The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-09-06
CHAPTER xvlll-(continued) j..


DR.. Temple stared after him, but
the gambler stared at DR.. Temple
with homage. so you're one of us, 3"
he said, and Selling the old mans
limp hand, shook it heartily: 81 got
to slip it to you. Your makeup is
great. You nearly had me for a come
on. Great"
And then he sauntered out, leaving
the clergyman's head swimming. DR..
Temple turned to Mallory for eXplana.
tons, but Mallory only waved him
away. He was not quite convinced
himself He was convinced only that
whatever else anybody might be, no.
body apparently desired to be clergy
man in these degenerate days.
The conductor returned and threw
into DR.. Temple the glare of two basil
isk eyes. The old man put out be-
seeching hand and began
MY good man, you do me a grave
injustice"
The conductor snapped back: "You
say word to me and I'll do you worse
than that And if | spot you with a
pack of cards in your hand again, I'll
tie you to the cow-ketcher."
Then he marched off again. The
doctor fell back into chair, trying to
figure it out. Then Ashton and Fos-
dick and little Jimmie Wellington and
Wedgewood strolled in and, dropping
into chairs, ordered drinks. Before
the doctor could ask anybody to ex-
plain, Ashton was launched on story.
His mind was suitcase full of anec-
dotes, mostly Of the smoking-room
order.
Wherever three or four men are
gathered together, they rapidly organ
lie clearinghouse of off-color stories.
The doctor listened in spite of him
self, and in spite Of himself he was
amused, for stories that would be
stupid if they were decent, take on
certain verve and thrill from their
very forbiddenness.
The dear old clergyman felt that it
would be priggish to take fight, but
he could not make the corners of his
mouth behave. Strange twitchings of
the lips and little steamy escapes of
giggle-jets disturbed him. And when
Ashton, who was practiced racon.
teur, finished drolatic adventure
with the epilogue, And the next
morning they were at Niagara Falls"
the old doctor was helpless with laugh.
ter. Some superior force, the devil
no doubt, fairly shook him with glee.
"Oh, that's bully" he shrieked. 81
haven't heard a story like that for
ages"
"Why, where have you been. DR..
Temple?" asked Ashton, who could
not imagine where man could have
concealed himself from such stories,
But he laughed loudest of all when
the doctor answered. "You see, live
in Ypsilanti. They don't tell me
stories like that"
"They-who?" said Fosdick.
why, my pa-my patients" the
doctor explained, and laughed so hard
that he forgot to feel guilty, laughed
so hard that his wife in the next room
heard him and giggled to Mrs. Whit.
comb:
Listen to dear Walter. He hasn't
laughed like that since he was "a
medical student" Then she buried
her face guiltily In a book.
Wasn't It good?" DR.. Temple de.
manded, wiping his streaming, eyes
and nudging the solemn-faced English.
man, who understood his own nations
humor. but had not yet learned the
Yankee quirks.
Wedgewood made hollow effort at
laughter and answered: Extremely
very droll. but what | don't quite
get was-why the porter said" The
others drowned him in a roar of laugh
ter, but Ashton was angry. "Why, you
blamed fool. that's where the Joke
came in. Don't you see, the bride