Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-06-25
by Special Advancement With The
Chicago Tribune Syndicate
IN THREE PARTS-PART THREE

IN THREE PARTS-PART THREE
WHATS the matter with it. Char
w lie?" he asked.
1T needs a little propping up"
said ChAtlie. That wind last night
gave it a pretty bad list to starboard."
Has it-has it completely fallen
| DOWN" asked Mr.. Brown fearfully.
We'll, not completely-or at least 1t
doesn't look like it from here. But
maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's a lot
worse than it looks"
I'll be right up" said Mr.. Brown.
He requested Mr.. Jenner. by phone,
to foregather with him at the scene
of disaster.
The situation was no worse than
Charlie Heiser had indicated-and not
much better. Mr.. Browns proud for
est monarch vas leaning northward
at an angle of not less than forty-five
degrees. A persistent south wind was
trying earnestly to accomplish its COM
plete horizontality.
Well" said Mr.. Brown disgustedly,
what do you do in a case like this,
Jenner?"
Prop it up, sir said Mr.. Jenner,
and we'd better get at it right away"
How much will that cost?" asked
Mr.. Brown.
Not much, sir
Mr.. Brown glared wickedly at MIR.
Jenner. Exactly how much?" he de-
manded through gritting teeth.
What with stakes and wire and
labor and all, sir, I'd say about twenty
dollars"
why that seems almost too cheap
to worry about" said Mr.. Brown. "All
right, prop it up-and for Gods sake
see if you can't prop it up SO it will
stay up
"Oh, I'd naturally try to do that,
sir said Mr.. Jenner.
Half way to his car MIR, Brown
turned around and came back.
Listen, Jenner," he said. "Will you
do me a favor?'
Certainly, sir"
How much will you charge me to
take care of this damn thing and see
if you can keep it from plurging ME
into bankruptcy. After all, Jenner, Tn
not a wealthy man-at least net
wealthy enough to W a tree"
"You mean take care of it regularly,
sir?"
Exactly"
About ten dollars a month, sir"
"Sold," said Mr.. Brown, but on one
condition"
whats that, sir?'
Leave me alone. Don't come ear
me. Don't even phone me about this
tree. Protect me from this ogre that
plots my financial ruin. In other
words, I never want to hear about this
damn tree again"
you needn't worry, sir. I'll take
care Of it,"
"Send your bill to the Office every
month and I'll send you a check"
Eyes, sir"
MI. Brown grasped Mr.. Jenner's
soil-stained paw with a distinct show
of feeling.
God bless you and be with you,
Jenner." Mr.. Brown walked to his
car and drove away without even once
turning around to look at his tree.
For two successive months Mr.. Brown
received Mr.. Jenner's bills regularly
and paid them promptly. At least
they indicated Jenner was on the Job.
1t rained a great deal during those
two months and Mr.. Brown, who
couldn't help but think about his tree
now and then, felt that such fine rains
must be doing it a lot of good. He
recalled the poetic line about the tree
who intimately lives with rain" After
all, it was a beautiful tree, a perfect
ly magnificent tree, a masterpiece of
nature.
At the end of the third month Mr..
Jenner did not send a bill. Instead,
he appeared in person at Mr.. Browns
office.
Mr.. Brown was happy to have him
there. After all, it would be pleasant
to hear news of the tree.
Glad to see you, Jenner," he said,
bidding the gardener be seated. "How's
the good old tree getting along? Great
thing for it, this rain. Must have
done it a world of good"
MI. Jenner was visibly embarrassed.
He looked quite sad and seemed to
be on the verge of lachrymosity.
well, you see, Mr.. Brown" he be-
gan ~hesitantly, II really didn't know
whether to come up and see you or
not. You quite emphatically told me
not to bother you"
That's all right, Jenner. How does
she look? Growing to beat the band,
I'll bet"
Il did everything I could" said MI.
Jenner dolorously.
What do you mean you did every
thing you could?"
1.-THE tree isn't doing very WELL" MI.
Jenner confessed. =
mot doing very we'll? What's the
matter with it?"
well, as a matter of fact, MIR.
Brown, it really isn't doing we'll at
all. It's dead"
Dead" Mr.. Brown could have been
no nor shocked if Mr.. Jenner had
informed him that Mrs. Brown was
dead. "Dead-with all this rain? Why,
l never heard Of such a thing! You
said it needed water. 1t has certainly
been getting water-plenty Of it,"
That's just the trouble, sir"
1.-THE water, sir. It's got too much