Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-01-31
ENAMELED.
Our Lady Lod9ers and DR.. Bar
lows Preparations.

It is not our custom to take dodgers.
know we might gain penny now
and then in that way, but we would
q quart than have strange people
about. How can one ever know what
q tin peddler might take it into his
head to do after he had put his horse
up in our barn and had pulled his cart
under the shed? And it is tin peddlers
principally that want lodgings in this
part of the country. Besides, it is ir-
ritating to be forced to take payment
in tin dishes when you already have all
of those articles you will ever be likely
to need.
is very large, and has that indescrib-
able appearance which always belongs
to houses where people do take dodgers.
This look we have never been able to
eradicate, and first and last it has
brought us a great deal of trouble.
When / look in the glass but I
ought to begin at the beginning.
One night last week, as Amabel and
were coming home from calling at a
friends house, we saw two figures on
our piazza. They were sitting on the
bench. and seemed reposing them
selves as those who had a right and
were sure of their welcome; evidently
acquaintance awaiting our arrival. 1t
was growing dusk, and at first we did
not know If they were men or women;
but as we entered the yard they rose
and came forward into the glow of
light from the west, and we saw that
they were women, plain and respect
able, just as our friends usually seem.
The woman in the gray dress-one
was clad in black. the other in gray
advanced step in front of her COM
panion and began speaking. She said
they were intending to go to Plainville
but as it was getting late another lady
at the next house had told them that
we would doubtless take them for the
night, and they gave twenty-five cents
apiece for their lodging. and they
were canvassing in the vicinity and
should not need any breakfast and she
hoped we should find it convenient to
keep them. All the time that these
words were coming copiously and
without punctuation from the lips of
the one woman. the other kept bowling
and smiling an accompaniment. In
deed. every time we looked at this
~Other-she in the black frock-she
bowed and smiled, showing two prom
inent white teeth, wriggling with her
neck and head in q way that was con-
fusing in the last degree.
Seeing our dodgers by the light of
the lamp, we now discovered that tho
spokeswoman, she in gray. had not
amy smile; in its stead she had GER
tain movement of the nose and upper
lip. which answered just as well and
had the advantage of not being so
confusing. She continually referred
to the other one as "Sister Emma. !"
and Sister Emma never failed with
her smile and bow. But she was not
dumb. for we heard her talking after
they went upstairs Perhaps she was
shy; perhaps she considered that she
could do better than talk.
Naturally we asked for what they
were canvassing. At this question
they looked at each other so very
Queerly that had instantly creepy
sensation down my backbone at the
thought that they were going to stay
all night with us. After this mutual
glance the speaking one replied that
they had ..toilet articles" ! felt that
toilet articles covered a wide range of
things; they might be bureaus or fine
tooth combs they were selling. If the
former, they were certainly not carry
ing them inr their satchels, unless by q
feat of legerdemain.
just as they were going upstairs to