The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-03-05
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"You know Henry, don't your sait
! the groceryman, after the pretty cool
had checked up the groceries with th,
BILL
Il know two or three Henrys," re
piled the pretty cook.
you're afraid it's some gag, ain't
youT grinned the groceryman. "You
think l want you to ask what Henry,
an then I'll say suthin foolish
You'd say that anyway" observed
the pretty cook, indifferently. THAT
wouldn't be nothin new. What about
Henry"
Ellis other name was Clay, an now
it's mud" replied the grocerymaD,
chuckling. Don't get mad, Evelina.
That's right-straight goods. You
know Henry at clerks in the store
His name is Henry Clay, honest"
Il thought you said 1t was mud"
remarked the pretty cook.
That's right, too" said the grocery
man. Hes a-goin' to be married. /
feel sorry for him, pore guy!"
Il feel sorry for the GIRL" said the
cook. "lf had to marry feller like
him I'd feel sorry for myself. l know
that"
Don't you waste no tears O. sym.
pathy on her." said the groceryman
She didn't have to marry him If she
didn't want to-"
Il s'pose he don't have to marry her
IL he don't want to-" said the pretty
cook. Il don't know who she is, and
| don't care, but bet she didn't give
him chlOroform an tie him up an
keep him tied until he promised to
marry her. She prob'ly said she'd mar
ry him to get rid of him."
"Sure thing" said the groceryman,
sarcastically. That's the way you all
do, don't you? You want us to stop
maxim love to you, amt that it?"
"You know all about it, Why do
you ask me?' said the cook.
"She looked mighty innocent" said
the groceryman. 80 does the mouse
trap look innocent. 1t doesn't care
whether there's mouse anywhere
within mile. II can get along first
rate without any mice Mr.. Mouse
comes up an shifts, but the trap don't
take no notice. Then it sorter seems
to him that there's suthin wrong an
he scoots off. That's the way Henry
done. He said he didn't want to get
tangled up with no skirt. He quit
goin' to the door for nigh two weeks.
but that didn't worry the girl. She
didn't come into the store to see what
had come of him any more'n the mouse
trap 'ud try to squeeze into the hole
after the mouse. She jest waited"
'It's one good way to make you
stop" said the cook. II don't know
which is the worst Women have hard
luck, anyway. If you'd only let us
alone, though, guess you wouldn't
have no trouble. We don't do the
chasin'."
"You don't need to-" said the gro
ceryman. "You never seen trap go
chasin' around after mouse, did you:
All it does is jest to set around an
look invitin'. That's all this girl done
that Henry's goin' to marry"
II bet she didn't know he was on
earth," said the cook.
II bet she could have thrown a wad
O. gum over her shoulder an hit him
In the eye If she wanted to-" said the |
Anyway, it wasn't long |
afore Henry was out again, an after |
a while lie got to speakin' to her, an |
the mex thing you know he was pick
In out the best candy in the showcase |
Jest afore quittin' time, three nights a
week an Sunday mornin'. No, I don't |
s'pose she gave him no encouragement |
If she was out on the steps wearin' her
lace waist, with a carnation in her |
hair, an he was fool enough to come
along and set down by her, she wasn't
70 blame, was she?"
II sh'd say not" Said the cook.
"Sure she wasn't" agreed the gro
,eryman. "But when pore Henry asst
her how about fiat-snap !-she had
him right around the neck-strangle
lolt. Henry told me about 1t, an hon.
,st, 1t makes me nervous every time
,ome up these back steps"
"You don't need to be-" said the pref
y cook.
Then what have you got your hair
lone up that swell way for?" asked
he groceryman.- Chicago Daily News.