Evening star., 1921-12-25

eNtravagant-and yet it was common
talk that even his team of bay horses
was mortgaged to Old Man Rand of
the State Bank. They couldn't have
a barn-raising. hog-killing or sheep
shearing within five miles of town
unless Ezra Bliss was there to super
intend and brighten the occasion with
rays Of expert knowledge. He was
famous hand at locating veins" of
water, far underground. by means of
forked twig of hazel-did it for the
mere fun of the thing and to prove
that he knew how. He could feed a
threshing machine. do rough carpen-
tering. paint little. was considered
an excellent nurse, and they always
sent for him to sit up with the dead.
Clearly there was but one man in
Antioch qualified to bring in the tree.
and that man was Ezra Bliss.
1t being reported that he would go
after the tree on Tuesday morning. a
few of us strolled up the alley to-
ward his barn" on Monday afternoon
and found him oiling a set of har-
ness.
Are you goin' after the tree to-
morrow, Mr.. Bliss" asked Grant Will
liams.
The "Mr. Bliss" was an unusual
honor, but he knew what ulterior mo-
tive prompted this politeness.
''May-and then ag'n may not" he
replied, without looking up from his
work.
"We're goin' with you." said Philip
Sheridan Billings, timidly. 1t was
more of a feeler than an out-and- out
confident declaration.
''Mebbe Squire Sharpley don't want a
pack of boys tearin' around his
place" said Ezra as he poured some
of the black oil into the bowl of his
hand.
"Aw. he don't care" said every one
of US.
well, I'll jes' think it over"
And all the time he knew what his
reward would be-the triumph of
coming down Main street with the
boys yelping behind his Jumper"
** \ X
THE winters we have nowadays do
not bring mornings such as that
on which Ezra and the boys started
out to Squire Sharpley's place. After
the snowfall came a crystal and
freezing sunshine. Every hedge and
bush lay sagged and sidewise under
lumpy hood. The town seemed
deathly quiet, with a shroud tucked
in about it. and all the wood smoke
stood straight up the chimneys in
gray columns.
Ezra had filled the wagon-bed with
straw. One condition he imposed
when the alley scouts caught him in
the act of Harvesting Frank and
Dolly-he said the boys would have
to help him hitch up.
Don't know as you can ride back"
he said. not hoping to discourage
them, but merely testing their zeal
for the enterprise. Its liable to be
big tree"
AS if anything could change our
purpose! In we tumbled, kicking up
the straw. Ezra squatted against the
dashboard and simulated a calm in
difference to the glorious excitement
Of the expedition. He nodded calmly
to the men on Walton's corner, while
the boys cheered. Apparently he did
not take cognizance of the fact that
many boys dashed .madiy from side
streets and ''hooked on" so that when
he passed the Touring mill at least a
dozen were Historically "waalering
in the straw. And all twelve of them
assisted in opening the red gates that
led to the avenue of naples that led
to the white house where Squire
Sharpley lived.
The squire came out of the back
door-the front door had not been
opened for years-and was leaning
over the fence when Ezra brought
his putting horses to long-drawn
Whoa" alongside, of the wind pump.
.All them your boys, Ezra?"
mo, I've just took 'em to raise. Got
anything for 'em to do?"
'I reckon could set 'emt to cuttin'