Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE out it Mrs. Sproul would have no further use for him. He was the more teady, then, to accept any suggestion; and when Ellen broached the subject of labor he did not spurn the idea as he ordinarily would have done, “It’s this way,” she explained. “ Jake is getting old and slow; he can’t begin to keep up with the work. The farm begins to look run down. Ernest won’t lift a finger, as you know. Jest sits there and dozes and smokes his pipe and reads till I’d think he would scramble what little brains he’s got. “Now if you was to help out a little, not hard work, you understand, but just show a willingness to do your share, it would help old Jake, but above all it would make Ernest uncomfortable! As my brother and half owner of the place, you don’t ave to do a thing; all the more credit when you peel off your coat and help out! I reckon Ernest would feel mighty meaching about it.” It seemed reasonable. And before he knew it George had arrayed himself in over- alls and jumper, and was pottering about with Jake. He wasn’t much help at first; spoiled more than he helped. But at least he was company for the old hired man, and after the first awkwardness had worn off, he really accomplished a good deal. He curry-combed the old horse, washed the buggy, split kindling, fetched water, made fires, sifted ashes, took over a dozen little things that enabled Jake to devote himself to the more important farm work. But if Ernest felt any qualms at seeing his brother-in-law acting the part of a man, he concealed it. In fact, he made no reference to it whatever, but pursued his lazy and shiftless mode of life undisturbed. One important development rose from this industry on George’s part. One mild winter day, armed with a billhook, he was thinning out the alders along a wall that bounded what had been a fine mowing lot, until it began to get beyond old Jake, and to grow up to scrub. Seeing him, Jake wan- dered over and pointed to a bright leaved bush which was still quite green. “ Took out fer that,” he warned. “ Why?” asked George, straightening up. “1 don’t see nothing.” ¥ aha S ee eas Touch it pnd yell MEANEST MAN. 45 all break out in a rash, and itch like all git- out!” Thereupon George learned for the first time of the noxious weed that all country children are taught to avoid from the time they can toddle alone. He was much in- terested. ‘How do you manage when you have to work in it?” “Wear gloves, o’ course,” Jake said. ‘““How much of it ya got to get on your- self to make it take?” Jake bit off a piece from a very black plug of tobacco, When he had moistened it into a chewable mass, he explained: “Some folks don’t even have to tech it. Seems to pisen ’em if they go anywhere near it. Others, but not many, can handle it and it don’t seem to affect ’em. Them it does affect only jest have to touch it with a hand, or bare flesh anywhere, and they break out. May last ’em a week or more. All swell up; I’ve seen ’em with their eyes plumb shet tight. Sometimes they have to call in a doctor, but there’s nothing he can do better’n to keep the skin washed with saleratus water.” Jake returned to where he had been turn- ing cornstalks under the sod, according to the government regulations since the corn- borer had appeared in this part of the coun- try. George gazed earnestly at the harm- less looking plant for a long time, an idea sprouting in his mind. It was a couple of mornings later that Ernest Sproul appeared at breakfast look- ing as if he had spent a long, hard night among the disreputable resorts of a metrop- olis. His face was red and swollen, one eye being entirely closed, the other a mere slit. There were ugly blotches on his hands, and it was evident that these itched cruelly, and that only by exercising the utmost self- denial did Ernest control himself from tear- ing the tender flesh from them in his misery. The rash had even broken out in his scalp, where it showed beneath the thin hair. “What on earth—” his wife cried as her eyes beheld the startling change. “What’s happened to you?” “JT don’t know.” Ernest spoke with swollen lips. ‘‘ Woke up in the night as if I was on fire. This morning soon’s it was — os : — tn: . nae =, « ee ee - baie eta = mo — = . - san ‘ i = ~ ~t, eo ee Ee il xi se ee = Es ——— : =e Saee t ee — << I Tine ei br SS a aw eet oe ¥ < << —_ ies cae se Bae —- ‘a “ng eke eS a ne me a = TE Race - 2 ; %< ee >: SS SS aes oes . oe =: es eg Le =e ae eee @ DOG @