Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-04
can't catch fish for the cannery, I'll
make up for 1t in some other way"
2I :.

Can you keep books?"
mo; but I can play mandolin,
Clyde offered optimistically. II guess
q little music would sound pretty good
up there in the wilderness"
"Sure; I'm out of practice, but"
Take him!" said Fraser, turning
front porch of the cannery with wild
flowers in his hair and play La Pa
Iona. 1t will make those other fish
houses mad with jealousy. Get win,
dow-box and hammock, and maybe
Willis Marsh will run in and spend his
evenings with you"
Don't JOSH" insisted Clyde, ser.
iously. II want to co.
"Me josh?" Fraser's face was like
wood.
"I'll think it over" Emerson said
guardedly.
Without warning, the adventurer
burst into shrill laughter.
Are you laughing at me?" angrily
demanded the city youth.
Fraser composed his features, which
seemed to have suddenly disrupted
Certainly not! I just thought Of some.
thing that happened to my father when
I was a little child" Again he began
to shake, at which Clyde regarded him
narrowly but his merriment was SO
impersonal as to allay suspicion, and
the young fellow went on with undi'
minished enthusiasm:
"You think it over and in the mean
time I'll get bunch of the fellows to.
gether. Well all have lunch at the
Yo}p T1,,1 or71
can tell them about the affair"
Fraser abruptly ended his laughter
as Boyd's heel came heavily in con-
tact with his instep under the table.
Clyde was again lost in an exposition
Of his fitness as a fisherman when Fra
ser burst out:
Hello! There's George. He's walk.
ing in his sleep and thinks this is a
manicure stable"
Emerson turned to behold Bats
huge figure all but blocking the dis
tant door. It was evident that he had
been vainly trying to attract their at
tention for some time, but lacked the
courage to enter the crowded room,
for, upon catching Boyd's eye, he beck
oned vigorously.
Call him in," said Clyde quickly.
81 want to meet him. He looks just my
sort" And accordingly Emerson mo-
toned to the fisherman. Seeing there
was no help for. it, Big George COM
posed himself and ventured timidly
across the portal, steering tortuous
course toward his friends; but in these
unaccustomed waters his bulk became
unmanageable and his way beset with
+; v,,c IN 6ononr Of
being run down by a waiter, ne
sheered to starboard, and coll1ded
with table at which there was a thea
ter party. Endeavoring to apologize,
he backed into great pottery vase,
which rocked at the impact and
threatened to topple from it's founda-
ton.
I'D rather take an ox-team through
this room than him." said Fraser.
Hell wreck something sure"
Conscious Of the attention he was
attracting on all sides, Big George be-
came seized with an excess of awk-
wardness his face blazed, and the per-
spiration started from his forehead.
81 hope the head water doesn't speak
to him. Boyd observed. "He is mad
enough to rend him limb from limb"
But the words were barely spoken
when they saw a steward hasten to-
ward George and address him, follow
ing which the big fellows voice rum
bled angrily:
mo, I amt made any mistake! I'm
a boarder here, and you get out OF my
way or I'll step on you" He strobe
forward threateningly, at which the
waiter hoped over the train OF an
evening dress and bowed obseQuiously.
The noise of laughter and many voices
ceased In the silence George pursued
his way regardless Of personal injury
or property damage, breaking trail,
as 1t were, to his destination, where
he sank Imply into a chair which
creaked beneath his weight.
."Gimme lemonade, quick; I'm all
het up" he ordered. II can't get no
footholt on these fancy floors, they're
so dang slick"
After a half-dazed acknowledgment
Of his introduction to Alton Clyde, he
continued: i've been trying to flag
you for ten minutes. He mopped his
brow feebly.
what Is wrong?'
Everything! It's too noisy for me
In this hotel. I've been trying to sleep
for three hours, but this band keeps
playing, and that elevated railroad
breaks down every few minutes right
under my window. There's whistles
blowing, bells ringing, and-can't we
find some quiet road-house where I
can got an hours rest? Put me In 4
boiler-shop or round-house, where I
can go to Sleep"
"The hotels are all alike Boyd an
swered. "You will soon get used to it"
"Who, me? Never! I want to get
back to Gods country"
"Hurrah for you!" calculated Clyde.
Same here! And I'm going with YOU"
'How's that" questioned George.
"Mr. Clyde offers to put ten thous-
and dollars into the deal If he can 60
TO Kalvik with us and help run the
explained Emerson.
George looked over the clubman
carefully from his curly crown down to
his slender, high-heeled shoes, then
smiled broadly. =.
tits up to Mr.. Emerson. I'm willing
il he is Whereupon, vastly encour-
ood C1x,do ,,r0ooodod m ovnofiofa