The Red Cloud chief., 1921-04-28
"T guess we've got enough TO eat,

hiding his hunger.
"Do you call that a lie?" the Shep-
herd asked as soon as the minister
had gone.
"A little onel But in my opinion II
don't count" said Mr.. Bloggs. "You
were thinking of those who need food
more than you and that turns It square
around. I call It a golden lie-I do"
The minister had scarcely turned
the corner OF the street, when he met
Hiram Blenkinsop, who was shivering
along without an overcoat, the dog
Christmas at his heels.
Mr.. Singleton stopped him.
, "Why, man! Haven't you an over
coat?' he asked.
mo, sir! It's hangin' on a peg in a
pawnshop over in Hazelmead. 1t amt
dom the peg any good nor me
ueither!"
swell, sir, you come with me-" said
the minister 'It's about dinner time,
anyway, and I guess you need lining
as well as covering"
The drunkard looked into the face
Of the minister.
"Say 1t ag'in," he muttered.
81 wouldn't wonder If a little food
would make you feel better" Mr.. Sin.
gleton added.
"a little, did you say?" Blenkinsop
asked.
Make II q lot-as much as you
can accommodate
"And do you mean that ye want me
to go an eat In yer house?"
yes, mt my table-why notT"
ut wouldn't be respectable. I don't
want to be too particular, but a tramp
must draw the line somewhere"
I'll be on my best behavior. Come
on" said the minister.
The W. men FASTENED up the street
followed by the detected little yellow
dog, Christmas.
Mrs. Singleton and her daughter
were out with a committee of the
children's helpers and the minister
was dining alone that day and. as
usual, ut one o'clock, that being the
hour for dinner in the village of Bing.
vile.
"Tell me about YOURSELF" said the
minister as they sat down at the ia
BILE.
"Myself-did you say?" Hiram Blen.
kinsop asked as n Of his feet crept
under his chair to conceal it's disrepu-
table appearance, while his dog had
partly hidden himself under a serving
table where he seemed to be %shivering
with apprehension as he peered out,
with raised hackles, at the stag's head
over the mantel.
"Yes."
II amt got any Self. sir; it's all
gone" said Blenkinsop, as he took a
swallow Of water.
"a man without any Self is a curl.
u creature" the minister remarked.
I'm as empty as a woodpecker's
hole In the winter time. The bird has
flown. ] belong to this ere dog. He's
a poor dog. I'm all he's got. If he
had to pay n license on me I'd have
to be killed. He's kind to me. He's
the only friend I've got"
Hiram Blenkinsop riveted his atten-
ton upon an old warming-pan that
hung by the fireplace. He hardly looked
at the face of the minister.
GLOW did you come to lose your
Self?' the latter asked.
Married n bad woman and took to
drink. A mans Self can stand cold
an hunger IN shipwreck an loss O.
friends an money m any quantity
o bad luck, take II as It comes. but a
bad woman breaks the works in him
an stops his clock dead. Leastways.
1t done that to me I"
"She Is like an arrow In his liver"
the minister quoted. "Mr. B%lenkinsop,
where do you stay nights"
"Tve n s%hake-down In the little loft
over the OF blacksmith shop on Water
street. There are cracks i'm the ga
BILE, an the snow an the wind blows
In, an the place Is dark an smells
o coal gas an horses feet, but Christ
mas an snug up together an manage
to live through the winter. In hot
weather we sleep under a tree in the
OF graveyard an study astronomy.
Sometimes i wish 1 was there for
good"
wouldn't you like a bed In a CON-
Portable house?'
mo. l couldn't take the dog there
an I'd have to git up like other folks"
would you think that a hardship
well, We see, sir, If ye're layin
dow We amt hungry. Then. too, !
likes to dllly-dally in bed"
what may that mean?" the min.
lister asked.
IL likes to lay an think an build
air castles"
what kind of castles?"
"Well, sir. I'm thinkin' often o. 4
time when I'll have a grand suit o.
clothes, and a shiny silk tile on my
head. an a roll o bills in my pocket,
big enough to choke n dog, an I'll be
goin' back to the town where l was
brought up an I'll hire a team an
take my OF mother out for n ride.
An when we pass by, people will be