Newspaper Page Text
The House of the
Thffee Gasid.ers
Copyright by Irving Bacheller.
(WNU Service)
CHAPTER IX—Continued
— 19 —
"‘And there lay round upon the
ground great heaps of so’gers.”
Always he was up before da> light
In the morning, when he lighted his
lamp, started his tire, washed, and
dusted the furniture and swept the
floor.
When he shook Shad's shoulder in
the morning ttie grateful odor of coffee
and buckwheat cakes and frying sau¬
sage was in the air.
'‘Come, ol’ friend,” ne called. ‘‘It’s
the next day. Breakfast is ready an’
I warn ye it’s fit fer kings an’ (|ueens.’’
Shad needed no urging. He leaped
out of bed and dressed in a hurry and
washed at the river’s edge.
“Hurry up an’ comb yer hair,"
Bumpy sputtered as lie brought the
hot platters to the table. “It looks
as if a mouse had made a nest in it.”
The boy had a great liking for hot
cakes and maple sirup and sausage.
Bumpy seemed to find a sufficient re¬
ward for his work in Shad’s enjoy¬
ment. He kept an eye on him in the
fashion of an interested witness.
“Don’t spill so much sirup on ’em,"
he was wont to say. ■ “By Jeedix!
You make ’em look like an island in
a red pond. There ain’t no sense in
that. You don’t take tnore’n two
swallers fer a flapjack. Anybody
would think ye was mad at ’em.”
Bumpy’s sputtering bad a back¬
ground of good nature. Shad enjoyed
it. After breakfast he brought in two
pails of water and filled the woodbox.
Soon after seven o’clock tie set out
for Amity Dam with a volume of
Blackstone under his arm.
"Be on hand for dinner a leetle be¬
fore two,” Bumpy called to him from
the door.
Having arrived in the familiar vil¬
lage. Shad went at once to the house
of his friend the doctor. The latter
was reading in his office.
“I am glad to see you, boy,” he said
without rising. “Sit down and tell me
what has happened.”
Shad told the doctor of the steps
that led to the capture of Alg.vre and
of tlie prisoner’s sullen attitude.
“Well done!” the doctor exclaimed
with no change in the expression of
his face. “It will yield no immediate
result but it is a long step toward
the truth. Soon or late the man may
uncover it. He is a smart fellow. He
knows that Blake has not evidence
enough to hold him. We have as yet
only a suspicion. Even if he became
a witness for the people, he could not
escape life imprisonment or a long
term for a crime so atrocious. lie is
a horn gambler. He would rather take
his chances in the West. But if they
have :i good case against him and he
should be convicted we may expect
help from him. We may not have long
to wait. Meanwhile, my dear boy,
you will, of course, get a share of the
reward.”
“I haven't thought of that. I
Svouldn’t know what to do with it,”
Shad answered.
“But you would know what to do
with an education."
"I’m getting educated. I’m learning
something every day. I’d rather the
reward would go to you and Colonel
Blake."
The doctor smiled and said: “Well,
boy, if I am entitled to any of it,
which I question, it shall be yours.
There is another matter of which I
would speak. You are to mention it
only to Colonel Blake. Be careful
that no one overhears you. I recall
your telling me once of the handsome
young lady who worked in the store
in South Bolton. You had seen her
one day at Bumpy Brown’s shack. 1
went to call on a patient in that vil¬
lage about ten days ago. I heard
some gossip about her. It was inter-'
esting but unkind. I went to the
store. The girl was there alone. The
look of her confirmed the gossip. It
grieved me to see a beautiful girl
friendless and in her condition. I
talked with her a little. She didn't
seem to know what was the matter. It
was a sad case. I gave her my tele¬
phone number and told her that when
she needed help I would come.
“Familiar as I am with the process,
I always feel when 1 belli to deliver
a child as if I had had a humble part
in a miracle. The girl went to a lone¬
ly settlement away back in the woods.
There she got the help of a midwife.
The child was born. Something "went
wrong. She began to fail and asked
them to send for me. I went and
found her in a critical condition. She
will probably die. Some rotten-hearted
man who has no share in her trouble
has brought her to that pass.
“I am not preaching to you, my
boy. I tell you these things only be¬
cause I suspect that the girl has some
connection with our case. Robert
Boyce took her to the house of the
midwife. He was often seen with her.
Now, Royce is the heir of Mrs. Doo¬
little. The theory has come to my
friend. Judge Swift, that Mrs. Doo¬
little did not like the girl; that she
had threatened to disinherit the young
man if he married her. Therein is a
double motive for getting rid of his
mother.”
Shad smiled, saying: “I feel sure
that Royce is the man and 1 think
that Colonel Blake does.”
“I do not feel sure, although there
Is much to indicate it,” tl.e doctor
went on. "I know Royce well. 1
would say that he is not the type of
man we are seeking. Still it is easy
to be deceived.”
Shad showed the volume he had
been studying to ttie doctor and the
queries in his notebook. The learned
man answered them, and said:
“The time has come when you need
a bigger dictionary. I will lend you
mine. I will have my man bring it to
you at Brown’s cove.”
lie looked through many pages of
tlie "Commentaries” and noted down
the meaning of the unusual words and
Batin phrases, lie gave the boy a
book entitled "The Youth’s History of
England,” and recommended that he
read it carefully before continuing his
study of Blackstone. The doctor
arose. His horse and buckboard were
at the door.
“I must be going,” he said. “Please
go and see Miss Spenlow. She lias
a deep interest in you.”
The doctor set out on his rounds
and Shad went to the boarding house.
CHAPTER X
Miss Spenlow Expresses New
Sentiments.
The benevolent spirit of Miss Betsy
Spenlow had entered upon a great
sentimental adventure. Her face
shone with a new enthusiasm. She
arose and threw her arms around the
boy and kissed him. Her affectionate
greeting was a bore to him, but he
took it with a cheerful countenance.
“You are growing so big and hand¬
some!” she exclaimed. “Sit down. I
»»
"Let’s Call It the House of the Three
Ganders.”
want to tell you what has happened.
I have got the sweetest, little, teenty,
weenty baby that you ever saw.”
Shad turned with a look of aston¬
ishment.
“The doctor brought it here so that
I could take it to tiie Home for tlie
Friendless,” she went on. “The little
tiling has got hold of my heart. I
don’t know how I’m ever going to part
with it. Just come into my bedroom
and take a look at her. it's a little
girl.”
The boy had no interest in babies,
but he went. The child lay asleep,
with a nursing bottle beside it, in a
swinging brass crib. Miss Spenlow
lifted it in tier arms and said:
“Did you ever see anything so cun¬
ning in your life? Look at that little
hand.”
To Shad the young child was red
and smelly and unattractive, but iie
would not take issue with a lady in
such a matter, lie agreed with her
like a gentleman.
“Look at these dainty baby clothes,”
she went on. “The doctor brought
them and the crib and everything.”
“Isn’t it a great trouble to you?”
Shad asked.
“Not a bit. The young girls come in
and help me take care of it night and
morning. I was never so happy in my
life as I am with this baby.”
SI e put it back in its crib and they
returned to ttie sitting room.
“Had you heard that Deacon Plumb
was dead?” she asked.
“Yes, I read of it in the Canton
paper.”
“What a pity!” she exclaimed. “If
there ever was a good Christian man
in this world, it was Deacon Plumb.
He left five hundred dollars to the
Home for the Friendless.”
Shad remembered how fussy the
deacon had been about his mail. When
told that there was none for him he
was wont to stare sternly -at the boy
OPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOOO
Lejeune Got “Thriller” After War Was Over
When General Lejeune was asked
to relate his most thrilling war expe¬
rience he smiled and said:
“It did not come in the war, but
after it, when the troops of occupa¬
tion were passing through Belgium.
We were given a wonderful reception
and in one city 1 was on the platform
and had to make a speech. When I
had finished our chaplain arose and
to my amazement and horror an¬
nounced that Mile. Clementine, the
famous dancer who was traveling
with me, would entertain with some
of her inimitable dances.
“And how she danced, while I sat
there in horror, knowing that my rep¬
utation was ruined beyond repair.
“Imagine, then, my relief when.
CLEVELAND COURIER
as If he didn’t believe It, and go away
muttering.
Miss Spenlow added: “I have writ¬
ten a poem which was read at tlie
church sociable tlie other evening.
Some said that It ought to be pub¬
lished. 1 will read it to yon.”
At this point Slmd was rescued by
the •arrival of Bony, who had been
mending his canoe.
Shad wrote a letter to Colonel
Blake, in which lie reported tlie news
which had come out in his interview
with the doctor. Tills done, he and
Bony talked a while. The doctor’s
hired girl came in to sit with the
baby while Miss Spenlow went to Sun¬
day school. She was its superintendent.
Soon the boys set out afoot for
Brown’s fove."
Shad swore Bony to secrecy and
told him of the late phases in tlie re¬
markable problem of the People, and
of the capture of Algyre.
“It’s wonderful—what you’ve done,”
said Bony. “I heard ’em tollin’ in the
store that the district attorney thought
you was the most promisin’ hoy that
he had ever seen.’’
Shad smiled and was silent for a
little time. The words had quickened
the beating of his heart. They were
bread to his soul.
“I don’t know what he thinks,” Shad
answered. “He’s never told me. I’m
going to do my best to please him.
That's all I can do.”
“I feel sorry for poor ol’ Bumpy,
lie was up at the Dam while you was
away to see if there was any letter
for him. 01’ Doran was in the store
an’ abused him shameful—called him
a liar an’ a thief an’ a murderer.
Bumpy walked away an’ never said a
word. When that ol’ pup Doran got
out o’ the store I called him every
name I could lay my tongue to."
Shad answered: “The poor old man
never said a word to me about it. He
must have a heavy heart in him but
lie keeps cheerful. There’s something
kind o’ wonderful about him. I know
a lot I couldn’t tell—not yet.”
“There ain't one o’ them pin heads
that does so much talkin’ that’s tit to
black his shoes.”
They were nearing the little house
in Brown’s cove. Bumpy, who had
been watching the trail through a win¬
dow as he worked, hustled out of the
front door to greet them.
“Hurry up, you pair of young gan¬
ders,” lie shouted. “The old goose is
ready an’ smokin’ hot. Come on.”
It was then that Shad gave the little
house a name which passed into his¬
tory. It was suggested by like names
in the novels of Iteade and Dickens.
“Let’s call it The House of the
Three Ganders,” he proposed.
“I agree an’ that makes a majority,”
said Bumpy. "Hurry now an’ git
washed up an' yer hairs combed.”
CHAPTER XI
Important Events in the House of the
Three Ganders.
The weather turned stormy. At day¬
light the air was full of rain flying in
the wind. Shad brought in a good sup¬
ply of wood and water and sat down
with his task while the raindrops
hissed upon the roof and window
panes. The doctor had sent down his
big Webster’s dictionary. Shad got
far along with "The Youth’s His¬
tory of England” that day. Bumpy
was a real help to the boy while tlie
reading progressed. In his droll way
he explained how dukes, lords, barons
and popes were made and what was
expected of them.
"A lord was a man who fit good in
battle,” lie explained. “The king slaps
him on the back an’ says, ‘Ol’ boy,
put 'er there. You’ve done grand.
Hereafter you’ll have all tlie land an’
money ye want an’ nothin’ to do but
look as beautiful as ye can an’ be tt
gentleman an' my friend, an’ yer old
est boy shall be a lord an’ yer daugh¬
ters shall he grand ladies.’
“Ye see a kingdom was a kind of a
doll factory where ladies an’ gentle¬
men was made an’ dressed up an’ sold
to tlie people. An’ the people give
’em castles to live in an’ horses an’
hounds to play with. Tlie people has
to have some one that wears velvet
coats an’ gowns an 1 looks grand an'
does more or less cuttin’ up. It gives
’em suthin’ to wonder at an’ tail;
about. What would the folks do in
Amity Dam if everybody was good.
Their mouths would dry up an' their
tongues would git par’lyzed.”
When night came Shad sat under
the evening lamp with Bumpy and
they discussed the great battles of the
people for their liberty with tlie State,
the barons and the Church of which
he had been reading. In three days
he had a fairly good understanding
of the background of the “Commenta¬
ries” of Sir William Blackstone.
“I’d say your gun was to’lable well
loaded,” said tlie old man in their last
review. “I guess tlie colonel will jump
when you shoot it off at him. lie’ll
break down an’ holler fer help.”
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
at the end of the dance, Mile Clemen¬
tine removed a very pretentious wig
and I recognized the close-cropped
black head and smiling countenance
of my very masculine soldier-cook and
the chaplain explained the joke to the
audience.
“ ’Ah,’" I exclaimed jumping to
my
feet, “ ‘if he only could cook as well
as lie dances war would almost be a
pleasure.’ ’’
For the Horse
In the old horse and buggy days
there was no such thing as a driver's
license. Had one been required doubt¬
less it would have been issued to tlie
horse, which in many cases knew mor«
than the driver.—Toledo Blade.
but the greatest name in rubber
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If you’re looking for the greatest thrift
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one you see pictured here.
It’s a lifetime guaranteed Goodyear
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millions of car owners know by ex¬
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at prices like this, it certainly pays to
say to yourself: “Why be satisfied
with any second-choice tire? FIRST
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Pontiac Jits Nash Impairs Nash Each
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TU1VE I on the Goodyear Program every Wednesday night over N. B. C. Red Network* WEAF and Associated Stations
SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR THESE VALUES!
Here’s Really New Idea
for Christmas Present
Here is an advertisement which ap¬
peared recently in one of the largest
of Berlin's dailies, as transcribed in
the magazine Lu, Paris:
“A German writer of world-wide
reputation will write tlie story of tlie
life of anyone who may desire it, in
i manner guaranteed to he artistic,
based on personal notes of those who
wish to order.
“It is the nicest sort of present for
Christmas. Such a story would bring
joy to tlie entire family. Before this,
one could not have offered the story
of one’s life to one’s friends or ac¬
quaintances. The price depends on
the number of pages.”
“The ‘world-wide’ reputation of
this writer is questionable,” remarks
the Paris magazine, “but he did not
speculate unwisely. Many persons
might like to have a true history of
their own lives, and pay handsomely
for it if it were interesting (from
their point of view). To see oneself
the hero of a novel! The idea is at¬
tractive."
You Know the Kind
Explorer—From the Chinese fron¬
tier we pushed into Tibet
Sympathetic Lady—We had a c-ar
like that.
EVERY HOUSEHOLD
Should Have Ready at Hand
Dr. PEERY’S “DEAD "UfcAU SHOT" SHUT VERMIFUGE
so that when symptoms of WORMS appear in children or adults,
an effective remedy is available at once.
It destroys and expels worms rapidly and corrects the digestive dis¬
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Only No purgative
one required be¬
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taking the
necessary medicine
Be sure to ask your druggist for
Dr. PEERY’S II "DEAD nrsn eiiAT/I SHOT VERMIFUGE
ON THE MARKET FOR EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS
Fossils Proof of
Antiquity of Man?
The most ancient being known
which can be called man was discov¬
ered in Java. It was imbedded in
a stratum containing.fossil plants and
animals of at least a half million
years ago. This being, called Pithe¬
canthropus erectus, had a small ltead,
with huge ridges over tlie eyes. Its
teeth were much like tohse of today,
and it walked erect.
Next in age are tlie remains of It
individuals discovered deeply buried
in a cave near Peiping, China. These
people were much like the Java man,
hut were somewhat more advanced.
l’he associated animal bones indicate
i period only a little later.
Near Heidelberg, in Germany, a
human jaw was found during com¬
mercial excavations. The stratum in
which it lay was deposited in the
second interglacial epoch, probably
250,000 years ago. The jaw is huge,
it has no chin, but tlie teeth are
human.
Another find of about the same
age was made near Piltdown, Sus¬
sex, England, and consists of a very
simple skull," combined with a jaw
which resembles that of a chine
panzee.
Fifty thousand years ago a people
called Neanderthal were living in the
caves of Europe. They were
tinctly human, but in many ways
sembled tlie anthropoid apes.
had long, low heads, projecting
and walked in a semi-erect
About 25,000 years ago they
displaced by newcomers, the
Magnon. a people much like
Europeans.
Briefly Told
A prudent person profits
personal experience, a wise
from the experience of others.
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VY. N. U., ATLANTA, NO.
