Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-08
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Wet Day.


A Wet Day.
When Quincy a1ighted from the
train at Easthorough Centre. after at
tending his uncle's funeral, he found
the rain descending in torrents. He
hired q closed carriage and was driven
to Mason's Corner, arriving there
about 10 O'clock. He had taken his
breakfast in Boston.
When he reached the Pettengill
house he saw Hiram standing at the
barn door. Bidding the driver stop, he
got out and paid his score: he then
took Hiram by the arm and led him
into the barn. When he had prined
the latter with good cigar, he said.
"Now, Hiram, I've been away several
days and l want to know what has
been going on. You know our agree
ment Yves that you should tell me the
whole truth and nothing but the truth
don't want you to spare my feelings
nor anybody else's. Do you under
stand?" said he to nlram. Hiram
nodded. Then go AHEAD" said Quin-
cy.
We'll, first" said Hiram, putting his
cigar with evident satisfaction, they
got hold of the point that Miss Huldy
| drove back alone from Easthorough
Centre Abner Stiles took Indy Put
| nam down to the station and she went
| to Boston on the same train that you
| did. Abner tried to catch up with Hui
dy, so he could quiz her. but she whip
lped up her horse anu got away from
him"
Smart girl" INTERCEPTED Quincy
You can Just bet" said tlram,
there amt smarter enc in this town.
| though. of course, | think Mandy is
ipretty smart, too"
"Mandy's all right" said Quincy:
"go ahead
/ "Wcll, secondly. as the ministers
say continued Hiram "Lindy Put
nam told Abner when he drove her
home from the station that night thai
the copper company thar Mr.. Sawyer
told her to put her money in had bust
] ed, and she'd lost lots of money That's
gone all over Mason's Ccrre". and if
Abner told Asa Waters, it's all over
Eastborough Centre by this time"
THE whole thing is lie" said
Quincy holly; the stock did go down,
but my father told me yesterday it had
rallied and would soon advance from
five to ten points What's tie next
| confounded yarn
"Well. thirdly" continued Hiram,
3of course everybody knows Jim Saw
yer was your uncle. and somebody said
you can guess who-that it would
look better if you would pay up his
back board instead of spending SO
much money on fancy funeral and
cheating the town undertaken out of a
LOB
81 paid him for all that he did, SAID
Quincy
Yes" said Hiram. but this is how
it is. You see the undertaken makes
a contract with the town to bury all
the paupers who die during the year
for SO much money. They averaged
it up and found that about three died
9, year, SO the town pays the under
taker on that calculation: but this yeal
you see, only two have died, and there
amt another one likely to die before
j town meeting day. which comes the
first Monday in March. SO. you see the
undertaken gets paid for buryin' youl
uncle, though he didn't do it, and some
one says--gou can guess who-that he
is going to bring the matter up in towI
meeting"
Quincy smothered an exclamation
and bit savagely into his cigar
Anything else?" inquired he. Have
they abused the ladies as well as me?'
No said Hiram; you see some
body-you know who's giving Hubby
music lessons and he will keep quie
! about her anyway; but he says ft
can't understand how Zeke Pettengil
can let you board in his house and gc
; out riding with Hubby unless thing.
SC no al. J,,Il