The suburban citizen., 1900-06-23

IMliSl1 =. Nun n ~, Tue nlreu
| WNlSESN-%N man; Stanley
V>N@AEM \Erm. Carson, h e
GyTAk V N W. y city boarder,
IS N1l " 4 and Jack KEN.
y bic, also from
the city, who had come to spend a
day or two with his friend and crony
in his rustic retreat.
"Be'n around the farm yit, Mr..
Kemble?" Mr.. Decker inquired,
hitching back his chair. "You
mustn't leave town without seein' the
place"
"By no means, said Jack Kemble,
politely.
"Tm making some improvements,
Mr.. Decker went on, mildly.
"Diggin' a we'll, for one thing"
Cullen Berry observed, rising with
shuttle of his cowhide boots.
The city boarders rose also, grace
fully, and strolled out through the
kitchen door into the yard.
They're as good as a circus" said
Stanley Carson, in mirthful ander-
tone
"Better," Jack Kimble rejoined.
"The old mans pronunciations and
the hired mans clothes and table
manners, aud the way Molly does her
hair!"
"Best fun I ever struck, Stanley
responded. Gas to the farm" he
went on. glancing round with smile,
"they seem rather proud of it; but
what they can see to admire in an
acre OF corn and pumpkins, dilapi-
dated red barn and back yard like
this, with radishes and clothes-lines
and hencoops in beautiful confusion,
and What's the matter, Jack?"
For Jack Kemble was standing mo.
tionless, gazing f1edly at the ground
before him aud whistling softly.
'Do you see that?" he said, breath
lessly, and he -ointed to a small pud-
die of dirty water at his feet
THAT" Stanley repeated, with
laugh. 81 thought you had discov-
cred signs Of buried treasure by the
way you looked"
Gust what 1 have donew said
Jack, excitedly. "Look again. Do
you notice anything peculiar?"
Stanley bent over the little pool,
looking mystided,
cts greasy" he said.
EXACTLY" said Jack, triumphantly.
ooh, l wasn't brought up in the oil
regions for nothing!"
Stanley stared.
"You don't mean to cay" he
began, slowly.
"But I do" Jack iuterposed.
"You can't mistake the looks Of the
water. There's oil in this land"
Stanley whistled.
eyes, sir, oil-aud plenty OF it, I
should say" Jack went on, scrutin-
izing the greasy scum on the water
sharply. STU my opinion that old
absurdity in there has fortune right
in his hand"
"By Jove!-and cont dream Of itr'
Stanley calculated. "Td like to be
in his shoes, that's ALI" he added,
emphatically.
! The two toung men looked at each
other sharply for a moment.
There's a way of doing it" said
Jack, lowering his voice
"And that is" said Stanley,
softly.
"To marry the girli"
my idea precisely" said Stanley,
with a laugh.
'It's worth trying" said Jack, de-
cidedly.
"I shouldn't care to do it on un-
certainties," said Stanley, with a
Shrug. 'She is not my style, you
know"
''There is not the least uncertainty,
my dear fellow" responded Jack,
warmly. "Marry the girl; get the
thing into your own hands, aud your
fortune is made. Mt a doubt OF it.
Look here!-and herew
They had strolled along, arm-in-
arm, toward a pile of upheaved soil
and rough stones, Jack pointing with
his cane to spots Of undeniably greasy
appearance.
'They're digging q WE'LL" Stanley
observed, sitting down on the largest
rock.
cts playing rightinto your hand, 81
said Jack, impressively "All you'll
have to do, my boy-provided you've
got the girl and the old mans interest
UPS to dig down little further,
and there you are.
"Tll have her" said Stanley, catch
ing his friends enthusiasm. Gas ]
I said befOre sha isn't NV etvIe. but
it's too good a chance to lose, and, oi
course, / can improve her.
"It was my idea, remember" said
Jack, significantly. "ff it succeeds,
/ shall expect TO share the glory
and the profits"
The Deckers and Cullen Berry were
deeply puzzled by the conduct o.
their city boarders the next morning
1t was ine&plainable,