The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-15

'They surely will. dear, but you
must go to sleep. You have to get
up early
Yes, will go to sleep and dream
of the fresh eggs
Daylight had hardly come when
Mr.. Bowser was out of bed. He ate a
scratch breakfast and was at the depot
almost an hour before his train was
Il get off at Spikes station he
told the conductor as his ticket was
Summer boarder?" was queried
with a smile.
Eyes. and this pure country air is
ike tonic to me. Do you know any
thing about Spike Villa 1t is run by
Farmer Spike"
Il know that people so there and
come away again"
Too rich for most of them, prob
ablx?"
THAT may be it."
When Mr.. Bowser got off at Spikes
Statlon he found a shed. a COW and
boy waiting for him. After some hest
tation he asked the boy to direct him
to Spike Villa.
Never heard of it." was the reply.
Then you don't live around here?'
Yes, I do. I'm a Spike"
Farmer Spikes son p"
Yes, sir, and we didn't have any
villa around when I left home an hour
ago Come on if you want to go there,
A villa is bang-up sort of a house,
isn't it?"
Yes
Well, we hain't got nothin' OF the
sort Ma must have tolc pa to wiring
that in on you city folks"
But you have a bungalow near
the house?"
That's me again. laughed the
youngster Pas fixed up a shed but
01dTff fhaxrfI - IL
for it."
But it's furnished. isn't it?"
"Oh, yes. There's a bedstead and a
looking glass and two chairs. Ma says
that city folks don't wart much furni-
ture when they come to the country.
They. see so much at home that they
get tired of it,
Mr.. Bowser began to feel chills go
over him as he walked along, but he
decided to hope for the best and asked
the lad:
You have fresh eggs, Of course7"
when we buy 'em," was answered.
How about milk %
The miIl1man leaves It every day"
But you have fresh vegetables %
wen, you sec, pa and ma are so
busy running the villa that we dOn'e
make gardeni''
Mr.. Bowser paused in the middle Of
the road as If in doubt whether to go
on.
boy. SOU
But this was advertised to be only
10 minutes walk"
THAT was ma again She said Wes-
ton could do it in 10, she guessed
Look here, young man" said Mr..
BoWser as he bristled up. 81 believe
your old Spike villa is a fraud"
That's what they all say"
And your father is blamed old
Har!'
1--WE heard 'em tell him So"
And your mothers in on the
camel"
Say, mister, she's the slickest talk
er you ever met. She can get the
boarders to use sour mill and 'lasses
in their tea and coffee!'
"But-but what of you! II you are
a son of the Spikes, why do you tell
me all this2"
'Oh, I was born with feelings, you
see. and the more boarders that show
up the less there is for me to eat II
you think I've been lying about things
come on. I'll bet you give dad a swat
in the eye in less than five minutes.
Look out for ma, though, she's a great
hand to claw and bite"
Mr.. Bowser returned home. Mrs.
Bowser saw him a block off, and she
was prepared to hear him say that she
had driven him to the dead line, and
that their lawyers would settle things
on the morrow, but to her amazement
he simply said:
sold again. 1 wonder If It wouldn't
be like a vacation to have the motheg-
in-law come down for two monthsi''--
| Copyright, 1911, by the Associates
Literary Press.)
l Everybody reads the State JoInasR 7