Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-01-05

Quincy opened the door and Mr..
Stiles stood revealed.
"Is Professor Strout here?" asked
he.
"Yes," said Quincy; come in"
II guess I'll see him out here" con-
tinued Abner. What I've got to say
may be kinder private"
"Come in, Abner, cried Strout, land
let's hear what's on your mind"
"Waal," said Abner, looking askance
at Quincy, "if yer satisfied, am. Hi
| ram Maxwell's jest come down from
Mis- Putnam's, and Mis- Heppy Put
MANS dead, Quincy started on hear
ing this,-"and Samanthy Green is at
her wits end, cause she never was
alone in the house with a dead pusson
aIore, an Hiram's goin' to take Betsy
Green back to stay with her sister, and
then he's goin' to take Miss Alice Pet
tengill down home. cuz Miss Petten-
gill's most tired out; cuz you see, she's
been there since o'clock this morn
in, and Mis- Putnam didn't die till
about 1 o'clock, and Samanthy says
Mis- Putnam took on awful, so you
could hear her all over the house, and
Miss Indy Putnam, she's goin' to take
the next train to Bosting goin',
bag and baggage-and I've got to
Idrive her over to the station, and Bob
Wood, he's comm along with wag-
gin to carry her trunks and bandboxes
and sich, and so I've come to tell yer,
Professor, that can't take yer over
to the Centre this afternoon, no how"
That's all right, Abner," said Strout,
'tconsiderin' as how things has gone,
tomorrow will do just as we'll, but 1
wish you'd drop in and tell the town
treasurer that I'm goin' into business
with Mr.. Maxwell and Mr.. Sawyer
here" ,"-Abner's eyes dilated,-"under
the firm name of Strout, Maxwell &
Co.
"No!" interrupted Quincy, 'let the
sign read, Strout & Maxwell"
"And," continued Mr.. Strout, ''Mr.
Sawyer here is goin' to push through
my app'intment as postmaster"
BY this time Abner's mouth was
wide open. Quincy saw it. and imag-
ined the conflict going on in poor Alb
ner's mind.
"What Mr.. Strout says is correct" I"
remarked Quincy, "but you have no
time to lose now. Perhaps tonight Mr..
Strout will explain the matter more
fully to you"
Abner turned, without word, and
left the room.
'Mr. Stiles is a faithful friend of
yours" said Quincy, turning to the
Professor.
"Yes," assented Strout; "Abner's a
very good shaft horse, but he wouldn't
be of much vally as lead.'
Quincy again extended his cigar
4 case. This time the Professor did not
refuse, but took two. Holding up one
of them between his fingers, he said,
'This is the one didn't take when I
came in"
4 will have the partnership papers
drawn up in a few days, Mr.. Strout,
ready for signature, and will write at
once to my friends in Washington, and
urge them to see the postmaster gen.
eral and have your appointment made
as soon as possible"
Eyer don't let no grass grow under
yer feet, do yer?" said Strout.
Quincy was a little taken aback by
this remark, for he had not anticipat-
ed a compliment from the Professor.
He turned to him and said, until you
forfeit my esteem, we are friends, and
it is always a pleasure to me to help
my friends"
The men shook hands again, and the
Professor left the room.
mot a bad man at heart" soliloquiz-
4 ed Quincy. 'I am glad the affair has
! had such pleasant termination. Poor
4 Alice! What a time she must have
had with Mrs. Putnam, and SO Lindy
is going to keep her word, and not
Il stay to the funeral. Well, knowing
what I do, don't blame her. Perhaps
Mrs. Putnam told Alice that Lindy
Twas not her own child, for Alice would
stnot accept the fortune, know, if she
Thought she was wronging Lindy by
doing so. I'll go home, he smiled
as he said this,-"and probably Alice
will tell me all about it."
i! He went down stars, and not seeing
Mrs. Hawkins in the dining room
walked out into the kitchen, where she
was hard at work washing the dinner
dishes.
"Law, Mr.. Sawyer, why didn't you
holler for me eff you waI1ed anything?
81 don't wish for anything particu
larly," said Quincy, 'but I do wish tc
leompliment you on your chicken sal
ad; it was as fine as any ever ate al
Young's, or Parker's, in Boston, and,
continued he, here are $12." He helt
out the money to her, she wiped hel
hands on her apron.
What's that fur?" she asked. ''I'ye
got Sc Of your money now.'
, "That's for Mandy" said Quincy
, "and this" pressing the money into
her hand, sis for four weeks room
rent; I am liable to come here an,
time during the next month. an
/ going into business with Mr.. Strou
and Mr.. Maxwell we're going to rur
the grocery store over here, until We
get the business established. Good af
7 lternoon, Mrs. Hawkins" and he tool
/ her hand, which was still wet, in his
, and shook it warmly.
{ He turned to leave the house by thu
kitchen door, but Mrs Hawkins inter
posed.
'You better go out the front way,
said she, and she ran before him ant
opened the door leading to the from
!. entry, and then the front door. AS HI
| passed out, she said, 81 wish you sue
| cess, Mr.. Sawyer, and we'll gin you al
our trade"
/ aThank you!" said Quincy H,
walked down the path, opened tn
front gate, and as he closed it raise,
| his hat to Mrs. Hawkins, who stood il
10