The Lamar register., 1920-03-31
gle
Kindly Heart
1N<Y
By JESSIE E. sHERWIN
Copyright. 1919. by the Western NsvI-
paper Union.)

Shed make good wife for somebody.
Saul Espy and Martin Bross We're
converslng when the lady designated
by the former passed down the road.
Martin looked after her with n certain
fond and longing expression in his
eyes, but he sighed deeply.
''Yes, she's very superior lady
he acceded. | have often thought how
she would grace and deserve a pleas
ant home, but good fortune has not
come her way. She just manages to
exc out living for herself and her
little child, Winifred. As to myself
you know father left the property here
only, and that is badly mortgaged.'
Queer about that. Martin. You
know your father certainly had some
money and securities before he died
for borrowed and paid him $4,000 ON
mortgage"
well. towards the last he acted
very strangely, as you know, and seems
to have lost what he had"
Saul Espy passed on his way and
Martin entered the ramshackly old
house where he had been born. II had
been lonely home TO him. His moth
er had died when he was a child and
Mt twenty-five he had found himself
saddled with badly rundown little
farm, heavily encumbered. His near
est neighbor. Mrs Mary Reeves. n wild.
ow and her little child We're about all
the company he had or sought. Mrs.
Reeves was about his own age and
they had become true friends.
Martin went into the house to pause,
listen and smile. A whirring sound
directed him to Il corner of the kitchen
where mouse caught in n trap was
speeding round and round in the tread
mill wheel attached to the cage.
Most people would drown you. lit
tie fellow" observed Martin taking up
the cage and cycling indulgently the
sleek little frightened captive within,
"but haven't the heart to. There you
are-now run for IT,"
The kindly Martin carried the trap
to the open doorway and shook out the
tiny prisoner. who at once scampered
for cover. There was slight scream
and Mrs. Reeves stood ten feet away
shaking her finger playfully.
as that the way you greet n neigh
bor bent on bringing you n fresh pan
Of biscuitsf" she cried.
"why. are you that timidT" smiled
Martin, taking the mild scolding gent
ally at was the smallest mouse pos
sible and II you had looked into its in
nocent, pleading eyes as l did you
would have let 1t go, too"
ITO come back into the house and
bother you again retorted Mrs.
Reeves. well. / suppose you can't
help being tender-hearted. It's the talk
of the town that you sat up nursing
old Carlo two nights before he diedT"
What neglect the faithful guardian
of the home. almost as old as myselff'
spoke Martin stanchly. AS TO the
mouse tribe. Mrs. Reeves. one night
when | was playing my flute two of
them came creeping cautiously across
tn. floor and stood there almost human
until I ceased playing"
Martin accepted the covered dish
proffered. "wait until get a cake of
honey for you" he said. and as Mrs.
Reeves departed he stood gazing after
her with qulckened CLEAN In his eyes.
lie SttfIltl iNANltlf MS lifAAA Nil-N-
boris gate the next morning and nod
ded checrlly to Mrs. Reeves and little
winifred. u shall he zone all day and
over night at Rivertou.' he said. Il
wonder if you would lake the key 10
the house and step over and feed my
canarieSf"
"And let out any stray mouse there
may be in the trup?" lntimated Mrs.
Reeves. with twinkling eyes.
"Yes,. that-ioo. IL YOU please" replied
Martin.
He got back home the next after
noon to ind dcsultory crowd view
ing II heap OF ruins.
1T burned down Yesterday lisped
little Wlnifred "aud mama says You
are to come over to our house till you
build new one"
at was your friends the mice who
are accountable for the fire." the wild
ow declared when | went into the
house found a box Of matches seat
tered all around. l gathered up all
could. but the mice probably carried
some away to their nests and ienited
them.
Did you ever see that before. Mr..
Bross?" She had led the way to the
sitting room There living on the floor