Evening star., 1927-08-13
Abijah Perkins Ambrel.
NCLE HOsY HEWITT. h

" NCLE HOS1 HEW 1T, hump
ed, dripping, on the seat of
the old democrat" wagon.
~ drove moderately into the
wagon house. With delibera
ton he descended, embarrassed old
tundity with cotton waste, patted,
blanketed, fed and repatted him, and
then proceeded placidly along the un.
even plank floor OF the walk" into
the kitchen.
Aunt Hitty Hewitt. bustling about
among her shining pots and pans.
suspended operations, plump hands
upraised.
For the land sake, Hosea Hewitt!
You look as though you'd ben ducked
in the Penneeseewassee, You don't
mean to tell me you didn't take an
ambrel! An threaten as it was when
you set out this mornin! You did
Hosy, you did! I recall putin it in
the wagon myself!'
Even as she chided, in tones that
removed all sting from her words,
Aunt Hitty was lowering about the de-
linquent, removing his limp old soft
felt, and hanging it on the corner OF
the clotheShorse behind the stove; tax
ing his Soggy overcoat from his leisure
beside the hat; bringing dry footwear.
and ever and anon bestowing sundry
little pats and smoothings suggestive
of a solicituous tabby whose irrespon-
sible offspring had contrived somehow
to get itself muSSed or messed up.
Uncle Hosy waited, with a twinkle
at the back of his gray eyes, until
there was a clearly defined pause. I'm
Gle Hosy required time and margin
for everything he did, even to making
a remark. The psychological moment
for speaking did not make itself APP
parent until he had seated himself
before the glowing stove, settled COM
fortably into the chintZ-covered rock
er, and stretched chilly, blue-wool'
stockinged feet upon the hot stove
shelf, already provided by Aunt Hltty
with a shingle of safety-f1rst thickness
and width. Then with a PREDATORY
twinkle: ;. ~
eyes. Mehetable, you put it in all
right. l lent 1t to BlJah PERKINS: Aoo
see, he"
Aunt Mehetabel had lost the time
required for one grsp.
"Lent it to Bill Perkins? OF all
things, Where was Bills own am.
hrelp That's what I'd like to know.
7 never saw him startin' of to town
without it-neveri He had it in this
morning when he passed, I'm positive.
T c'n shut my eyes an see that knuc-
xiv old bone handle stickin' out from
under the cushion at the back or the
seat. Why that ambrel is part OF
Riii Perkins! How on earth
Gust YOU wait, Hitty, till I tell We
Then youIl know all about it. This
stove-shelf is pesky hot.'
Uncle Hosy hoisted protesting heels.
Aunt Hitty provided supplementary
shingle and the story began.
"Well, was settin' in Bangs store,
long about o'clock or so, waitln,
hopin' the rain'd ease up a mite. Oid
Charley was over across IN the Free
Baptist horse sheds, all dryn com.
Portable, an I'd ben putting around
nrettv hard, with all the arrants l
had of my own, an yourn. an then
them neighbors donated as druV
by" ,,.,.. .o,,;n,
on arra9ts for half Hewlttsvilie!
Here"
Uncle Hosy lifted unreluctant heels,
Aunt Hitty tucked a third shingle IN
position, and the story proceeded.
"Ez I was sayin', I'd ben PUTIN
rOuDu pretty Al tiAS AtAAii 49,
didn't mind waitin' while. Bangs Is
good comp'ny, an l like to eat my
lunch there. BY the way Bangs full-
cream cheese was so tasty l brought
home a pound. It's in my left-hand
lower side pocket over there"
Aunt Hitty dove for the parcel,
removed the damp wrappings, placed
the contents in a covered dish and
Uncle Hosy resumed.
"Ez / was sayin', I didn't mind
waitin' while, 'Zlong eZ twas too wet
to do anything about the farm. Well
finally 1t did ease up but somehow
KEEP settin. Bangs was tellin' about
his boy at college an the newfangled
ideas he's gettin'-reel amusin'. All
Of sudden the door flies open. an in
busts 'Bijah Perkins. In turribe
stew he is-gits a pound Of salaratus
an a box of toothpicks on account.
an Declines for the door-host of
arrants to tend to, he says.
"Well, it didn't rain any more for
quite spell, but / KEEP a settin-
didn't like to break in on Banks
Course Of half an hour in busts 'Bijah
Left my ambrel here" seize. look
in sharp over to where he'd stood at
the counter. an then peerin' round.