The Touch of Abner

ETY

had endowed her with more than an ordinary charm of form and features. Joy and health radiated from her every movement as naturally and unconsciously as an orchard in bloom sheds its sweetness. Her sympathetic nature and i

dear?" she asked, after she had giv

's length, and viewed her with undisguised admiration.

It has been so long since I have seen a peach that I hardly know what one looks like. I

she's been keepin' fer ye, an' she wouldn't let me touch 'em. Jerry is over there by that post.

late she possessed. It merely whetted his appetite, and he eagerly begged f

hat will be," she regretfully sighed. "I am hard up, Jerry, as I spent my last cent on these chocolates, and don't like to ask daddy for any more money, for

n the ground at the rear of the wagon, and then stooped to lift the trunk up into the express. As he did so, the co

enquired, as he suddenly straightened

s all," and Jess held up

was the peremptory o

! What do

ye'r not careful, 'specially

ve Wire, daddy! It sur

en it. There'd be sich an explosion

ise. What did her father mean by such words? Could there be anyt

give me that pa

to his request. "But I think you might te

's worse than nitro-glycerine, which g

addy. If it is not safe for me to tou

kled, as he thrust the paper back into hi

you don't want me to see;

ry. What's the matter with ye? Take the reins, Jess, an' hold that hoss. He

ss, he climbed over the wheel, took his seat by his daug

back," Jess reminded him

ll be doin' somethin', the lazy rascal. It's his bizness to wait on

so pretty, nor the trees such a wonderful variety of green. I missed all that at the Seminary. Tha

"Joe should cut that d

ust think what such a tree me

more'n a cord o

of the beauty of form and color on golden, summer days, and th

f good dry maple in our old stove on a cold day in winter gives all the poetr

term most of us were greatly int

, anyway? A new kind of rel

is merely social reform, that is, effo

problem, I should say; almost as har

e to deal with human nature at its l

n elevator, sich as they have in big stores, which boosts y

iquor traffic, horse-racing, gambling, graft and such things, but we must educate people as to the proper training and welfare of children, a

cked Jerry gently with the whip. "But does it tell ye how to cook

er surprise. "It's not suppo

eedle-dee at the pianner, gass about art, study the fashion magazines, an' read the new novels, but as fer cook

inded. "Mother taught me, you

ye'r goin' to carry all that Social Service sail, ye'll be a mighty different craft from what ye'r mother planned. Ye sart

o go to some big city where the needs are gre

e left his eyes, and the wrinkles upon his bronzed forehead seemed to deepen. "Why, I thought ye was a-goin' to stay home, J

you have already said that I am not fitted for home w

social work to be done right here, so why not cruise around a while in this p

t can I d

ack yards cleaned up, an' other things attended to; it sartinly does. Ye might start with Ikey Dimock, an'

g after. Their wives are leaders of Glucom society, a

er, society ain't allus what it seems, fer many a frog kicks up a big fuss an' holler on a rotten log, an' roosters often crow the loudest on a manure heap. I guess

esent any interference on my part. They are leaders of soc

es the liquor traffic, gamblin', graft, an' sich things, so that's

s gave a deep sigh. Abner's eyes twinkl

r hand at home, Je

what

reformin', an' the old house wants to be

u mean?" Jess as

eatin' an' settin' there. We never use the dinin'-room, an' as fer the parlor, well, the blinds have been down fer so long that I have the creeps whenever I go into that room. No, it ain't sanitary. The house needs more sunshine; a cheery voice now an' then, an' some music on that old pianner once

ey saw an elderly man approaching, carrying w

he world is he up to now? Hello, Zeb," he accosted

etort. "Do I look as if I've been settin' und

ndkerchief, and mopped his perspiring face. As the box touched mother eart

aned over to obtain a better view. "One

sin' an' squealin' an' kickin' ever since I started from home. Guess it must be o

g, anyway?" Abner enquired

I only got it yesterday, an' sold it at once t

, Zeb. Society pig, eh? I s'pose i

ty, and they generally turn out good stuff. But this da

Social Service met

ethods!" Zeb excl

e thing; elevate

vil!" was the d

though; to elevate the divil, accord

could elevate a pig

t was killed. But Social Service might work wonders with it, though. As

ervice methods in the world couldn't

ye'r right, Zeb

ong the road. Once he turned and looked back just as Zeb

l right. Ye surely can't change a pig into anyt

ny, though?" J

; the

e way he looked. Is he as much int

very time we meet. We had a reg

a word about it t

Tribes, an' I won't fergit it next time I see him. To think of Zeb bein' side-tracked by a pig! Hello! There'