The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-08-30

4 AAE IL IL VI NAAE ACAboChC lamp lclA VI
boy about her sons age.
johnny she gasped.
Don't be frightened. please" said
the unknown lad Johns all right:
at least, he will be soon. He wants
you; come
In her excitement the mother caught
up shawl. threw it over her head,
and, turning the key on her sleeping
children, followed the messenger into
the snowy street
1t Is true indeed that John had been
nearly discouraged. yet work he must
have or starve. Despair was simply
too expensive a luxury for him to az
ford
So when, after weeks of hope de-
ferred which made his heart sick, a
man with a hooked nose and weasel
like eyes spied him. aud actually asked
If he were in search of a lob" John
blindly snatched at the offer.
The man led him into 4 back room.
dingy with cobwebs which festooned
the low rafters aud the one narrow
window. Here. on shelves, stood a
dozen rows of black. square bottles.
The man nodded to him. putting fore
finger to the side Of his nose. and wink
ing knowingly with his right eye.
Ever hear tell of Babbitt. bow?
Benjamin Butcher Babbitt? And his
famous Beneficent Balsamic Bitters?
Ever hear tell of them. eh?''
John shook his head.
II want to know cried the hook
nosed man We'll. to be sure. The
depths of mortal ignorance is pro-
digious. Benjamin Butcher Rabbit
that's me; and these--pointing with
his grimy fnger-'these is the Beneti-
cent Balsamic Bitters. Now, there
may be other folks laying in heather
darkness besides you. What I say is:
'Enlighten EN- How? Advertise.
That Is my motto-'Advertise The
human race is saved when the virtues
of Beneficent Balsamic Bitters is real
lied And how do I advertise? Be
hold!'
The man opened a dark closet. from
the depths of which he brought two
huge wooden placards. connected at
the upper corners by padded leathern
straps On the boards. in large black
and yellow letters, John read;
Big Boom,
Buy Benjamin Butcher Rabbits
Benefcent Balsamic Bitters.!-
Under the words was a rude paint
ing, intended to represent an angel
blowing a trumpet From the tiaring
mouth of the instrument came a scroll.
on which were written the names of
the diseases and they were legion)
which the Balsamic Bitters were war
ranted to cure
"A neat and genteel business" rs-
marked Mr.. Babbitt, blaudly. Just
tuck your head through these straps.
and with breastplate and backpiece
which protects you from the inclem-
ency of the weather, you saunter at
your ease through the city, thus OBJ
tanning healthful exercise and at the
same time spreading the knowledge of
my bitters among those who are lam
gushing for this very tonic. Shall we
strike bargain, eh?"
John recoiled as the man came for
ward with the Gathering boards.
''Oh, 1 couldn't carry them" he ex-
claimed.
But Benjamin Butcher Rabbit held
him fast.
Come, now" he coaxed. You're
just the right highith- I'll give you
seventy-five cents day
He did not add that a bows services
were cheaper than a mans, and that
a broad-shouldered young fellow like
John was not often TO be had for the
asking.
''Seventy-fve cents day repeated
Rabbit
John hesitated He did need the
money so desperately.
First payment in advance in
simulated the man, swapping his weasel
eyes
John set his teeth and pulled his hat
down over his forehead. Hoist the
boards on my shoulders. he said,
grimly.
Words can hardly tell how the Boys
pride suffered as he walked along the
street, ticketed in this disgraeefuI
fashion Whenever anyone stopped to
read the advertisement the blood
surged into Johns face, and he felt as
If he must sink through the nearest
grating Once or twice he was greeted
with jocose Hello, Sandwich or a
playful soul followed him for d block.
facetiously over the nu-
BIS. ''B-B-Ben iam1n B-B-Butch-
p B-B-B-B Rabbits B-B-Bitters. etc
Fun to you, but death to me-"
thought John, wrathfully.
If by any evil chance he should
on one of his former school
mates John thought he should die
I'LL well he remembered that he him
self had once joined Tom Sanders in |
chatting a certain soap-fat man. not 1
any harm; but John wished /
now he had not done IL.
He kept a keen eye out for Tom. !
ready TO dodge up a lane or alley at
sight Of sehoolboy- To think that l
ne, John Ham, who would certainly |
lave been awarded the first prize in /
0ratory. should be sneaking around /
the streets, advertising Benjamin
Butcher Bah bits Beneficent Balsamic
3itters,
No wonder night found our friend
vearied, soul and body. But by morn
ng he had picked up fresh pluck The
light Of his pale little mother at her
leedle nerved him TO endure. His
onstant goal was NO sewing for herr
'ome day he would earn enough for
IL a tha Ga--s La 49, l. !