Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-01-08
CHAPTER V, Continued.

"Indeed?" Ralph replied with feigned
surprise and interest.
Yves. S-See them two f-fellers
cross the sstreet Their? N-Now I'll
m-m-make rhyme 'b-'bout EN-. Their
n-names is Blob B-B-Brown an B-Bob
J-Jones"
And Mutt pointed to two villagers
their coat collars turned up, their hands
IN thc4r pockets-occupying a bench in
front of the wagon-makers's shop,
busily talking.
Then the old man said impressively:
''N-Now l-l-listen:
Their was two B-Bobs s-s-set on a
bench,
An they g-got sk-sk-skeered at a
h-hornet's n-nest.
"S-Say! Wh-What do you th-th-
think O that" The manner in which
he said 1t all-his earnestness, his gray
1ty-was irresistible. Marlowe laughed
heartily. Tucker threw himself across
, the counter, and kicked up his heels
and roared. The old man took their
merriment as a compliment to his
poetical genius, probably. At any rate
he did not take it amiss; but picking
up his purchase smilingly shambled out
of the store.
Didn't | tell you he was good one,
young feller?" said Jep-as soon as he
could say anything-resuming his
lounging attitude at the side of the
counter and wiping his eyes with the
back Of his hand. "Ol Temps funnier
n a funer'l-he is, by jeeminy! 'Taint
what he says, but the way he says it.
Wasn't | right wen | said you'd strike
an odd stick in him."
Yes, Ralph admitted-busying him
self with the filling of a prescription
for horse liniment that a farmer had
brought in before dinner-"but there
axe Others"
.E'oN! know that" Tucker assented
Ngnnocently, never dreaming himself was
meant. But OF Temps the cap sheaf
o the whole caboodle Theirs lots O.
funny tales bout the oil codger. One
spring severl years ago, he come to the
c'nclusion he'd go into business, Std
o workin' at his trade-carpenterin
So he opened up a kind O. hardware
store an grocery c-mbined, in room
in the Gridley buildin'.
well, he hadn't more n fairly got
started, till one sunshiny day in corn
plantin' time, farmer from back on
the hills walked in an asked fer a
pair o bull-tongues. Say!"-Abruptly.
-"Of course you know what bull
tongues Isl"
Ralph had to admit that he wasn't
certain that he knew. And Jep re-
sumed:
"You wouldn't ave been no better off
n Somp, then. Bull-tongues is them
hing, narrer shovels that goes on Guilt
vators. Well, wen that farmer asks
the OF codger-'Have you got any bull
tongues, Mr.. Nutt?'-Tomp thinks the
fellers a huntin' somethin' good to eat;
an without waitin to be sure bout it,
he blurts out:
N-No hain't g-got no b-bull-
t-tongues; b-but I've g-g-got some
m-mighty good bib lony s-s-sausage. 1"
Marlowe was devoting his attention
to a refractory label he was putting
upon the bottle he had just filled; and
he smiled but feebly. Not at all dis
couraged by his companions lack of
appreciation, however, Tusker maun-
dered on:
Mother time the Of Teller got on a
p'tratCed spree; an wen he went to
taper off, done like ev-rybody's likely to
do-made the taper end the biggest, an
got drunk ag'in. Aunt Hammer, his wife
"A good. religious Of soul-lectured
him bout his sinful ways. Says She
"'Tomp Mutt, you'll die on one y'r
drunken frolcs some day, an leave me
a wilder An then wen die an go up
to heaven | won't find you there; an
how bad I'll feel.
"Tomp Strengthened hisself up as stiff
as ramrod. an answers:
MMother, If | d-die first. I'll
l-leave the g-gate O. h-heaven open f-fer
you. An wen y-you g-git in, y-you'll
f-fAfind NINE there in all m-my
g-g-glory-s-shinin' like n-new
c-c-crosscut s-saw.
fuckers imitation of Temps stutter-
ing delivery was perfect, and Ralph felt
like laughing Not caring to encourage
the volatile fellow to further effort,
however the young man concealed his
merrment by asing quickly:
"Jep. what is keeping DR.. Barwood,
do you Think"
Don't know" answered the eccen-
trio, sauntering over to the side win
dow and peeping out. "nless he's got
into o. them cases that a doctor never
knows when he'll git out of. | know
what you're thnkin bout. though; an
you're goin' to be disappointed"
of what am | thinking?'
You're thinkin' that wen the OF
doc comes back. he II praise you for
havin' the drugstore all cleaned up. But
you're nightly mistaken; he won't do
nothin' o. the kind, He'll Just strut in
an let on he don't ~0+ice no change
BY Jolly! Here he is this very minute.
an looEin' sourer n an Of maids smile
He's hitchin' his boss to the rack: an
IS comm in. Now, young teller, watch
out fer breakers"
Marlowe did not think It necessary
to make reply. A minute later DR.. |
Barwood strobe into the store. his head |
erect. anger and defiance i'm his eyes. |
Without giving the slightest attention |
to the altered condition and appear |
ance Of the place. apparently he threw 1
his muddy saddlebags and great coat |
Sneaker Hendprson's unevnectad ro-