Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-03-22

loves above all things the touch OF
kindly hand, was In this little
creature. Often, when Hiram was
walking out In the bitter winds,
Christmas would edge away when his
masters back was turned. In jitfy,.
he was out Of sight and making with
all haste for the door Of the Widow
Moran. There, he never failed to. re-
ceive some token Of the generous
woman's understanding Of the great
need of dogs-a bone or doughnut
or q slice Of bread soaked In meat
grayy-and q warm welcome from
the boy above stairs. The boy always
had time to pet him and play with
him. He was never fooling the days
away with an az and a saw in the cold
wind. Christmas admired his mast
er's ability to pick up logs Of wood
and heave them about and to make
great deal Of noise with an axe
but, In cold weather, all that was q
bore to him. When he had been miss.
ing Hiram Blenkinsop found him, al.
ways, on Bob Moran's bed.
May had returned with its warm
sunlight. The robins had come back.
The blue martins had taken possess
sion Of the bird house. The grass had
turned green on athe garden bor-
ders and was now sprinkled with the
golden glow Of dandelions. The leaves
we're coming, but Pat Crowley was no
longer at work in the garden. He
had fallen before the pestilence. Old
Bill Rutherford was working there.
The Shepherd was at the open win.
dow every day, talking with him and
watching and feeding the birds.
Now, with the spring, new feel.
Ing had come to Mr.. Hiram Blenkinsop.
He had been sober for, months Ills
Old Self had come back and had
impaired his youthful strength to the
man Hiram. He had money In the
bank. He was decently dressed.
People had begun to respect him.
Every day, Hiram was being nudged
and worried by q new thought 1t
persisted in telling him that respect
ability was like the Fourth Of July
a very dull thing unless it was cele-
brated. He had been greatly pleased
with his own growing respectabllity.
He-felt rs If he wanted to take q look
at it, from distance, as it were. That
money in the bank was nudging and
calling him. 1t seemed to be lonely
and longing for companionship.
Come, Hiram Blenklnsop," 1t used
to say. Lets be of together and
get silk hat and. gold-headed
cant ar make 'em set up and take
notice. Suppose you should die sud-
den an leave me without an ownerf'
The warmth and Joy Of the spring
time had turned his fancy to the old
dream. So one day, he converted his
bank balance into "a roll big enough
to choke a dog" and took the early
morning train to. Hazelmead, having
left Christmas at the Widow, Moran's.
In the mill city he bought high
silk hat and go'd-headed cane and
d new suit Of clothes and q boiled
shirt and a high collar and red
necktie. It didn't matter to him that
the fashion and f1t Of his garments
were not quite in keeping with the
silk hat and gold-headed cane. There
were three other items In the old
dream Of splendor--the mother, the
prancing team, and the envious re-
marks of the onlookers. His mother
was gone. Also there were no pranc.
Ing horses in Hazelmead, but he could
hire an automobile. y
In the course of his celebration he
asked O lady whom he met in the
street, If she would kindly be his
mother for q day. He meant well
but the lady being younger than
Hiram and not accustomed to such
familiarity from strangers, did not
feel complimentel by the question.
They fled from each other. Soon,
Hiram bought q big custard pie in q
bake-shOp and had it cut into small
lSh pieces and. having purchased pie
and plate, went out upon the street
with 1t. He ate what he wanted Of
the pie and generously offered the
rest of 1t to sundry people who passed
him. 1t was not impertinence In
Hiram; 1t WIS pure generosity-a de-
sire to share his riches, favored, IN
some degree, by feeling Of vanity.
1t happened that Mr. j.. Patterson
Bing came along and received q
tender Of pie from Mr.. Rlcnkinsop.
mol" said Mr.. Blng. with that old
hammer whack In his voice which
aroused bitter memories in the mind
Of Hiram. .
That tone was a great piece Of I'm.
prudence. There was menacing
gesture and q rapid succession Of
footsteps on the pavement. Nir. Bing's 8
retreat was not, however, quite swift
enough to save him. The pie landed
on his shoulder. In moment, Hiram
was arrested and marching toward
the lookup while Mr.. Bing went to
tbo tooroct 5r,,o ctpra fo no nod