Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-08-12
APyeSentFOr
EMzNuerett
The Buyers Proceed Vsri-
table Bulls In a
China Shos
By CLARISS.Y MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911. ta


bunk house. His three comrades stared
open mouthed at one another until
Pepper broke the silence. .
'Marriedv' he uttered dazedly. Did
he say that?"
Tony Con solemnly nodded. And
he said her name is Emmerett Hodge,"
he said in an awed tone.
''Emmerett HodgeT' repeated Probe
bitterly. "A girl with a name like
that always has tony wedding.
What did Raymond say about It? l
didn't sense it all. was SO fiabber-
gasted."
AS near as can r'collect he said
there was to be a fancy time at her
house and we was invited. Tony here
has got to stand up with the BRIDE
groom" lAl}t1
Jink Probe unjointed his long legs
and stood erect. towering above the
other two. what about a weddin'
present. he demanded.
That's easy. Wen all chip in and
git. Mrs. Carwood to buy 1t down to
Penfeld. Wimmen always know what
to git
Tony Cor shook his head mix on
that, Pepper. Why. Raymond's been
our mate for three years-ever since
i come to the Twin Star. feel
mighty friendly to him. l reckon all
of us do, and we must pick out the
present ourselves. What sa-ayT
The others nodded assent, and as 1t
happened that the morrow was the
monthly pay day they decided to ride
over TO Penheld the next afternoon
and select wedding gift for Ray
mond's bride.
With pockets well lined and bronzed
faces portentously solemn with the
import of their mission. the three set
forth on the twenty mile ride from the
Twin Star cattle ranch to the largest
town in the county.
They stopped at Red Spider for the
mail, and the three wedding invita-
tons that faced them nearly caused a
stampede. link Prole stared unhappi-
ly at the engraved words
81 dunno" he hesitated. "1t might
be this present business oughter be did
by an expert II we should make a
mistake she-the lady Emmerett-
might take offense at what we got"
Tony Golf tucked his envelope away
and prepared to smoke. There amt
no use losing your nerve" he said at
length "You braced us to the job. and
we got to carry 1t through. Mebbe we
amt got to go clean to Penfield. What
you think of that lamp in Cox's win
der?" He pointed lean forefinger at
the dusty. f1y spotted merchandise dis
played by the postmaster.
The three surveyed 1t longipgly.
1t was tall lamp of pink glass and
when freed from dust and lighted
might cast an added rosy glow over
the future of the newly welded pair.
Mr.. Pepper strobe to the door and
bawled an inquiry.
He returned and flung himself on
his horse Three ninety eight, includ-
ing the shade" he repeated contemp-
tuously, land us with q hundred In
our pockets to spendW
With one accord they resumed the
journey to Penfield, leaving behind the
dark shadowing mountains with the
last glimmer of the sunset along the
upper ridges. 1t was after dark when
they pounded into the town, and, hun
CRY and thirsty, they made their way
to q restaurant and satisfied their ap-
petites.
Afterward they entered the Farnum
emporium. a maze of narrow aisles
running between shelves and counters
laden with glass and china in every
conceivable form of fragility. The
side walls of the store were lined with
counters upon which were piled house
hold wares. while the rear presented
a gloomy barricade of furniture against
a background of CANDY carpets.
link Prole sidestepped down an
aisle and reached the barricade just
as pretty girl arose from chair and
laid down a piece of fancy work.
what can do for your" she asked
briskly.
Before the tall ranchman could an
swer there came terrific crash and
the sound of splintering glass blended
with startled profanity.
"Ohr exclaimed the girl. That's
real cut glassl'
IT'S considerable cut up" agreed
Prole as they reached the scene of
disaster, where Pepper and Tony Goff
bIOOu 5tuiiuS uoWn ut tue huNOC tnCJ
had created. How'd you manage to
clean Off the hull shelfT' t9
Mr.. Pepper twisted his long mustache
ruefulIy. s"Of course 1t can't be because
it's narrow gauge here. We squoze
ourselves as wells we could, but some
how there want no place for elbows.
Now, miss. what's the damageY He
dug his hand deep into pocket and
brought forth his months pay. $40.
The girl knelt upon the floor and
bent her head above the fragments.
piecing them together with little dis
mayed ordinations. At last she tossed
back her misty black hair and looked
up at them with slowly crimsoning
cheeks.
"It's too bad" she said regretfully.
but this Is real cut glass. and It's aw
full expensive. There was water bot.
tie and six tumblers-$10 for the bot
tie and So apiece for the tumblers
That's $50. I'm awful sorryp'
Without word Pepper and Gofr