Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-15
e Ole -
NEST EGG
J. BY w. w. JACOBS
BY W. W. JACOBS
Copyright. 1905. BY wa,am W. Jacobs

~~t
= RTFULNRSs = said the night
~ Waterman, smoking plactdly
lis u gift, but 1t don't pay al
ways. I've met some artful
ones In my time--plenty of 'em-but
can't truthfully say as 'ow any OF
them was the better for meeting me.
He rose slowly from the packing
case on which he had been sitting and,
stamping down the point of rusty
nail with his heel resumed his seat, re-
marking that he had endured 1t fol-
some time under the impression thai
it was only splinter.
I've surprised more than one In my
time-he continued slowly. When
met one Of these ERE artful ones
used fust Of all to pretend to be more
stupid than wot really am
He stopped and stared fxedly.
More stupid than l looked-he said.
He stopped again.
More STUPID than wot they thought
1 looked = he said, speaking with
marked elaboration - and I'd lot
EN- 20 en- and on until thought
had 'ad about enough and then turn
round on 'em. Nobody ever got the
better O. me except my wife, and that
was only before we was married. Two
nights afterward she found dshhook
in my trouser pocket and arter that
could ha' left untold gold there-if
I'd ha' had It. 1t spoilt wot some PEG
pie call the honeymoon, but 1t paid IN
the long run.
One O. the worst things q man can
do is to take up artfulness all OF
sudden. never knew 1t to answer
yet, and can tell you OF case thatl
prove my words true.
It's some years ago now, and the chap
1t 'appenetl to was q young man, ship
mate O. mine, named Charlie Tagg.
Very steady Young chap he was-too
steady for most of 'em. That's 'ow II
was me and I'm got to be such pals.
He'd been saving up for years to get
married, and all the advice we could
give i'm didn't ave any effect. He
Waved up nearly every penny OF Is
money and gave It to his gal to keep
for i'm. and the time I'm speaking OF
she'd got ETA of IL and seventeen and
six of 'er own 10 set up housekeeping
with. SIS
Then q thing happened that I've
known to 'appen to sailor men afore'
At sydney he got silly on another ga
and started walking out with her. and
afore he knew wot he was about he'd
promised to marry 'er too.
Sydney and London being long way
from each other was In rs favor, but
the thing that troubled I'm was 'ow to
get that f72 out Of Emma Cook. is
London gal so as he could marry the
other with 1t. 1t worried i'm all the
way home. and by the time we got into
the London river IL head was all In
maze with it. Emma Cook 'ad got II
all saved UP in the bank to take little
shop with when they got spliced. and
'ow to get it he could not think.
He went straight on to Poplar, where
she lived. AZ soon as the ship was
bertted. He walked all the way 30 az
to ave more time for thinking, but
wot with humping into two old gentle
men with bad tempers and being near
" run over by a cabman with white
'orse and red whiskers, he got to the
house without 'aving thought Of any
thing.
They was just finishing their tea At
he got there. and they all seemed SO
pleased to see i'm that it made it worse
than ever for i'm. Mrs. Cook, who 'ad
pretty near finished. gave I'm her OWL
cup to drink out Of and said that she
'ad dreamt Of i'm the night afore last
and old Cook said that he lad got SO
good looking he shouldn't ave known
i'm.
II should ave passed u in the
street. he ses. u never see such an
alteration"
'aThey'll be a nice looking couple.
SEES his wife looking at young chap
named George Smith that 'ad been sit
ting next to Emma.
Charlie Tagg filled Is mouth with
bread and butter and wondered 'ow he
was to begin. He squeezed Emma'a
'and just for the sake Of keeping up
appearances. and all the time he was
thinking of the other gal waiting fol
\ 'im thousands q miles away.
you've come 'ome just in the nick o
time" ses old Cook. IF you'd done II
o. purpose you couldn't ave arranged
1t better"
Somebody's birthday" SEES Charlie
trying to smile.
Old Cook shook bis 'ead Though
mine is next Wednesday," he ses, "and
thank you for thinking of it. No;
you're just in time for the biggest bar
gain in the chandlery line that anybody
ever 'ad chance of. II you 'adn't
ha' come back we should have 'ad to
ha' done it without YOU"
eighty pounds" ses Mrs. Cook, smil.
ing at Charlie. ''With the money EN-.
mas got saved and your wages this
trip you'll ave plenty. You must come
round arter tea and ave look at it."
Little place not arr mile from
'ere," SEES old Cook. Properly worked
up, the nay Emma'll do 1t, It'll be q
little fortune, wish I'd had chance
like it in my young time"
He sat shaking his ga, 20 think wot
he'd lost, and Charlie Ia sat staring