Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-22
"Why not. sir?"

/
read what the sign says" Shortie
grinned. 1t was good fun to tantalize
creditors when door stood between
"Out of town? Where's he gomez"
The closet door opened little and
Sam peeped out. HAS he gone YETI"
Better let him in, then, and tell
him I've gone home for a day"
well, well, WE'LL" cried a voice
outside, accompanying each exclama-
ton with vicious bang. do you in
tend to let me in?"
yes, certainly; step right inside. -
| Shortie walked over and turned the
key.
A brisk man stepped inside, small
quick, with thin red whiskers and
sharp eyes. Shortie realized it was
not "the laundry"
"You tell me that Samuel Barton
rooms here?"
| "ThOse are my words"
Can it be pos
"And they're the cleverest rooms
in college. Everything stolen except
the carpet and few
/
ooh, yes, the bill; your name is
"My name, sir, is Mr.. Wilcox"
! wilcox! Sam has an account with
! two men named Wilcox. [ guess
you're his tailor. Now, Mr.. Wilcox,
that last suit was not satisfactory, !
believe. Fifty dollars ought to give
absolute satisfaction. Sam has the
oil irrl I,orr
| amount, you knOW-but he told me
the other day he thought you would
take more care in the fit if you waited
for the money. The cloth itself is
good enough
Young man, I'm no tailor and
"Oh, pardon me. 4 funny mistake.
The other Wilcox-~his cigar man.
Well, all | have to say is that Mr.
Barton has been very busy-and such
a triAe, fifteen, is it not-has escaped
his attention. He'll be around to-
morrow"
Fifteen dOIlars For cigars!"
Hes a good customer, Isn't he?
Smokes all the time. LCCk at those
pictures-tWelye hundred"
"He hasn't used all those. You
don't tell me that little Sam
Little! He throws the hammer 10
feet further than any other man in the
university. Little! Hal"
"Twelve hundred boxes of cigarettes.
And he still lives The old mans
voice trembled. Young man, this is a
sad day for me. [ never hoped to see
little Sam Barton become the hero of
such mOnstrosity.
twelve hundred boxes
The closet door opened a little
Shortie had become puzzled and
gladly caught this opportunity of get
ting some clew. Sans face looked pale
unnatural, and that mouth, which US
ually resembled a jolly crescent, was
now executing quick succession of
movements meant to be Ineligible
They were not. What piece of pie
would ordinarily have cOrresponded to
those same movements? ShOrtie was
more perpleXed. Was he to kick him
out? Then of sudden an idea flashed
upon him and he tremble like a leaf
You wanted Sam BaIton?" he
asked of the stranger.
You told me yourself he roomed
here" replied the little man.
But | just thought of something"
and ShortiP shook together all the
nerve in his being. "There's two Sam
Bartons room in this building-one is
a medical student and he lives in num-
Der, nUm-num-number So
The little man burst into a hearty
laugh.
Il knew it. I knew it! Of course
knew it. My Sam Barton couldn't
room here. Smoke cigarettes? l guess
not. But tell me, young man, if you
know this other Mr.. Barton, what
kind of lad is he? Eh?"
"That's easy. Know him! Every
one in college knows him. He's a stu
dent, a real student. Stands first in
his class Spends all his money on
books and lectures. Spends all his
time in study. Everybody likes him.
Don't smoke, drink, or-Or-dO any
thing out of the way. Sans all right"
Il like to hear that. Just like his
mother. Well, I'll see that he don't
work too hard. All his money for
books! He'll have more. I want him
to go round a bit. Yes, sir, he'll have
more when l see him. Where's his
room, so? I'll go right down. Good
day, sir
Sam Barton rushed from the closet.
What did you do?"
Shortie lit a cigarette. Sent him
down in Toms room. Everything is
o. X. there. Toms father has just
been in and the den is as clean as a
WHISTLE
"Shortie, the dinner is on me-"
And it was.-The Owl.