Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-05-27

pawnshop over in Hazelmead. 1t amt
dom the peg any good nor me
ueither!'
swell, sir, you come with me-" said
the minister Its about dinner time,
anyway, and / guess you need lining
as well as covering"
The drunkard looked into the face
| Of the minister.
"Say it ag'in, he muttered
! II wouldn't wonder if a little food
would make you feel better" Mr.. Sin
| gleton added.
"a little, did you say?" Blenkinsop
asked
Make it lot-as much as you
can accommodate"
'And do you can that We want me
to go an eat in yer house?'
Eyes, at my table-why not?"
at wouldn't be respectable. I don't
want to be too particular, but a tramp
must draw the line somewhere"
"Tll be on my best behavior. Come
on" said the minister.
The two men FASTENED up the street
followed by the detected little yellow
dog, Christmas.
Mrs. Singleton and her daughter
were out with a committee of the
children's helpers and the minister
was dining alone that day and, rs
usual, at one o'clock, that being the
hour for dinner in the village of Bing-
vile.
Tell me al out Yourself" said the
minister as they sat down at the ia
BILE
"Myself-did you say?" Hiram Blen-
kinsop asked as one of his feet crept
under his chair to conceal it's diSrepu-
table appearance. While his dog had
partly hidden himself under a serving
table where he seemed to be shivering
with apprehension as he peered out,
with raised hackles, at the stag's head
over the mantel.
Eyes"
81 amt got any Self, sir; it's all
gone" said Blenkinsop, as he took a
| swallow of water.
"a man without any Self is a curl
| Gus creature" the minister remarked
I'm as empty as a wOodpeckers
hole in the winter time. The bird has
flown. I belong to this ERE dog. He's
a poor dog. Tn all he's got. If he
had to pay license on me I'd have
to be killed. He's kind to me. He's
the only friend I've got"
Hiram Blenkinsop riveted his atten-
ton upon an old warming pan that
hung by the fireplace. He hardly looked
at the face of the minister
'How did you come to lose your
Self" the latter asked
Married a bad woman and took to
drink. A mans Self can stand cold
| an hunger an shipwreck an loss o.
friends an money an any quantity
o. bad luck take it as it comes. but a
bad woman breaks the works in him
an stops his clock dead. Leastways.
it done that to me.'
'She is like an arrow in his liver"
the minister quoted. "Mr. Blenkinsop,
where do you stay nights
give Il shake-dOWn in the little loft
over the OF blacksmith shop on Water
street. There are cracks in the ga
bic, an the snow an the wind blows
in, an the place is dark an smells
O coal gas an horses feet. but Christ
MAS an / snug up together an manage
to live through the winter In hot
weather we sleep under tree in the
OF graveyard an study astronomy.
Sometimes l wish I was there for
good.'
"Wouldn't you like a bed in a COM
| Portable hOuse?'
mo. | couldn't take the dog there
an I'd have to git up like other folks"
would you think that q hardship"
well, We see, sir, if ye're layin'
down We amt hungry. Then, too,
likes to dillydally in bed"
"What may that mean?" the min.
lister asked.
Il likes to lay an think an build
air castles"
what kind of castles?"
''Well, sir. I'm thinkin' often O.
time when I'll have grand suit O
clothes, and a shiny silk tile on my
head, an roll O. bills in my pocket,
big enough to choke dog, an I'll be
goin' back to the town where l was
brought up an I'll hire team an
take my OF mother out for ride.
An when we pass by, people will be
Sayin': That's Hiram Blenkinsop
Don't you remember him? Born on
the top floor O. the OF sash mill on
the island. He's muFti-milliOnaire
an a great man. He gives a thousand
to the poor every day. Sure, he
| does,'"
'Blenkinsop, I'd like to help you
to recover your lost Self and be use
full, respected Given of this town."
said Mr. Singleton. You can do it if
| you will and | can tell you how"
Tears began to stream down the
cheeks of the unfortunate man, who
now covered his eyes with a big, rough
hand.
"If ZOE will make an honest EFFORT