The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-05-17


their manner, addicted TO the use O
the bowie knife and revolver and il
the habit Of talking through the nose.
He decided 10 abandon the shattered
/ flying machine. He wandered through
the trees for some time and theI
struck a road that seemed TO his urOar
English eyes to be remarkably wide
but not properly made
Presently Bert came TO a big wood
en- house standing casually among the
trees. 1t looked a bleak, bare box oil
house to him; no creeper grew on liz
no hedge nor wall nor fence parted II
! off from the woods about it. He stop
/ ped before the steps that led up to the
/ door. perhaps thirty yards away. The
/ place seemed deserted. He would
have gone up TO the door and raped
but suddenly big black dog ap.
peared at the side and regarded him.
1t was huge heavy jawed dog of
some unfamiliar breed. and it wore a
spike studded collar. 1t did not bark
nor approach him; it just bristled
quietly and emitted single sound like
short, deep cough.
Bert hesitated and went on.
He stopped thirty PAGES away and
stood peering about him among the
trees. If 'aven't been and lef' that
kitten" he said
Acute sorrow wrenched him for n
time. The black dog came through
the trees TO get better look ut nim
and coughed that we'll bred cough
again. Bert resumed the road.
She'll do all right lie said. She'll
catch things.
Shell do all right" he said pres
emily without conviction But If it
had not been for the black dog he
would have eoae back.
Bert came TO houses of the same de-
t"chcd. unwal!ed. wooden type. but
adorned now with enameled adver-
tiSementS partly in English ana partly
in Esperanto Then he came 70 what
he concluded was Il grocer's shop. 1t
was the first house that professed tie
hospitality OF all open door. and from
within came Il strangely familiar
his pockets. why. | 'avent wanted
money for free weeks. wonder if |
-Grubb 'ad most of it. Ahr' He
produced handful Of coins and re-
2arded it-three pennies. siXpence and
shilling That's all right" he said
ton.
He approached the door and Us he
Gid SO compactly built gray faced
man in his shirt sleeves appeared in
it and scrutinized him and his cudgel.
''Mornin'." said Cert. Can / get any
thing to eat r drink in this shop?"
The man in the door replied. thank
hearen. in clear, good American.
This. sir. IS not Il shop. it is Il store
Oh said 3ert, and then. We'll.
can l get anything TO eat?"
You can" said the American in n
led the way inside.
The shop seemed to him by his Bun |
Hill standards extremely roOmy, well |
lit and unencumbered. Some men were
assembled round one of the tables, ana |
Il woman of perhaps five and thirty /
leaned with her elbows on the counter.
All the men We're armed with rifles.
md the barrel OF 4 gun peeped above
he counter They were all listening
d!y. inattentively, to a cheap, metal
IL toned gramophOne that occupied
able near at hand. From its braZen
throat came words that gave Bert
llaim OF inconsistencies. that brought
back in his memory a sunlit beach. a
,roup of children. red painted bicycles.
irubb and an approaching balloon:
Ting Ling "a ting a lin ting a-ling-a
tang
What price hairpins now?
heavy necked man in straw hat
Who WAS chewing something stopped
he machine with a touch, and they all
urned their eyes on Bert. And all
heir eyes were tired eyes.
Can we give this gentleman any
hing to eat, mother. or can we not?'
aid the proprietor.
lie kin have what he likes" said
he woman at the counter without
loving. right up from cracker to
square meal. She struggled with
yawn after the manner of one who
rs been up all night
Il want meal" said Bert. .but |
went very much money. | DON want
} give MORN Il shillin"
"Moren a what?'' said the proprietor
harply.
"More'n n shillin'." said Bert. with
udden diSagreeabIe realization coming
lto his mind
Yes said the proprietor. startled
DIT moment from his courtly bearing.
But what is n shilinSt"
HE means quarter" said wise
'ok;ng. lank young man in riding
alters.
Bert. trying to conceal his conster-
alton, produced a coin. That's q
billing he said.
He calls a store a shop" said the F,
roprietor. land he wants n meal for
shilling. May | ask you. sir. what
art of America YOU hail FROM"