Evening star., 1921-10-23
SCATTERGOOD BORROWS A GRANDMOTHER


tute and perhaps tricky busi-
ness man. or as the political
despot of a state. Because this Is so
it has overlooked or neglected many
stories about the man much more In
dicative of character, and more fasci-
mating of detail than those well known
and often-repeatcd tales of his sagacity
in trading or his readiness In out
whiting a political enemy.
Scattergood loved to meddle Per-
haps that Is his dominant trait. He
could see nothing moving in the COM
munity about him and withhold his
hand. 1t would be difficult to find a
pie in CoIdriver which was not marked
by his thumb. So it came about that
when he became convinced that Grand
mother Penny was unhappy because OF
various restrictions and inhibitions
placed on her by her son. the dry
-in-law. he determined to intervene.
Scattergood was partial to old ladies.
and this partality can be traced to his
earliest days in Coldriver. He loved
white hair and wrinklcd cheeks and
eyes that had once been youthful and
by watching the long procession of the
years.
Now he sat on the piazza of his hard
ware store. his shoes on the planking
beside him, and is pudgy toes wrig-
Cling like the trained fingers of an emil
nenr pianist. 1t was knotty prob
lem. An ordinary problem Scatter
good could solve with shoes on feet. but
let the matter take on eminent difficulty
and his toes must be given freedom
and elbow room, as one might say.
Later in life his wife. Mandy, after he
49, hi ~
this habit. which she considered vulgar,
but at this point she failed signally.
The facts about Grandmother Penny
were not that she was consciously ill
treated. Her bodily comfort was seen
to. She was well fed and reasonably
clothed. and had a good bed in which
to sleep. Where she was sinned
against was in this: That her family
looked upon her white hair and her
wrinkles and arrived at the erroneous
conclusion that her interest in life was
gone-in short, that she was content
to cumber the earth and to wait for the
long sleep. To them she was simply
one who tarries and is content.
Scattergood looked into her sharp. old
eyes, eyes that were capable of sud-
den CLEANS of humor or flashes of an
ger and he knew. He knew that death
seemed as distant to Grandmother Pen
ny as it had seemed fifty years ago.
He knew that her interest in life was
as keen, her yearning to participate in
the affairs of life as strong, as they
had been when Grandfather Penny
now long gone to his reward-had
driven his horse over the hills with one
hand while he utilized the other arm for
more important and delightful purposes.
CCATTERGOOD was remembering
his own grandmother. He had
known her as no other living soul
had known her because she had
been his boyhood intimate. his de-
fender. always his advocate, and be-
cause the boyish love which he had
given her had made his eyes keen
to perceive. He was regretting that
in his thoughtless youth he had
failed to accomplish more to make
gladder his grandmother's few re-
manning years.
Il calc'late," said Scattergood to
himself-but aloud-"that I'll kind of
substitute Grandmother Penny for
Grandma Baines-pervidin' Grandma
Baines is fixed SOS she kin see;
more'n likely she'll understand what
I'm up to. and it'll tickle her-Im
goin' to up and borrow me grand
mother"
He wriggled his toes and consid-
cred. What thing had his grand
mother most desired.
craved,' he said. and considered the
point "She didn't want to be be-
holdin' to folks. She wanted to be
fixed SOS she could do as she pleased.
and nobody to interfere. / calc'late
If Grandma Baines d "a been left
alone sh'd "a found her another hus.
band and they'd "a had a home of
their own with all the fixin's. 1t
wasn't so much doin' that grandma
wanted, it was KNOWN she could do
If she wanted to-"
scattergood's specially reinforced
chair creaked as he strained forward
to pick up his shoepacs and draw
them on. 1t required no small ex,
ertion. and he Strengthened up. red
walked up the street, crossed the
bridge and descended to the little
room under the barber shop. where
the checker or cribbage champion
Two ancient citizens were playing
checkers. while a third stood over
them. watching with that thrilled
concentration with which the or
dinary person might watch an only
son essaying to cross Niagara falls
on a tight rope. Scattergood knew
better than to interrupt the game,
so he stood by until. by a breath
taking triple jump. Old Man Boyle
sent his antagonist down m. to sdefeat defeat.
good % speak pea to the old gentleman
who had been the spectator.
"Mornin'. Mr.. spackles." he said.
''Mornin'. Scattergood: See that
last jump of Bogle's? I swanny II
'twan't about as clever a move as
I see this year"
"Mr. Spackles," said Scattergood:
"I come down here to find out could
] ask you some advice. You bein
las like you be the it ONE pea1ea msa
that could help me out"
"Cm.@" grunted Mr.. Spackles,
his old blue eyes widening with the
distinction of the moment. IF kin
I'm willin.. 'Tain't often folks comes
to me for advice any more, or any
thin else. for that matter. Guess
they figger I'm too old to mount to
anythin'." ~,
who? Me? I'm skittisher'n a
colt this mornin'. Bet I kin walk
twenty mile fore sundown."
They moved toward the door, but
there Mr.. spackles paused to look s,i back
TSorry can't linger to watch you.
boys" he said loftily. "but they's i'm
portant matters me and Scattergood got
to discuss. Seems like he's feelin' the
need of sound advice"
When they were gone the checker
players scrutinized each other. and then
with one accord scrambled to the door
and started out after Scattergood and
Mr.. Spackles-
'T swanny." said Old Man Boyle.
what d. you flgger Scattergood
wanted Of that OIL coot?" demanded
Old Man Peterson.
"Somethin' Deep" hazarded Old Man
Boyle. "I always did hold Spackles
was a brainy cuss. Hain't he most as
good a checker player as be? What
gifts me, though. is how Scattergood