The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-05-12

the bust, I'd talk different. but l don
know it."
'Oh. see which side you are OH
about equally divided. Half is fer lin
an half agin. But mark my words
Craig will slide out O. this town some
day an be heerd of after awhile a-git
tin started agin some'r's else. That
racket has been worked to death al.
over the country"
Pole carried the discussion no fur
ther. Half an hour passed. Customers
were coming In from the wagon yard
and examining the wares OH the cCun-
tiers and making slow purchases. The
proprietor came in and let the clerk so
to breakfast. Pole stood in the door
way looking up the street in the direc-
ton of Craig's residence. Presently he
saw the eX-banker coming from the
postottice reading his mail. Pole stop
ped back into the store and let him go
by; then he went to the door again
and saw Craig go into Fincher's ware
house at the end of the next block of
struggling, wooden buildings. Pole
sauntered down the sidewalk in that
direction, passing the front door of the
warehouse without looking in. The
door at the side of the house had u
long platform before it, and on it
Fincher, the proprietor, was weighing
bales of hay which were being unload
ed from several wagons by the coun-
tl.ymen who were disposing of it.
Hello, Mr. Fincher' Pole greeted
him Familiarity. want any help un-'
loadin'?"
Hello. Bakerr' said Fincher, look
ing up from the blankbook in which he
was recording the weights. mo, reck-
on they can handle it all right" Finch
er was a short. fat man, very bald and
with a round, laughing face. He had
known Pole a long time and consid-
cred him a most amusing character.
How do you come on, Pole?.
"Oh. about as common. jest thought
them fellers looked sorter lightweight"
The men on the wagon laughed as
they thumped bale of hay on to the
platform. You'd better dry up" one
Of them said. We'll git the mayor to
put you to work agin."
well, he'll have to be quicker about
It than he was the last time" said Pole
1ryly.
Some one laughed Justify from be-
hind tall stack of wheat in bags in
the warehouse. 1t was Lawyer Ira
que. He came round and picked up |
Fincher's daily paper, as he did every /
and sat down and began to
'ead it.
Now you are talkin'," he said. |
Thar was more rest in that job, Pole.
han any you ever undertook. TLey
ell me you didn't crack rock"
Fincher laughed as he closed his
book and struck Baker with it play
July. pole was too tired to do that
OBJ" he said. HE was born that way"
say. Mr.. TraDue," retallated Pole,
J Mr.. Fincher in chicken trader"
II don't think / ever did, Pole"
aughed the lawyer. expectantly. How
vas itY'
"Oh. come off. don't go over that
gain" said F;ncher, flushing
ut was this away" said Pole, with
broad, wholesome grin. 'My cousin,
Bart Wilks was runnin' the restaurant
nder the car shed about two yeer ago.
lie was a new hand at the business,
n one day he had a awful rush. He
ot telegram that train load O. pas
engers had missed connection at Chat
anooga an would have to eat with
i'm. He was powerful ratified, run
in round like dog after its tail. He
moved he'd have to have a lot O. fry
n chickens. an he couldn't leave the
so he axed me eff I'd take
he money an go out In town an buy
I'm fer i'm. l consented, an struck
[r. Fincher, who was sellin' sech truck
hen. He lowed. you know. that
est wanted one. or two at the outside,
er my own use. SO when I.seed fine
pop out in front an axed the price of
IN he kinder drawed on his beerd till
Is mouth fell open an studied how
e could make the most out o. me.
fter awhile he said. Well. Pole. I'll
AXE 'em 10 cents apiece eff pick 'em.
n 10 eff you pick 'em.' sorter skeerd
re chickens around an seed thar was
70 or three tiny ones hidin' under the
g ones an ! seed what he was up to,
Ut ! was ready fer i'm. All right