The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-06-24

swan in the sky. 1t means that q
friend is comm. BY Jeedix! I've got
suthin' good fer yer dinner an don't
| you doubt it. The day you left shot
wild goose on the, marsh below here.
I've been keepin' him. He's in prime
shape rSK We'll sAA
keep him till tomorrow" shad sug-
gested. s'Tt'll be Sunday. I'll go up
and git Bony to come down."
'Exac'ly y Bumpy exclaimed. 'That's
the caper. We don't really need that
goose. You've brought some beef
steak"
| They had much to talk about. Shad
told of his great adventure while they
were at the table.
SPY Jeedlx! You ought to have at
at Gettysburg" said Bumpy. II guess
We would If you'd "a been born an
was old enough"
"This place beats the world for good
eating" Shad remarked, as he took
another helping Of the grilled steak.
When they had washed and put away
the dishes Bumpy said: IF you're
goin' to be lawyer you've got to
study. don't want to hear another
word from you till night. I've got
some wood to cut and I'll git out O. yer
way"
That afternoon, sitting comfortably
by a window in the warm room, Shad
began the reading Of Blackstone's
Commentaries"
The colonel had let him take the
first volume Of the famous classic with
the notion that it was like hitching
a goat to pillow.
"It will be interesting to see what
he says about it," he remarked as he
took the first volume from its case.
II wonder If the lad will surprise me
again. I rather think that this will
stump him."
Shad was courageous goat. When
the light began to fade Bumpy came in.
How be We gittin' along?" the old
man asked.
"Good, but there's some words here
that are not in my dictionary. What
does 'contravention' mean?"
II don't just exactly know" Bumpy
answered as he put some wood on the
fire. II guess it has suthin' to do with
politics. It's like snag in the river.
When | run on to one push my boat
off an back up G. little an go round it."
ave put down list o. words that
I've got to know about. I'll go up to
the Dam early in the morning and see
the doctor. He'll explain 'em to me-
Shad lighted the reading lamp. He
found the story in which he and Bumpy
had become interested and said:
Let's see what Pip and old Joe are
doing.T
by Jeedixl You wait till T draw
my boot am loosen my belt an git
my pipe Tit. l want to be good an
ready"
He drew his boot and lighted his
pipe with silver at the stove hearth
and hauled his armchair near the
table, saying: "Now let Ter CO."
Shad began reading. Meanwhile the
parrot stood holding his head down
near the bars of his cage on the win
dow-silr and saying in low gentle
voice: Hello, darling. Hello, Are
you happy? Praise the Lord!" Tt
was as If some unseen hand were pet
ting him. Shad paused moment,
looking up at the bird with smile OF
amusement
"Cur'us, amt itY' said Bumpy.
BETSY Brown is there rubin his head
Just as she used to. He sees her plain.
He can feel her hand. I guess parrots
eyes can see things that we can't"
"Do you mean that her ghost Is
here?" Shad asked with tingle In
his nerves.
81 don't call it that. It's a kind Of
mean word. 1t amt friendly. I'd say
angel was the word. Don't mind 1t.
Go on with yer readin's. She1l enjoy
it as much as do"
Soon they were both absorbed in
the moving tale and smiling or laugh
ing at it's quaint humor. For more
than two hours they sat entranced in
that magic world of the great story
teller. The clock struck seven. The
boy closed the book.
"Tm tired and hungry" he said.
Lets have little snack of cold
victuals."
81 could smash the clock" said
Bumpy. IT didn't know book readin'
could grab hold O. We an hang on so.
Come to think of it, I'm hungry too"
Bumpy brought a snack of cold
meat, doughnuts and cheese and q
pitcher of cider from his keg in the
cellar under the floor. They finished
their snack and read on until bed
time. Bumpy as usual put heavy
sticks on the fire, turned the damper,
covered his bird with shawl and
hung the cage on hook fastened to
one of the cross-beams. AS Bunny
got into bed yawning the boy heard
him saying to himself
(To BE CoNTrNUED.S