Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-02-24
A JOB FOR PIGGY
BY DORA MUTE.
9S9eNPNp onoooeon


nurse demonstrated with Piggy.
why DON'T you try to like the bas-
ket weaving SO you can sit ont on
the Veranda in the shade, PiggyY"
PIGGY sat in his usual solitary
grandeur, with his eyes closed. and
lnurmured in a tired voice:
Rave on, little one, rave on Won
bring back fond memories of Nancy
me fathers good old goat after she
mad made a meal on his red flannel
shirt"
We'll, you had better be fixed I'M
for visitors this afternoon hoard
the superintendent telling someone on
the phone how to reach here, and they
mad been asking for you"
You're off again. And who would
be calling on me? If your muscles
were developed the way your imae.
nation Is, you would be meeting this
mere Carpenter instead of DEMPSEY"
just then the superintendent voice
sounded in the hall. Us Mr.. NJ.
ready to receive a visitor, nurse?"
Piggy sat with closed ewes: none of
mat bunch could pull any of this
horse-pay on him. He knew they
were all waiting for his downfall. AL
though a brave soldier with citation
to his credit, Piggys best friends at
the Memorial Home had to admit that
the superintendent order that Piggy
could not join the others on the
yeranda was just after his last sar-
castle description Of the art Of basket
weaving, accompanied by a flood of
vituperatiOn for the doctors who had
allowed him to live when both legs
were taken off.
In answer to the nurses question,
Aren't you going to speak to your
vfsitor?" he vouchsafed a characteris-
tic grunt, and lifting his eyelids, a
trtfie, noted the visitor wore black and
carried a bulky article draped in a
turkey tablecloth. AS the nurse
withdrew the visitor drew off the
tablecloth from the parcel and the
room was Immediately flooded with
canary's joyous song, interspersed
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 game leg that would be
all right shortly. he was minus two
perfectly good legs, and what good
was a teamster without legs, even If
he kept his tongue well oiled and In
action? AS his scowl gathered his
visitor seemed to lose complete use of
her voice. So it fell on Piggy to open
the conversation.
"Well, do my eyes deceive me? It's
little Maggie"
ITS me-" came the shy reply, land
Dannie."
Sure, and 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
a nuisance; that his singing wakes
the baby. it's that shrill. And never
window can you open without him
getting a chill, and she's sick of him,
and he's got to go. SO l brought him
cut to you | thought maybe you
could take care of him."
The old spirit Of battle surged into
Piggy's breast. If 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
full questioning brought out the fact
that she would be glad to be rid of
the crippled sister, too. AS for the
bows. they only came home for meals
and to sleep. Piggy gave the matter
q rev moments carer vi ttilnlNNARtio
and then he gave his ultimatum.
what you are needing is a home
of your own. Take now that tene-
ment down by the gashouse. It's a
fine. sunny place to raise a flock OF
canarles. 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 could make out fine
When the overjOyed but still be-
wildered girl had departed Piggy sent
for the superintendent and explained;
''Tve got me a job. I'm leaving"
The superintendent and the roman
tic nurse Immediately Joined hands
/ and danced around the silent Inquire
with closed eyes, to the tune OF pig
gy's got a job. Plggy's got job no.
no."