The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-08-05
CHATTER NlNE--contlnuad.

*--fI-~~
Il Amt eggzacl'iy used to this kind
Of job, but IL you'll look out o. the
wfnder, IN have II chopped an split
an corded In minute" said MFR.
Blenkinsop.
He got along very well with his
task. When they began eating he re-
marked. tive been lookin at that pic
tur' OF girl with baby In her arms.
Brings the water TO my eyes. It's kind
o. lifelike and nat'ral. It's an A
number one pictur'---no mistake"
He pointed at a large painting on
the wall.
ITS Pauilnei" said the Shepherd.
Sure she's one o. the saints O.
Godi' the widow exclaimed. aShe's
started school for the children O.
them Eytalians an Poles She's tryin'
TO make 'em good Americana
"Til never forget that night" Mr..
Blenkinsop remarked.
III ye don't forgft II, I'll never mend
another hole In yer pants the widow
answered
1--WE never blabbed q word about
It to any one but Mr.. Singleton
Keep that In yer soul, man. It's
yer ticket to Paradise" said the
widow.
"She goes every day to teach the
Poles and Italians, but have her here
with me always" the Shepherd re.
marked. "I'm glad when the morn
ing comes so that / can see her
again.
.God bless the childi We was
sorry TO lose her but we have thu
picrur' and the look o. her with the
love o. God In her face" said the
Widow Moran.
Nov light yer pipe and take yer
comfort. man." said the hospltable
widow, after the dishes were cleared
away. "Sure It's more like Christmas
TO see man an pipe In the house.
No, you can't help me with the
dishes. and ] wouldn't have you pot
tering around me II yeu could. Heav.
ems, mol A man In the kitchen Ia worse
than hole In yer petticoat."
SO Mr.. Blenkinsop sat with the
Shepherd while the widow went about
her work. With his rumpled hair,
cleap-shnven face, long nose and
prominent ears, he was not hand
some man, but there was something
~ bis face today that had been alb
sent for so long that IL was a new
man TINT sat at the table of the Widow
Aoran, man whom happiness aud the |
feeling that he had really got back his !
Old Self had transformed.
( "This Is the top notch an no mis-
take" he remarked as he lighted his |
pipe. "Bienkinsop is happy. He feels
like his Old Self He has no fault |
to find with anything or anybody"
Mr.. Blenkinsop delivered this report |
on the state Of his feelings with seri-
GUS leok In his gray eyes.
1T kind o reminds me o the time
when ! used to hang up my stockin'
an look for the reindeer tracks In |
the snow on Christmas mornin'," he |
went on. "Since then, my Oh socks |
have been full o. pain an trouble
every Christmas"
| Those knit for We left here full
OF good Wishes" said the Shepherd.
Say, when put 'em on this morn
In with the billed shirt an the suit
that Mr. Blng sent me, my Old Self
came an asked me where | was goln'
and when / said | was goin' TO spen'
Christmas with a respectable family,
he said, I guess I'll so with ye,' so
here we be-"
1.-THE Old Selves of the village have
all been kicked out-of-doors," said the
Shepherd '"rhs other day you told
me about the trouble You had with
yours. That night, all the Old Selves
of Bingyille got together down in the
garden and talked and talked about
their relatives so | couldn't sleep. II
was a kind of Selfiand. told. Judge
Croker about 1t and he said that that
was exactly what was going on in the
Town hall the other night at the pub.
lie meeting"
1.-THE folks are drunk--as drunk as
/ was In Hazelmead last May" said
Mfr. Blenkinsop. They have been
drunk with gold and pleasure"
1.-THE fruit of the vine of plenty"
said Judge Croker, who had just
come up the stairs. merry Christ
masp' he exclaimed as he shook
hands. "Mr. Blenkinsop, you look as
If you were enjoying yourself"
"An' why not when yer Self has
been away an just got back?"
sAnd you've killed the fatted
turkey" said the Judge, as he took
cut his silver SNUFF box. "0ne by one
she prodigals are returning"
They heard footsteps on the stairs
and the merry voice of the Widow Mo
ran. In moment. Mr.. and Mrs. Bling
stood In the doorway.
mir. and Mrs. Bing, want TO make
you acquainted with my dear friend,