The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1910-01-28
A LITTLE
SPECULATION
by J, B. Lippincott Coz
By GEORGE APPLETON

Copyright, by j. B. Lppincott Coz
Two men drove into the yard of
| Farmer Spence and offered to pay for
| the privilege of painting this sign on
| the barn:
BLUFFS BITTERs WILL CURE
| QUICKLY, PERMANENTLY, THE
! WORST CASE OF DYSPEPSIA.
sHUN ALL QUACK STUFF. THE
GREATEST FAMILY MEDICINE
ON EARTH CURES ALL. NEVER
FAILS.
The farmer was ready to go to mar
ket, and was in haste to depart He
told the painters that they must con-
suit his wife; if she were willing, they
could paint the sign, and he drove
away The farmer supposed that his
wife was in the house. but she had
gone to her daughters home-a short
distance away across the fields.
The sign-painters, finding no one in
the house, put up their ladders and
began to make black letters on the
board side of the long, white barn.
Probably they had had experience. If
the farmers wife were willing; so
much time were gained; if she were
not willing, and the sign were up
when she appeared, they must arbi-
srate.
Mrs. Spence, looking from the win
dow of her daughters house, saw the
painters at work. Calling to her SON
in-law and Major, the farm dog that
had accompanied her, she fastened to
interview the painters. The black
daubers had planned, evidently, to
paint the sign in sections to save time
and labor. When Mrs. Spence ar
rived chs read:
BLUFFS BITTERS
THE WORST
QUACK STUFF
ON EARTH
Whats goin' on here?" demanded
Mrs. Spence.
Putting up sign"
Il see we be. Who give ye leaveT
Man we met in the front yard just's
he was driving off"
Don't b'lieve he said we could do it
'thout askin' me! No sech thingi"
Mrs Spence now discovered the i'm
port of the sign on the barn and bent
nearly double as she laughed. "Wust
on earth! Wal, eff tibet amt Their Twin
truth! We he'd some O. thet stuff, an
it near killed us. | was fraid ter
throw inter Their field there rest ont
fer Their chickens might git it. l just
buried it,"
when we paint the rest of it it'll
be an ornament to the barn"
Don't talk! Not ernother dab"
"Of course we expect to pay"
Not ernother dab"
well blot il out, then" said the
boss painter, who saw that it was
useless to argue, and he raised lad
der and started to get a pot of paint.
Frank" said Mrs. Spence, sharp as
a file, to her son-in-law, take down
that ladder an drag it Off Here,
Major. Stand Guard, Well see who's
-unnin' this ere barn, Ye won't put
no more blackin' on Their barn, an ye
won't take none off! Ye can go erbout
yer business!"
But, ma'am, we can't leave 1t that
way"
"Ye'll hevter! What ye gotter say
bout our barn? What's on it b'longs
Ter us! Eff ye covered it with dia
mon stuns 'twould be our barn, in.
ciudin' Their dimon's. Ye can
But, ma'am-"
Don't We 'maam' me! l don't see
why we'd orter pervide barn fer
Ye tell Their truth on. but them ere
letters'll look better'n er black smudge
an l kinder like ter hev Their neigh
bors know bout tibet ere Bluff 'em
stuff"
Wen paint over with white"
Eye can't! 'Twont be dry till ter
morrer."
Wen rub off the black and"
Eye jest pack right off, Thets our
sign! like it! Fust time l ever
knowed anybody ter tell Their truth
TOUT Their stuff"
Wen rub out. paint over white,
and give you two dollars"
cit off'n Their place!"
Give you five dollars"
BE er-movin'."
Give you ten dollars"
Frank, ye harness Their colt an go
isr Their sheriff, III see"
"Give you fifteen dollars"
Hurry, Frank"
"Give you twenty dollars
Frank, ye tell Their sheriff ter bring
bis deperty! Sech mems these be's
likely ter be upstrep'rous."
Give you twenty-five dollars"