Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-07
II wasn't very considerate, I'll admit,
ond--O -

|
broader accent than was his wont.
l"A gentleman can't say more than
| he's sorry, and God knows you have
made me mighty glad and thankful. I
didn't understand, that's ALL didn't
understand" "-
/ I'm pretty hard pushed, Victor. Can
you find me anything here?" a"
! Find you anything here, sir?"
Eyes, a Job. 1t needn't be anything
much to begin with. Let me wash cars
anything"
"Is it as bad as that, Marse' Brough-
TONI" ..r ~.'
Daggancourt' was shocked, and
| ance and his tanned, careworn face.
| to hear you say that"
"Can you make room for me?"
The mulatto reflected. '~. 81
1T isn't much of a business" he
said. indicating the garage. 1T don't
come in as partner, you can have half
of what there is"
But haven't cent Victor. l
didn't mean anything like that.
meant a job-two dollars a day, per-
haps." -.
II didn't expect any money, Marse'
Broughton. You misjudge me when
you say that. They call me cranky
old niger, and It may be I am. but
am most awful cranky in liking you
and II you are willing, sure am"
| The generosity of the offer over
came Matt. but he could not bring him
self to take advantage Of it. The
garage, small as it was. represented
the savings Of years; and to appro-
pirate half and give nothing but his
unskil1ed services In return was
simply impossible. It was finally ar
ranged however, that he was to be en-
gagged at seventy-five dollars a month
as "demonstrator' of the Jonesmobile
with percentage on all sales he
might make. ... s..
Victor had recently acquired the
agency for this vehicle, which was a
spidery, buggy contrivance on car
riage wheels that sold for four hun
dred and fifty dollars and was sup
posed to make peculiar appeal to
farmers. Even to Mats Impractical
eyes it had a queer look. as though It
had lost its Buggins and was wonder
ing what had become of its shafts;
but Daggancourt was technically en-
thusiastic and prophesied vast possi-
bilities. A Jonesmobile could climb
anything, and go anywhere, and had
an extension back that would hold
calf or sack of potatoes. It could
also be lacked to churn butter. or
saw wood, or do the family washing;
and there was a little book with pic
lures of it performing these prodigies
and winning universal esteem. Farm
ers were quoted who did not know
how they ever got along without it,
and others whose annual repair bills
varied from twelve to forty-nine
cents; and there were unblushing &C.
counts of continental trips and the
ascent of Pixies Peak by this barn
lyard favorite in It's off hours. - s
\ Mats instructions began at once.
and very delightful and Inspiring 1t
was. too, as he hung over Daggan-
court, calculating mysteries, and ask
ing a pupils innumerable questions.
Occasionally cars ran in that required
gasolene or water. or small adjust
ment, or tire changed-and then
Matt bestirred himself to be useful,
If only it we're to pump till he was
crimson, or hand tools to Mack or
Louey.
With his seventy-five dollars as
sured. an interesting occupation be-
fore him, and partnership whenever
he chose to take THE felt that all
his troubles were over and that his
foot at last was on the ladder of in
dependence. He was in glow Of con.
tentment and good will; Daggancourt,
the Jonesmobile. the lathes and drills.
and the whole long. low. dark garage,
was seen in the reflection Of that in
ner sunshine. Sitting in the climber
of Pixies Peak, and lettering to and
fro under the guidance OF black
paw, he leaped in Imagination to for
tune and to Chris.
Before the week was out he was a
full fledged "demonstrator" and able
to run the Jonesmobile almost as we'll
as he could talk it. He knew all about
batteries now, and buzzers, and check
valves, and commutators and frozen
gears, and had accumulated memories
of lonely roads and long walks to the
nearest telephone for help. Sometimes
it was the Jonesmobile's fault, though
often as not his, and many big laugh
went up in the garage at his expense.
He swept daily over the countryside,
with his lunch in the tool-box. and
stopped at every likely farmhouse
with an invitation for ride. r.
He made an excellent salesman; the
women liked his good-looking face
and pleasant manners: the men, while
they victimized him without mercy.
never ruffled his patience nor ex-
torted from him an angry word. Lean
old grafters with no more intention of
buying Jonesmobile than an airship
were carried hundreds Of miles and
regularly saved up their town brands
till they could get that there city
Teller with the benzine buggy" They
would lead him on with beautifully
pretended indecision. and then would
be found in a competitors car, shame
lessly repeating the performance.
Matt, too, was poorly supported by
the Jonesmobile. Nothing ever went
wrong with it as long as 1t bore one
of these amiable swindlers, but once
there was a genuine, eager. would-be