The Virginia enterprise., 1911-01-20

was hanging on me like mlllstone
necklace Clara J. thought l had
bought it with the money l couldn't
produce on pay days, but the missing
numbers were really in the jeans OF
the race-track bookies, and l hadn't
the heart to confess it. But glim-
mer CT hope was shining, for Uncle
Peter had offered 20 buy the place
from me. He liked it.
Early one morning l broke camp
and took the trail to town, determined
never to come back alive unless
Bunch agreed to sell the plantation to
Uncle Peter.
The old gentleman had crowded his
check for $4,000 into my trembling
hands the night before with instruc-
tons to deposit it in my bank, and
at my convenience l was to let him
have the deed to the place.
soon located Bunch, and to my sur
prise found him more inclined to josh
than to JOLT
"Ah! my friend from the bush!" he
exclaimed; "are you in town to buy
imitation coal, or is it to get der
rick and hoist your home affairs away
from my property? Why don't you
take tumble, and let go?"
Bunch" l said, "believe me, this is
the cruelest game of freeze-out ever
sat in. My throat is sore from sing
ing, Father, dear father, come home
with me now! and every move make
nets me new ornamentation on my
neck. Why didn't tell the good wife
that the ponies put the crimp in my
pocketbook, instead of crawling into
this chasm of prevarication and
trouble?"
"You can search mel" Bunch an
swered. thoughtfully.
"And that phony wire you sent me
yesterday almolt gave me a plexus,'
I said, bitterly. Bunch had wired me
that ''the two queens' were coming,
meaning his sister and niece, and it
had spoiled the day for Clara J.-and
me. To make it worse, two Swedish
cooks had followed the wire, and I
hadn't known the differences! Tab
leau!
but when l told him all about the
trouble his telegram had caused he
simply rose up on his hind legs and
laughed to sit down.
WELL" he gasped, after a long fit of
cackling, "sister did intend going out
to Jiggersville and the only way
could stop her was to suddenly dis
cover that her health wasn't any too
good, so I chased her off to Virginia
Hot Springs for couple Of weeks"
After all, Bunch had his redeeming
qualities.
Il sent you that wire before took
sisters temperature" Bunch ex
planned, "and quite forgot to send
another which would put a copper on
the queens" Once more he laughed
uproariously.
"Oh, quit your kidding" I begged,
and then, suddenly, Say, Bunch, will
you sell the old homestead?'
Bunch stopped laughing and looked
me over from head to foot. rs this
on the level or simply another low
tackle?"
IT'S the goods" answered. II sim
ply can't frighten, coax. scare, drive
or push my home companions away
from your property, so I'd like to buy
it if you're game enough to cut the
cards.
Been playing the lottery" he snick
cred.
mo. have the Pierponts. all right
all right" replied; will you put
$4,000 in your kick and pass me ove1
the baronial estate?"
Fourteen thousand!" Bunch repeat
ed. slowly. Sure, will. If you car
Morgan that amount I'll make goot
with the necessary documents, ant
then you and your family trouble:
may sit around on fly paper in Jig
gersville for the rest of your natura
lives for all I care"
I explained to Bunch that wantet
the deed made out in the name O
Peter Grant for the reason that Uncle
Peter was bigger farmer than I, ant
in short order the preliminary ar
rangements were completed to the sat
isfaction and relief of both parties
concerned.
That evening l went back to Jig
gersville feeling as light as a pil
feather On young duck.
Uncle Peter would have the proper
ty; Bunch could buy his sister anothe
castle, and l was ahead of the gam
just $4,000, more than enough t,
SOuare mo fOr all tho orooD poDor
had torn up at the track
Two days later Bunch had a certi
fed check for $4,000 aud Uncle Pc
ter was the happy owner of the coun
try estate.
A week later the second anniver
sary Of our wedding would roll around
and although Clara J. was trif
hard to win over, finally coaxed he
to let me have Bunch out to spend
few hours with us on that occasion.
At the appointed hour Bunch al
rived and Clara J. greeted him witt
every word of that telegram dartin,
forth darkly from her eyes.
"Mrs. John," said Bunch, I'm sim
ply delighted to know you I've ofte,
heard your husband speak we'll O
YOU"
She had to smile in spite Of herself
Mrs. John," Bunch went on, witt
splendid assurance, you should b.
proud of this matinee idol husband O
yours, for, to tell you the truth. he
all the goods-he certainly u.s."
"You surely have wonderful in