Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-19


prefer q Jhree-mile tramp to Eastbor.
ough Centre.
y hope you're enjoyin' your stay at
Mason's Corner" said Mr.. Benoni Hill,
though | don't s'pose you city folks
town, specially in the winter"
so far have found two things that
have pleased me very much" replied
Quincy.
THE milk and eggs, | suppose.
remarked Tilly.
NO" said Quincy. Il refer to Miss
Lindy Putnam's fine singing and the
beautiful playing Of a young lady who
is called Miss James"
| Il have heard" said lilly, that you
/ city gentlemen are great fiatterers.
That is not the reason why am
/ obliged to leave you so suddenly, but
the fact is the tea caddy ran low this
morning and grandmas nerves will
remain unstrung until she gets a cup
of strong tea"
| With a graceful bow and parting
wave of the hand to the three gentle
men, the hri8ht and popular young
! lady left the store.
s.Nlr. HILL" said Quincy, addressing
/ the elder gentleman. I've smoked all
the cigars that ! brought from Boston,
but Deacon Mason told me perhaps
you had some that would suit ne.
/ / like a good-sized strong cigar and
one that burns freely"
Well" said Mr. Hill, professor
Strout is the most partililer customer
/ have in cigars; he says he always
smokes u pipe in the house, cause it
don't hang round the room SO long
as cigar smoke does, but he likes a
good cigar to smoke on the street or
when he goes ridin'. | just had new
box come down for him last night.
Perhaps some of them will satisfy yer
till | can git jest the kind yer want. .
Mr.. Hill took his claw-hammer and
Opening the box passed it to Quincy,
who took one OF the cigars and lighted
lit. AS he did so he glanced at the
brand and the names of the makers,
and remarked, This is a good cigar
I've smoked this brand before. What
do you ask for them?"
II git ten cents straight, but as Mr.
Strout always smokes uD the whole
box before he gifts through, though he
, don't usually buy more than FIVE at a
time let him have EN- for nine cent:
apiece There amt much made on
them, but yer see l have to obleege
my customers
you don't ask enough for them,
said Quincy, throwing down twenty
dollar bill. They sell for iifteer
cents, two for quarter, in Boston,
How many will YOU have?" asked
Mr.. Hill, thinking that Boston mus
. be a paradise for shopkeepers, wher
; seven cents profit could be made OF
! cigar that cost only eight cents.
"Pll take the whole box, sei(
Quincy. Cell it ten dollars. that
, cheap enough No matter about tn'
discount As he said tais he tool
! hair dozen cigars from 9ile ~.
and placed taem in z siEeg-mouat
ed, embroidered cigar cage
: Please do them up for me-, Air, ail7
end the next time Hiram Maxwell
: comes in he will take them down l.
: Deacon Aiason's for me-"
Afte: much rummaging through til
Y and pocketbook, Mr. Hill and his SO
y found ten dollars in change. wbic
u was passed to Quincy. He SUITE
i the large wad of small bills and frac
tional currency into his overcoat pocl
q ct and sitting down on pile OF soa
), boxes tirummed ON the lower che Wit
:, his boot heels and pulled his ciga
o with evident pleasure.
u While Quincy was thus pleasant
( engaged, Professor Strout entered th
: store and walked briskly I'D 10 til
. counter. He did not see. or if he dit
" he did not notice. Quincy WAC ker
= his place UPON the pile OF hcEe!
= Strout was followed by Abner Stile'
y Robert Wood. and several othe
!, idlers, who had been standing on tn
y store platform when the professor a
:. rived.
! .'Did those cigars come down. Hill?
. asked Strout in his usual pom pou
= way.
'Yes," replied Mr.. Hill, @bnt CUES
:. lyou'll have to wait till git anothe
~ box down.
d What for?' asked Strout sharpl
a WANT it understood between us thu
e them cigars was to be Kept for me?''
That's So acknowledged Mr.. Hi
d "but you see, when told that gel
. tleman on the soap box over yondc
ID that you smoked them, he bought tt
of whole box, paid ne a cent more apiet
IS than you do A dollars worth savir
nowadays, He says they sell for f
le teen cents, two for quarter, up
ID Boston"
in If he's so well posted on Bostc
W prices growled Strout, why didl
ly he pay them instead of cheatin' yt
le out of two dollars and half. co
,g slider it very shabby trick, Mr.. Hi
" / shall buy my cigars at Eastborou'
Centre in the future. Perhaps you
y lose more than that dollar in the lol
nv run"
ed Perhaps the gentleman will let "
have some of their expostulated n
nd Hill, until can get another box
at ''All | can say is" said Strout
a snappish tones. ''if the man W
DIS bought them knew that you got the
it for me, he was, no gentleman to ia
If. the whole box. What do yer So
w Stiles?" he asked, turning to Abn
who had kept his eyes fixed on t
Mt placid Quincy since entering the sto
he though listening intently 10 what t
MS professor said.
n well, kinder reckon agree