The Touch of Abner

UMP S

at the critt

s she paused in her work of beating an

d, and paid no attention to his wife's question. He read it through

makes you feel like that

Abner demanded. "Was

king, when you're as deaf as a post. I was

wyer Rackshaw. I t

does h

But I can't take the time to go to town this fine wea

the morning, daddy," Jess reminded, loo

what for, I'd

the morning train, a

ergot all about her. Say, Jess,

I have to do in the morning that I must stay at ho

t how'll I know the gal whe

trouble. She has bea

r spread out his hands in di

eyes, but sparkling dark ones, animate

ldy? I'll be Abner-on-the-spot as fer as they're consarned. But white teeth! How'll I kn

speak, which she does very often, you will see her teeth, all right. You will know her anyway, fo

ish you'd do the same, Jess

, picked up his hat, a

ced. "I want to know how Widder Denton is makin' out

ht as well fasten up the chicken-coops, as I am too busy. I w

be more skunks around this place before long, if I'm not mistaken, an' two-l

ws sharply asked. "What in

k. He wants to buy our farm fer a su

re his wife could recover from her

ard Zeb's house. "I wonder what she'd think of the Dimocks livin' here?

e was hitching his horse to the post near the station-house

he accosted. "

the reply. "Exp

final yank, and then t

began, "will ye

t is

rnin', an' as you're mighty slick with women folks I thou

Sam demanded

gal, an' she's comin' on a visit to our place. I'm here to meet her, but if y

would have for the reporter of The Live Wire when he made his regular afternoon call. The whole town would be

it, Sam?"

y too delighted. But

e a full description. She's got hair like fire; eyes like diamonds; cheeks like roses; and teet

she must be worth looking at. And, say, Mr.

! What de

Miss Rivers. I never heard y

me when Bill Kincaid's cows break into my oats. Then ye'd

guage, would there?" Sam smilingly bantered. "A poet,

he way poets look when they're inspired, accordin' to the picters I've seen of 'em. But, there, I must be off. Ye'll look after that gal, Sam, like a good feller, won't ye? Show her my waggon there, an' tell her she kin study

esk as Abner entered. He rose briskly to h

nd am enjoying my usual morning smok

as he sat down, crossed his legs, bit off

ght. I was quite certain you would call to-day

lawyer jist the same as I do when a hen hollers, fer then I know a h

er's eyes as he reached out and pic

the hawk," he replied, as he tilted back i

lew forth a great cloud of smoke.

and no matter what tricks there might be in other matters, there must be

oor little orphans everythin' must be squared with the great Golden Rul

nection with that I wish

. Is the buil

than settle upon a suitable situation for the institution. We have given considerable thought

t cost anythin' fer a piece of ground fer the Ho

ring the many advantages connected with it, such as the fine view, and the distance from

s town come to that, when it wants one thousand dollars fer a piece of ground fer

near the creek, and is a part of th

! The

is more land surrounding it which will mak

wants one thousand

it go at that sum, consideri

so I s'pose ye want the mone

have it now. As soon as we get the matter of t

lawyer's face, forgetting in his excitement that the fingers of that hand clutched the partly smoked cigar. He hardly realized what he was doing. But the lawyer did, and when the hot end of the cigar came into sudden contact

p tongue upon the cause of the disaster. But he was shrewd enough to control his temper, and pretend to make light of the mishap. He would ge

the lawyer's sudden collapse.

at every day

wh

. Regular mornin' e

accustomed to having a hot cigar

' by the color of ye'r nose I'd say it's been affecte

lawyer was visi

erely a touch of Abner Andrews, of Ash Pint, an' when an' where he touches there

hot as the one you just applied to m

es, let me tell ye that, 'specially

e you dr

all to pieces when I think of Hen Whittles wantin' one thousand dollars

him to give it for nothing,

at spot I have to hold me nose, the smell is so bad. An' sich a mess of stuff! Tin cans, dead cats an' dogs, an' every blamed thing that isn't of any use is

do about it?" the lawyer a

a decent place, of course. There's lots of land in town f

e can't get an

the land they want fer the Home. An' it'll be clean land, too, with a great view, plenty of

d started for the door whe

going to back down,

own! On

at is, the money you promi

that's what I'm doin'. I'm not goin' to give a red cent fer Hen Whittles' stinkin'