Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-02-15
CHAPTER XVIII.
Closer Than a Brother.

chair
"Aint / glad | don't have TO wear
no corset when puts on long pants?"
remarked Billy, pointing to the article.
Amt that big one? It's twice s
big 9 Aunt Minerva's."
MY mamma wears a big coset,
too" said Jimmy; Il Ike fat WON
ans mother sight better n lean ones.
Misc Minerals bout the skinniest
woman they Is; when ! get married
I'm going to pick me out the latest
wife can find, so when you set
IN her lap at night for her to rock you
to sleep youll have a soft place to put
your head, while she sings to you"
The major--he's mos plump
enough for two" said BLY, taking
down the stays and trying to hook
them around him.
1T sho' Is big" he said; Il berlleve
it's big 'nough TO 90 round both Of
US"
Les see II t amt" was the other
boys ready suggestion.
He stood behind Billy and they put
the stays around both little bodies,
while, with much squeezing and gig
Cling, Billy hooked them safely up
the front. The boys got in front Of
Sarah James one looking.glass and
! danced about laughing with glee.
We're like the twinses what was
| growed together Ike mamma read me
bout" declared the younger child.
Presently they began to feel un-
comfortable, especially Jimmy, whose
| fat round little middle was tightly
compressed.
Here, unlock this thing. Billy, and
les take her off," he said. "Tm
bout to pop open"
AN right" agreed his companion.
He tugged and pulled, but could get
only the top and bottom hooks I'M
clasped; the middle ones refused to
bulge.
II can't get these-here hooks to
come loose" Billy said.
Jimmy put his short, fat arms
around him and tried his hand, but
with no better success. The stays
were such a snug fit that the hooks
SCENE glued.
we sho' is in a fix" said Billy
gloomily; look Ike God ali time let
tin us git in trouble"
You think Of more fool stunts to
| do, William Hill, than any boy they
is" cried the other; you all time
want 10 get US hooked up in Sarah
James corset and you all time can't
get nobody loose. What you want TO
get us hooked up in this thing for?"
You done It yo'self," defended the
boy in front with rising passion.
Squeeze in, Jimmy; We jes' boun' 10
git outer this fore somebody finds
it out"
He backed the other child close to
the wall and pressed so hard against
him that Jimmy screamed aloud and
began 10 pound him on the head with
his chubby fists
, Billy would not submit tamely "a
any such treatment He reached his
hand behind him and gave the
, smaller boys cheek a merciless pinch
The tight was on. The two little boys
laced up tightly as they were in q
stout pair OF stays. pinched ant
e scratched, and kicked and jerked
9 Suddenly Billy, leaning heavily agains
Jimmy, threw him fiat on his bach
and fell on top of him.
= Bonnie Dick, sitting on the floor
, had up to this time watched the pro
ceedings with an interested eye; now
thinking murder was being commit
ted, he opened his big, red mouth anC
= emitted howl that could be hearC
half a mile. II Immediately brough
his mother 10 the open door. WheI
she saw the children squirming OF
the floor in her only corset, her indig
nation knew no bounds.
You, Jimmy Garner, an you, too
n William Hill, yuh little imps o Satan
I what you dom in my house? Didn'
yo' nanny tell you not TO tampe
D. wild me no mo-? Git up an come her
an lemme git my coset of o. yuh
Angry as she was, she could no
60 keep from laughing at the sight the
presented, as, with no gentle hant
she unclasped the hooks and release
u their imprisoned bodies
Billy all time" began Jimmy.
Billy all time nothin'," said Sara,
Jane faint no use TO- TO try to la
J. dis-here co'set business onto Billy
k both O. yuh is ekslly in it. An N
a.almin TO to 80 to three fun els dl
week an a baptizin on Sunda!
st S'pose y all d bruck one o. de splintl
d how'd l look a-presidin' at a fune
thout mare co'set on, an me shape
like what | is?"
Who's dead, Sarah Jane?" aske
Jimmy, hoping to stem the torrent O
n her wrath.
sis Mary Ellen's Las husbau
= Brudder Littlejohn-det' a.who" sh
r replied. somewhat modified at his il
!, tsrest.
When did he ie?"-Jimmy pursued
= his advantage.
= He got way rom here bout moon
q down las night" she replied losiu,
sight OF her grievance in his hatter
y ing interrogations. You know Sis
, Littlejohn, she been married goln' OF
: five times. Dls-here Il make TO- gen
tlemans she done buriet an dey airs
nobody can manage fun'el Lie sL
kin; pears like hit jes come natchel
to her. She sho' is done a good part
by eb'ry single husban too, an she
Is tggerin' TO c1tdo all the yuthers
| wild Brudder Littlaiohus oo'nae {"