Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-09-16
scolded. GO on; get busy # you're

going to-"
"All right" he answered, taking up
a small pile Of cups and saucers very
gingerly. Where do these go? II
you left it TO me. like as not I'd be
putting a soup plate behind the door
and slip a broom into the sideboard.D
"They 30 right in here"
He stopped on the way to the side
board and turned to Brooks.
"Seen the latest extra. Joe?' he in
quired "The Ornoco wasn't hardly
scratched getting out of Rio Janeiro"
"You don't sayi'
'Kind O. scraped over the bar. She'll
only be a day late now
do be careful with those cups. Jim
sy." admonshed Emma. They're
china"
don you suppose I know that?v
Il mean real china she empha-
sized
"All china ard Cinnamon look alike
to me Here's the paper Joe. You'll
find an about the Ounoco on the in
side page"
lie drew it from his pocket. and as
he did so one of the cups balanced on
the saucers slipped off and smashed to
bits on the carpet
Now, Jimsy you certainly are going
to get it," commented Joe, rising and
taking the paper extended to him.
Smith looked appealingly at his
hostess.
"Jimsy," she chided. assuming an
expression of mock gravity. "how
could you-my very best Sunday go to
meeting china! How could your
"Not how could I-how did ~ he
corrected, STOPPING and picking up the
pieces. you know. Emma I've had
butter fingers ever since ] was a little
shaver. and l guess l always win
have-in business and everything else"
why. how do you mean"
1--WE been clumsy all my life, that's
all. Everything I've ever had in my
hands that was worth much I've gen.
orally let slip and fall Out in Colo
RADIO when l was a kid around Lead
vile they used to say that l sure
would turn out to be a sawed off and
hammered down, good for nothing
man. SO you see the way things have
turned out. I've broken about even
with that prophecy"
"HOw broken event."
Taking their side for the book. l
win the first bet and lose the second.
There amt nothing sawed off and
hammered down about me, is there"
Il should say not" she said with a
merry laugh you've been pulled out
like a piece Of taffy."
"Then / win. but it was in doubt
quite some time Never really did
start to grow until was fifteen, and
then I just eased out into my present
altitude. But the second proposition
that good for nothing bet-I guess they
win"
Nonsense. Jimsy How can you say
such a thing? You're good for a whole
lot"
Emma" he declared solemnly,
there have been moments Of financial
stringency when that declaration seem
ed to be open to doubt"
''Jimsy, you're an idiotv' she laugh
ed.
Discovered he avowed, bowling
tremendously.
Brooks. who had been reading the
paper, threw it down angrily.
On himr he growled.
"Joew exclaimed his wife reproach-
fully.
On who?" inquired Smith
''Why, Williams" he replied.
Lots have done that said the SUI
perintendent But what's the matter
now. Joef"
His luck went ON Brooks. 1.-The
Orinoco isn't scratched. If any one
else owned a ship and she got into a
muss like that the chances are a hun
dred TO one that she'd have foundered
been a complete loss"
That's right" assented Smith.
But Wiliams-he don't lose her. He
couldn't"
II should think you'd be glad" re-
marked Emma "Shes a brand new
ship. isn't sheT
mo. I'm not glad" he declared fu-
riously. rising and walking about the
room. I'm tired of him. Of his rot
ten old steamship line. Of all of it,
you hear? OF all Of it,"
Joe, pleaser' she protested "You
know r.
IL know you've shaved and bore with
me long enough Here l am-handling
all the money Of that line, amt that
so, Jimsyy
That's right" admitted the latter.
But what's the matter?"
Matter? Isn't it matter enough that
l SHOULD do all this for a mean, misera-
bic living? / suffer and work. and
work and suffer, for that nasty, mig
gardly salary and this beast, this wild
animal of a Williams. keeps us all
starving-yes, starvingl Don't 1 de-
serve something a little better? Do
I you know what I could do? 1 could
steal thousands. and no one would
ever know it,"
ssToQr' she ofopuiafpd Greatly shook