Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-07-08
CHAPTER NINE-cOntlnued.
(UPTRISFFI " 20
IRVING BAcHELLER

IS
Il amt eggzaclly used to this kind
Of a job, but If you'll look out O. the
winder, I'll have 1t chopped an split
All corded in a minute" said Mr..
Blenkinsop.
He got along very well with his
task. When they began eating he re-
marked. 1--WE 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 Pauline" said the Shepherd.
"Sure she's one o. the saints O.
Godi' the widow exclaimed. "She's
started a school for the children O.
them Eytalians an Poles She's tryin'
to make 'em good Americans"
'I'll never forget that night" Mr..
Bienkinsop remarked.
IF ye don't forgit it, I'll never mend
another hole in yer pants" the widow
answered.
''Tve never blabbed a 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 childl We was
sorry TO lose her but we have the
picrur' and the look o. her with the
love O. God In her face" said the
Widow Moran.
"Now light yer pipe and take yer
comfort, man." said the hospitable
widow, after the dishes were cleared
away. "Sure it's more like Christmas
to see a man an a pipe in the house.
No, you can't help me with the
dishes, and wouldn't have you pot
tering around me If you could. Heav-
ems, no A man in the kitchen is worse
than hole In yer pettlcoat."
So Mr.. Blenkinsop sat with the
Shepherd while the widow went about
her work. With his rumpled hair,
clean-shaven face, long nose and
prominent ears, he was not hand
some man, but there was something
in his face today that had been abb
sent for so long that 1t was new
man that sat at the table of the Widow
Moran, man whom happiness and the
feeling that lie had really got back his
Old Self had transformed.
"Thls Is the top notch an no mis-
take" he remarked as he lighted his
pipe. "Blenkinsop is happy. He feels
like his Old Self. He has no fault
TO find with anything or anybody"
Mr.. Blenklnsop delivered this report
on the state Of his feelings with seri-
Gus look 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
vent on. "since then, my Of Socks
have been full o. pain an trouble
every Christmas
"Those I knit for ye 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.. Bling sent me, my Old Self
came an asked me where / was goin'
and when / said was goin' to spen'
Christmas with q respectable family,
he said, I guess I'll go With ye,' -
here we BE-"
'sThe Old Selves OF the village have
all been kicked Out-cf-doors," said the
Shepherd. THE other dag you told
me- about the trouble ySu had with
yeurs. That night, all the Old Selves
Of BinRvtlle ret together down In the
garden and talked and talked about
their relatives 10 / couldn't sleep. Il
vas . kind Of SOlAand. teld Judge
CrOskeR about It and he said that that
vas exactly what was going on in the
T0wn hall the other night at the pub
lie meeting"
'aThe folks are dFunk-as drunk IN
was in Haxelmsad last May" said
FIR. Blenkinsop. '9They have been
drunk with gold and pleasure
The fruit OF the vine OF plenty,
said Judge Croker, who had just
come up the stairs. "Merry Christ
mast" he exclaimed as he shook
hands. "Mr. Blenkinsop, you look as
II you were enjoying yourself"
IAN why not when yer Self has
been away an just got back?"
"And you've killed the fatted
turkey" said the judge, as he took
out his silver snuff box. Zone by one
the prodigals are returning"
They heard footsteps on the stairs
land the merry voice of the Widow Mo-
ran. In . moment, Mr.. and Mis-. Bing
stood In the doorway.
s.Mr. and Mrs. Bing, want TO make
yon acquainted with my dear friend,
Robert Moran" said Judge Croker.
There we're tears in the Shepherds