The Meeker herald., 1921-07-09

Mrs. Pollywog will be over tomorrow
to borrow your fountain pen or your
tortOiseshell comb, or perhaps she Will
come visiting for few days. and the
cost OF entertaining her would buy sew.
eral barrels of chicken broth.
II hate to have anybody do me
kindness, knowing I'll be expected to
return the favor with interest In one
way or another. When l was a mere
boy my eyes were opened to the fact
that kind actions are delusiOn and
snare. Next door to us there lived an
old dame named Mrs. Crimp. One day
she came over to our house with
pair of wooden socks she had knitted
for me. I suppose IN equally good
pair could hdve been bought at the
trade palace for fifteen cents, and !
wasn't overwhelmed with joy. My
mother. who. with all her splendid
clined to find good In everything and
everybody. was enthusiastic over Mrs.
Crimp's generosity.
But even In my infant years was
gifted with the wisdom of the serpent,
and felt from the first TINT there was
some Inalevolent scheme In the back.
ground.
'The scheme was soon developed.
Mrs. Crimp had many chores to do,
and she hnted to do them herself.
There was wood to be carried into the
house. and tho COW to be tuken care
Of. and II hundred other Improbable
tasks. Every time I'd meet her she'd
sayt well. my sweet little boy, with
your golden rlnglets and sunny smile.
how do you like the socks made yOu7
II you only knew how worked. SO you
would have the best socks in town!
And that reminds me of little errand
wish you would do for me. Go to
MIR. links. who lives seven miles north,
and ask him to let you have his saw.
so you can cut some kindling for me
tomorrow"
First and last, Mrs. Tigers. put In
1000 worth OF manual labor fors that
woman and my youth was poisoned,
and my manhood embIttcred by II. I
might have forgiven everything had
the socks been good ones. hut they
were ntrOcious. The heels always
worked around to my instcps and the
tops worked down over my shoes.
at has been that way all my life.
When II man insists upon doing me a
kindness l look upon him with sus-
picion. When l was laid up In my
room with n broken leg two or three
years ago. had an excellent time.
The leg hurt only Mt intervals. and
Ind plenty Of novels to rcnd. and
nothing to worry over. and l would
have enjoyed myself splcndidly but
for tiresome philanthropists who were
determined to sit by my bedside and
cheer me up. didn't need my cheer
ing up. and tried to convince them
that their visits had the opposite eff
feet, but they wouldn't take hint.
They sat by my couch Of suffering and
told Idiotic stories. and bored me al
most to death.
"Iim HigginbottOm was nm especial
nuisance. Tint man simply wouldn't
go AWAY as long ns there was nm ex-
cuse for staying. He said his con-
science wouldn't allow him TO forsake
the bedside Of suffering friend. AZ
that time I carried some accident In
surance. and when my check came jim
borrowed half Of 1t. and after he got
the money he never worried over my
leg any more. And he never returned
any of the money. I don't blame him
for that, for I make 1t rule never to
return borrowed money. but i can't
easily forgive him for boring me 10
many hours, when i wanted to De
reading."