The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-17
The EVENING STORY
CoveII's Joke.
NONCAA OOfAC.
(By William Morris, Jr.)

Ian Belterley ana MS sister, thought
Col. Covells joke a good one. Tne
joke was on Dan, and the talk across
the bar of the Brindle Pup saloon was
hushed on those rare occasions when
Betterley favored the place with his
company. At other times men slap
ped eacn other on the pack and roared
as Covell detailed the progress of
events.
The joke had sprung from a care
less remark made by Rob Henders
when Julie Betterley had refused to
marry Howard Wetton on the grounds
that she did not want to leave Dan
alone to keep house in bachelor dis
comfort.
Some one would do Wetton. a per-
sonal favor by marrying off DAN"
suggested Henders, and the rest of the
crowd shouted with delight at the idea
of the silent Benjamin marrying.
But he wouldn't know how to ask
girl" suggested Col. Coveu. "Some
one would have to pop the question
for him. BY John Rogers" he added,
Il think I'll do it for him! I've a maid
en- aunt back East who's been crazy
to get married for more years than
I've lived. Her names Adora Ded-
rick, and she must be about sixty now.
''She'S got a little money and she
may think that he's marrying her for
that, but she'll take him. Well carry
along the game until we've proposed
answer, or else we'll bring the old lady
on and let him fight it out with her"
That That would be great declared ed
around his neck and say Darling I'll
bet that will scare him into talking"
"I'll be one to help pay the old
lady's travelling expenses on this here
excursion broke in Denver Bill. who
dealt bank. What will it cost?"
"Say $780, suggested CoveIl as he
took off his hat and threw in $40.
In few minutes more than the need
ed sum had been realized, and call
ing for pens and paper CoveIl wrote
the first letter, while the rest of the
crowd looked on.
Betterley was not disli1ed in Bal
moral, but his taciturn ways and his
refusal to make one of the crowd that
nightly thronged the Brindle Pup
marked him a man apart from the
rest. Hence the crowd was willing to
pay for the pleasure of seeing his
amazement when his undesirable
bride-elect should appear.
Unmindful of all postal regulations,
the postmaster agreed to let Coyell
have the letters addressed to Dan Bet
terley, should any come from the little
New England town where Miss Adora
DERRICK lived. Presently it came, a
pressed a willingness to correspond
with man SO well recommended by
Cousin Covell. - f.a
81 guess she's forgotten you, COL
suggested Henders when this line was
reached, but Covell merely grinned
appreciatively and continued to read.
There was little to laugh at in the
letter; indeed more than one in the
crowd wished there was some one
back east who would write letters like
that to him, but CovelPs vivid descrip-
ion of Miss Dedrick's overripe charms,
and the thought of what Dan would
say when she arrived kept the joke
alive during the correspondence that
followed. Finally when Miss Dedrick
wrote that she was sending her pic
ture, and the accompanying photo
graph proved to be that of a comedy
girl scarcely. out of her teens. CoVen
rolled on the floor in his delight.
Cousin Adora was that old before
they knew how to take pictures" he
insisted. "She must have begged this
of photographer. 1 think that it's
time to spring the joke now. Well
send her the money to come on with
and ask her to start at once. Dan will
see this picture, and when Cousin
Adora comes- reckon he'll be some
surprised"
CoveII Iaboriously indited a lengthy
letter, in which he declared Dams in
ability to wait longer for his bride and
begging her to come West at once.
A few days later telegram tele-
phoned from the railroad town to
they had learned the sense of the mes
sage the plotters allowed it to be de-
livered, while at the same time Miss
Adora's last letter and her picture, in
closed in the original letter, were plac-
ed back in the postoffice and delivered
to Dan that evening.
The Brindle Pup kept open until
o'clock in the morning that the ear
lest news might be learned. but Dan
gave no sign that he was disturbed. A
l.; cI, ooIZ in
darkness,
81 don't think I'd lose sleep my
SELF" admitted Henders with regret.
81 suppose it took him rather sudden
him, but he's willing to make good
for his unknown friend with the orig
inal of that photograph"
"Wait until he sees what he draws"
reminded Covell. He'll go some shy
of sleep when Cousin Adora gets after
him with all those letters. She'll never
believe that he didn't write them"
The thought cheered the disappoint-
ed ones. and even when Dan went
quietly to his claim on the morrow
and did not even ask the postmaster
about the letter, they chuck1ed as they
thought of the awakening that was in
store for him.
Every man in the camp was on
hand when the stage came over from
Buxton three days later.
Far down the trail the driver waved
his hat three times as a signal that
the bride had arrived, and they were
all lined up about the front of the
hotel where they could watch Ben
and his sister without being so near
that he might suspect something.
There was tense moment when
the yelled figure descended from the
interior of the stage, but a murmur
of disa appointment followed when it
was seen that heavy automobile veil
was impenetrable.
Dan came forward and the arrival
turned to him. He led her up to his
sister and the three climbed into the
Betterley blackboard and were off to
Dams shack before the camp fairly