The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1922-03-21
A JOB FOR PIGGY
~ DORA MUTE.


"why don't you try to like the bas-
ket weaving so you can sit out ON
the veranda in the shade, PiggyT
Piggy sat In his usual solitary
grandeur. with his eyes closed, and
In a tired voice:
Rave on, little one. rave on. You
bring back fond memories Of Nancy,
me fathers good old goat, after she
had made a meal on his red flannel
shirt
"well. you had better be fxed up
for visitors this afternoon. heard
the superintendent telling someone on
the phone how to reach here, and they
had been asking for you"
You're OF again. And who would
be calling on me? II your muscles
were developed the way your imag-
ination is, you would be meeting this
here Carpenter instead Of Dempsey"
Just then the superintendent voice
sounded in the hall. 'Is Mr.. NJ.
ready to receive visitor, nursef'
Piggy sat with closed eyes: none Of
that bunch could pull any Of this
horse-play on him. He knew they
were all waiting for his downfall. Al
though brave soldier with a citation
to his credit, Piggy's best friends at
the Memorial Home had to admit that
the superintendent order that Piggy
could not Join the others on the
vsrsnda was just after his last sar-
castle description Of the art Of basket
weaving. accompanied by a food Of
vituperation for the doctors who had
allowed him to live when both legs
were taken OF.
In answer to the nurses question,
Aren't you going to speak to your
visitorf" he vouchsafed characteris-
tic grunt, and lifting his eyelids. q
trifie. noted the visitor wore black and
carried a bulky article draped in a
turkey tablecloth. Az the nurse
withdrew the visitor drew on the
tablecloth from the parcel and the
room was Immediately flooded with q
canary's joyous song, interspersed
with trills Of delight At this release
from the dark wrapping.
Piggy's eyes snapped open and his
mouth automatically puckered into the
old calling whistle which he had
taught Maggie that summer when he
broke his leg and had to sit out on the
old piazza with no company but his
little lame neighbor and her canary.
Only now, he remembered bitterly,
instead Of a game leg that would be
all right shortly. he was minus two
perfectly good legs, and what good
was a teamster without legs, even II
he kept his tongue well oiled and in
action7 AS his scowl gathered. his
visitor seemed TO lose complete use Of
her voice. 80 1t fell on Piggy to open
the conversation.
even, do my eyes deceive met It's
little Maggie
ITS me-" came the shy reply. "and
Dannie."
Sure, and a big woman you've
grown to be. too. And how's the
folks?-
The girl struggled to speak, but the
big sob which rose checked her
Finally she explained that the moth
er was gone. and, Of course. she
couldn't hope to keep the children to-
gether; they had TO go to live with
her sister Nora.
"And now she says that Danny is
&h.s alu kau
the baby, It's that shrill And never
window can you open without him
getting chill, and she's sick Of him.
and he's got to go. So brought him
out 10 you. / thought maybe you
could take care of him."
The old spirit Of battle surged into
Piggy's breast. II that woman, with
her bitter old tongue, thought she
could put him out into the cold, the
bird he had trained to trill and call,
she had another guess coming. Care
ful questioning brought out the fact
that she would be glad to be rid of
the crippled sister, too. As for the
boys, they only came home for meals
anu W Sietp- iBSy BuNc thc huttti
few moments careful consideration.
and then he gave his ultimatum.
"What you are needing is a home
0f your own. Take now that tene-
ment down by the gashouse. It's a
fine, sunny place t) raise a flock OF
canaries, and the old mother left me
the furnishings of the old home, and
they're packed in Hogan's barn.
There would be plenty of room for
the boys to grow up, and with my
pension and the bit we could get rails
ing canaries-you need man to
watch the expenses and teach them
to sing-we cou.5 make out fine"
When the overjoyed but still be-
wildered girl had departed, Piggy sent
for the superintendent and explained:
"T've got me a job. I'm leaving"
The superintendent and the roman.
tic nurse Immediately Joined hands
and danced around the silent figure
with closed eyes, TO the tune of "Pig-
gy's got a job. Piggy's got a Job, no.
ho"