The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-08
TIE EVENING STORY
The Riddle Guesser.
BY BENJAMIN Nicholson

Don't tell me you can't make him
propose? snorted Mr.. Poole, turning q
scowling face on one of his daughters
who was primping before = mirror.
You don't go At It right Get him in
corner and then look at him just as
tions?'"
But how are you going to get him
In corner?"
There are hundreds Of ways. Ask
him what he built his new house for.
ana Keep on asking questions about it
TIL you get him In a place he can,
eQuirm out OF. 1 know men are dull
and mighty provoking At times. but
along"
Since you think it is so terribly easy
TO corner him, I'll just give you O.
chance to do IT," snapped Miss Leah.
Il see him coming through the gate
him haven't finished dressing
"Howdy. Mr.. King, come right in.
rake on your overcoat. draw a chair up
to the FIRE and make yourself comfort
able. Leah will be down shortly. Shes
not quite through frixzing her hair.
Right cold today, isn't It? How's the
folks"
you alp
We're ali able to be up and stirring
around. Mas complaining as usual:
but not much the matter with her. l
guess. 1 see you get the last coat OF
paint on your new house. Must have
been pretty cold up on the top Of that
ladder, wasn't it? Says 1 to Leah the
other day when I got home. If Mr..
King doesn't catch his death of cold,
it'll be a wonder to me!'
Would you believe it? She got that
badly scared about you that she had
her ma make up batch Of her cele-
brated cold cure and then put at me to
take it over to you: But told her that
most folks had their own cold cure and
wouldn't think Of taking anybody
else's''
but didn't get a cold.''
Leah will be mighty glad to hear
that. Pa says she the very last thing
got cold, holler up and tell me; be-
cause I'm so worried about him."
But didn't get cold"
That's too bad; er, mean, OF
course, it's too bad that I went and
scared Leah so. But we were talking
about your new house What was
your terrible rush to get that last coat
of paint on? Something unusual going
to happen?"
MOT that I know of. Just wanted
to get through. And now at last I'm
beginning to feel like was ready to
live"
Don't you need something besides a
house? See if you can't think of some
thing you're still shortT'
II can't say that I can"
Something that stays in the house?'
We'll, I got my ma to make out
list OF the things she thought I'd need,
and turned it over to Burckey's. and
had them fill it OUT
Maybe the thing l have in mind it
not to be had at Burckey's?"
II must say If it can't be bought at
Burckey's it must be something UNI
usual. But don't tell me what it is.
I'm a terrible fellow for guessing rid
dies and solving puzzles and such ike
I never heard tell of riddle that
couldn't guess"
ing to solve this one: but dive in, may
be you can. / don't want to discourage
you
Its found in most houses?"
mo, not ALL Old bachelors seem to
think that they can get along without
them; whenever they do have one
around it's an ugly old thing. I almost
said second hand, but caught myself
just in time"
IT reckon you have one?"
oh. yes, four: l got one before
Now that's interesting! Which room
do you keep it in?''
For 20 years I tried to keep it in
the kitchen; but as I didn't seem to
make no Roadway, I gave up trying,
parlor as anywhere else"
rs it a bootjack? I don't think
Burckey keeps bootjacks."
well. II a bootjack is supposed to
like one in that respect; but It's not
bootjack nor a cook stove, though 1t
Is supposed to stand around a stove q
good deal, and is like one in that 1t
gets pretty warm at times"
"I reckon it couldn't be a coffeepot,
for Burckey keeps them. I believe you
said it made life easier for a MANI"
mo, I didn't! I said 1t was sup
posed to. But the thing I said that
was most to the point was that I got
that now I've got four. Do you know.
I've been expecting for some time that
you were going to ask me IL wouldn't
give you one SO as you could begin
housekeeping right"
THAT'S another good point. It's
something that you'd give away, so I
reckon it can't be worth so very much.
I'll guess it yet! Now you see If I
don't!''
Just to encourage you a little. I
wouldn't sell 1t for any money, I'll give
it to you just as soon as ever you ask
me for it,
ITS a stove-lifter?~
MT. EOOlc puSleQ q SOou-SlZSQ manu-.
full of whiskers into his mouth and be- |
gan to chew them angrily.
Now let me put all these points to- |
gether,'' said Mr.. King. It's some |
thing that can't be bought at Burck- |
ey's. yet it's found in most every house. |
lis supposed to make life easier for a |
man and Is like bootjack In this re- |
spect. You tried for 20 years to keep |
yours in the kitchen, but couldn't do
IL though il does stand around the /
stove a heap It's something you won't
sell. yet you'll give it to me just as
ouick as ever 1 ask you for 1t, and |
you've been thinking I was going to
ASK YOU for it, Now, If that's not a |
corker. I'm no judge OF riddles"