Evening star., 1928-03-24
THE EVENING STORY

| Jensen was driving slowly homeward
| AS he neared the wood lot on the
| Mears farm he saw a figure working
/ inside the fence.
| What the heck?" he mused to him
self. driving his cor nearer to the side
of the road where the man was work.
ing.
Hello, stranger" called Jensen
cheerily. Il didn't know old lady Mears
had hired man.
The stranger failed to look up, but
kept grubbing at a stump with his
pickax. working silently.
"Funny-lookin' cuSs.' mused the old
man to himself when he noticed by
the light of the rising full moon that
the man was wearing attire common
10 the mountain folk of fifty years be-
fore.
"Oh, stranger. I say. be We old lady
Mears' hired man?" he almost shout
ngly asked. thinking that perhaps the
man was deaf.
The figure on the other side of the
fence drew himself up to full length.
JenSens face paled Frantically he
looked up and down the road for an
other possible traveller. while his foot
madiy sought the accelerator of his car.
With a jerk the car swerved into the
road.
The motor died. Jensen sprang out
to crank"
Seeing before him the living image
of his former neighbor, Dan Mears,
had given him jolt. The face glow
ing with phosphorus had done the rest.
Il amt monkeying with any ghosts,
/ amt" he suffered to himself as he
elambered back into the car and started
for home as fast as the numbering
vehicle of 1914 vintage would go.
THE old man didn't wait 10 keep
up the conversation when he saw my
face" exclaimed young Max exult-
ingly as ne came running up to the air.
plane.
That's good" said Perkins as his
pal climbed into the rear seat of the
plane A moment later the machine
was in the air Then for two minutes
it circled aloft only to settle down
along the roadside in another pasture
almost opposite the Jensen home. Here
again the machine was hidden by a
small grove of trees.
Young Max climbed out Of the plane.
ran through the grove, climbed over
the fence and started walking down
the road toward the Mears farm. He
wasn't a moment too soon.
Trying frantically TO get more than
ten miles an hour out of his car on
the up grade "Old Man" Jensen saw
the pedestrian approaching him
Thinking here was a kindred spirit,
the old man stopped the car and waited
for the stranger 10 come up.
When the man was within 10 feet
of the car he stepped directly In front
OF the headlight. halted and pointed
his finger upward.
behind in the Mears woodlot His car
| wouldn't start With yell the old
| man sprang out, dashed across the road.
| over the fence on his own land and in
a few moments, almost exhausted and
/ a great deal more like sober man
/ than when he had left town, he sank
| down on his own doorstep.
A little later Mrs. Jensen found him
| sitting there.
Il didn't hear the car" she COM
/ mented.
Nope. the engine died and / walked
/ up the hill Have the hired man go
I 10 get It, I'm too tired"
Max, something odd happened this
| evening" said his wife. When / was
/ making supper man came to the door
| and asked for a drink OF water. He
| almost frightened me. He looked like
| twin brother to old Dan Mears.
Funny thing, too, he said he was
| out this way TO look for some land he
| owned. Said it was going TO change
| hands In few days and he was cal
| cuIatin 10 make his home on the
| place when 1t changed. Said he was
goin' TO live with the new owner He
didn't say where the land was nor
nothin'. thanked me for the water
and went right on"
"He~-he WHAT" asked Jensen, fall
Ing 10 notice a scmblance OF a smile
/ In his wife's eyes.
ON. nothing" remarked his wife,
Better come in, supper Is ready"
Meanwhile Max Junior and Perkins
returned 10 the city by air, and spent
| pleasant Sunday together. after
which young Max started back for his
| fathers farm~~this time on the train.
Monday morning came, Bright and
early old Man" Jensen found him.
self rapping at the door Of the Widow
Mcars' home
Come after the mortgage payment,
ain't YEP" she asked Il wonder II !
could have a few days time. / could
maybe sell the COW 20 get enough money
10 meet the interest and get a new
renewal"
You can't have any more time,
waited too long" said Jensen.
MY wife and | had long talk about
this mortgage Saturday night Your
man and me vas good friends. You
and ! was. too once Besides my Max
and your Elsie have pretty good case
/ don't want To see my sons future
wife turned out OF her home, Here IL
your old mortgage. Burn 1t up Ye
don't owe me nothin'"
oh, Max, how can ! ever thank
your gasped the widow. tears Of JOY
streaming down her cheeks,
Don't" was the one-Word comment
of the comnunty's richest farmer as
he turned on his heel and walked down
the road
Anyhow" he unused To himself
that ought tO down Dams ghost for
while, Maybe IL was the liquor that
made me see what | did Maybe II
vas real ghost Anyhow. the Wlfc
Is right She says IL don't pay ~
monkey with things as concerns the
dead and, besides most folks would
have thought ! was too hard on MANDY
ii I'd done what I WAS going 10 do
Besides, as the wife says, my folks
didn't want me 10 marry her either. yel
we've had pretty good time these
years"
aA tbHls tItat HuiHltik 5phHH hlnA
cams into the kitchen where his
mother WAS working
Elsie sure liked The ring | gave hei
this morning he told Mrs. Jensen
"Tii bet she did, said the farm Wlft
as she stuffed the last remains 0f whai
Was once theatrical costume into
the Kitchen stove and then directed
nef sons attention tn the table on
! nl..eh lay d card announcing that MAJ
Iaasea had signed temperance pledge
THE END
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