The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-01-13
By
HELEN R. MARTIN

in my chest and it near give pneu-
monia yet! Yes, anyhow"
The stranger made a sound express
sive of his sympathy. For a while
they drove in silence.
'Funny thing happened in the bank
today" Mr.. Schwenckton resumed con-
versationally. "When went IN to
get a check cashed-" He stopped
short in consternation-hOw tactless
to mention having cashed check!
"What was it?" asked his compan-
ion.
''Not much-a dollar or so. spent
it, said Mr.. Schwenckton pointedly.
II mean what was the funny thing
that happened?"
"Oh, thati Well, lady standin
alongside of me in the bank she hand
ed in check and the banker he said
to her, What denomination? and she
says sort Of snappy, WELL she, says.
I'm a Presbyterian. but / don't see
what business 1t is of yourn,' she
says"
The laugh in which they Joined over
this yarn seemed to establish between
them more confidence. Mr.. Schwenck-
ton, always warm-hearted, was sorry
he had been feeling so suspicious of a
fellow man and tried to atone BY
being as friendly as possible.
"Was you ever to New York. Mis-
ter?"
EYES,"
"That's place I never seen. But
my brother he was always set on
SEEM this here New York oncet, that
you can read so much about in the
papers. So at last his missus she says
to him, she says, Pop, she says, you're
gettin' on in life and if you don't
go soon to this here New York, you'll
be too old to co. So, then, he said
he'd 60 oncet. So she helped him get
ready and start off. Now. mind you,
write she says to him, and tell me
how you like it, So after couple
of days she got such pitcher post
card from him and he'd wrote on it.
Nom, vi, vi, vi, vi! Pop"
Again their joint laughter seemed
to bring them alphabetically close.
Since leaving the lighted town, the
road had been very dark, for the
night was cloudy and starless.
"Where do you want out, stranger"
Mr.. Schwenckton presently inquired.
AS he spoke, he took his hand from
the steering wheel to have glance
at his watch-and as he did so, the
man beside him gave an uneasy start.
With a shock Of some horror. Mr..
Schwenckton's fingers found an empty
pocket where his watch should have
been! Instantly he stopped his car
and jerked out his revolver. snow,
then, you hand out that there watch
and then you run for your life!" he
shouted.
The man obeyed with alacrity,
thrusting the watch into the farmers
outstretched hand, leaping from the
car and disappearing in the blackness
of the road.
Mr.. Schwenckton. greatly shaken
by so narrowly escaping being man
handled by thug, his soul heavy with
sadness at the desperate wickedness
of man, went on his solitary way,
musing on his own folly in having let
his kindness of heart get the better
Of his prudence.
at amt safe to take up strangers
these days-that it amt! And me,
was always too trusting that way
Well, this here's certainly lesson to
me! Be. kind to. your fellah-creatures.
yes-up to the danger point. That's
all the further a fellah darst be
Christian these daysr"
His despair over the perfidy of our
human nature deepened as he reflect
ed upon the "gentility" of the thief:
his .'nice" voice, his educated"
speech, his ''polite manners"-what
with his BEG pardon" sThank you
very much"
"a slick one, he was! can't never
trust no ones appearances again !"
thought Mr.. Schwenckton with sor-
rowful shake of his head. "That's the
worst harm a crook does-he spreads
abroad mistrust of man made in the
image of Gawd"
Fifteen minutes later Mr.. Schwenck-
ton, usually the most placid of men.
confronted his family in the kitchen,