he was
received with all courtesy by her slow
spoken son. Mr.. Ducker bristled with
Importance as he made known his err
rand in a neat speech, in which official
dignity and sympathy we're artistically
blended. THE young may die, but the
old must die" he reminded Mr.. Will
hanson, as he produced his pencil and
tablet. Mr.. Williamson gave detailed
account If his mothers early life, mar
riages Fl st and second, and located all
her children with painstaking accuracy.
Left to mourn her loss," Mr.. Ducker
wrote.
"And the cause Of her DEATH" Mr..
Ducker inquired. gently, general
breaking down Of the system, / sup.
pose?" with his pencil poised In the
air.
Mr.. Williamson knit his shaggy
brows.
"Well, I wouldn't say too much
about mothers death, IL I were you.
Stick to her birth and the date she
Joined the church and her marriages
they're certain. But mothers death Is
little uncertain, just yet"
A toothless chuckle came from the
adjoining room. Mrs. Williamson had
been an interested listener to the con =
versation.
"Order my coffin, Ducker, on your
way down, but never mind the flowers