Evening star., 1928-03-13
Pals.

|
=, srite of his snow-white hair and
10 wears. Ephraim Strong always car
ried himself as straight as an arrow.
but that elated morning. with head
held high, walking on air rather than
the pavement. a new Importance had
added a cubit to his stature.
Here he is. boys-shoot!'
And as he stepped inside there was
an o,ltburst of Hail to the Chief" in
voices ranging from Joe Freeman s
! falsetto-that fiatted every other note
to Murphy. the blacksmith's humble
During the singing Ephraim stood
beaming in the midst like a lighted
beacon tower.
II amt exactly the chief. you
know" he grinned. when the singing
ended Each in turn grabbed the old
mans hand in hearty grip.
Well. you can't deny that you are
the chief parent in Centers, all right,
laughed back Joe.
say Ephraim, how does 1t feel be-
ing father to a Senator. anyhow Pc
terson, the proprietor, chimed In over
the counter.
II reckon it feels like cider for the
crowd" chuckled the old man. THE
kjckiest that you've got, Pete"
So It began And so 1t went on.
For when he left the store and went
abour town attending to his other err
rands. constantly Ephraim was stopped
for handshakes and congratulations.
It was morning that he would
never forget. And he had good reason
to be excited. To think Of his son
his boy Ed-soing to Washington as a
United States Senator! He could not
get over the surprise and the shining
wonder of it.
Yet ever since he was little tike.
knee-high to grasshopper." Ephraim
grinned to himself as he ratified back
to the farm in the old tin Lizzie, Ed
was as smart as they make EN-"
Later came another morning of ex-
element. On their way to Washing
ton. the new Senator and his wife
stopped over day to see him.
AS whole the visit was disap-
pointment. Ephraim and his daugh-
ter-in-law. born social climber. never
hit it off very we'll and now Eleanor
Strong's head had been so turned by
the prospect of living in the National
Capital, and at the thought OF her
future prestige as the wife of United
States Senator that she was more high
and mighty than ever. And while his
son Ed was as unaffected and un-
spoiled as he had always been, there
was subtle change in him. Even
when he appeared attentive to his
fathers talk, looking him straight in
the eyes. the old man had the feeling
that his thoughts were miles away.
And although Edward Strong had left
Centers to practice law in one of the
large cities Of his native State years
before, when Ephraim saw him off that
night. for the first time he realized
that Ed had left home for good.
well. even If Eds gone out Of my
comforted himself as he ratified back
to the farm in the old tin Lizzie.
For there was a very important
member Of the new Senator's family
not included in that stop-over train
visit, Edward Strong. jr., already in
the East at a prep school preparing
for Harvard. He and his grandfather
were great chums. Even after the
family removal from Centers every
Summer Eddie" visited the farm. And
that night Of new lonesomeness the
first thing that Ephraim did when he
reached home was to take out from
an inner pocket a letter received some
weeks before and read 1t for the ninety
ninth time.
Dear Pal" cit began): Maybe It
seems rather previous to be talking OF
next Summer this early in the day.
but as my plans are all made up !
thought I'd write you.
II have to sacileZ home first, OF
course, and present the glad hand TO
dad and the mater. A fellows imam
cial standing suffers II he does not
keep on speaking terms with his fam
lily. But on July l it's Johnnie-on
the-spot with me and the farm. And
this year I'm going TO stay until the
cows come home-that's French Tor the
last train out to make connections with
my entrance exams In the Fall, drat
'emi
And, say. old boy" tsuch was the
afTectionate impudence OF the scamp.
i've got the dandiest scheme. Let's
give old Eliza her walking papers for
a months visit TO her married daugh-
ter and live together alone by our two
selves. The crispy way can sizzle
hot dogs on a chatting dish will make
the hair on your bald spot curl. and
/ know you can flap fap-jacks to beat
the band.
Minerva, the pesky old girl, is beck
oning with her finger. so I'll have TO
beat 1t to a match class. EDDIE"
80 long,
"P. S.-How Is that acre that we
sowed to timothy showing up?"
"A born farmer" chuckled Ephraim,
as he folded the letter, "and darned
sight better help than any hired man
that you get these days"
Ephraim Strong was an early riser,
but in the weeks that followed he lay
abed some 10 minutes after awaken
ing every morning in a luxurious day.
dream OF all that he and Eddie would
do together when that young rascal
came 10 the farm in July, and never
once did 1T enter the old mans head
that the change In his sons residence
and would have anything tn
do with Eddie's plans for the Summer.
Eieanor's letter then came as
knockout blow between the eyes
THE first of June We are leaving
Washington for Clear Lake" she wrote.
Those who know say IT is the most
charming OF Summer resorts where you
meet the pest people. There's bathing
and boating, and tennis and other out