The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-14
Colonel
TODHUNTER
of Missouri
By RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS
Copyright. 1911. BY the BObbs-Merrfl
Company

Copyright. 1911. BY the BObbs-MerrTH
Company
(Continued.)
at hope not. colonel" replied Siam
Tucker, laughing. IT certainly did my
best to give Miss Mary and the other
young ladies a good time" He looked
a bit reproachfully at Mary as he
spoke.
Indeed you did, Stamr' said Mary
quickly, remembering Tom Strickland's
better treatment by her. You're just
as nice an escort as any girl could
ask,,a'.sa.- $780, s,,--~,--- ~ ~u-
Colonel Todhunter snorted, Long
sufferin, patiencev' he Knocked. That's
Just the trouble STAIN Tucker! All you
Nineveh boys are good enough when
it comes to fetchin' and carryin' for
the girls, but that don't count for
shucks. The sort o. man they like is
the man that bosses 'em around, that
throws his handkerchief at 'em and
makes 'em come when he calls, and
none of you Nineveh sparks seems to
have sand enough for that. You needn't
tell me you've got it, STAN Tucker, and
not even Tom Strickland''-
Speak of the angels, colonel" Tom
Strickland's own voice interposed from
the lowest step of the gallery, land
you hear the dutter of their wings?'
mo, don't, not by a joyful" retort-
ed Colonel Todhunter, unrufhed.
when any of you Str1cklands begin
sproutin' wings, the worlds comm to
an end How are you, Tom? didn't
know you were therey'
why didn't you come in to supper.
Tom?'' asked Mrs. Todhunter.
aeW %
Mrs. Todhunter,'' answered the young
man. ascending to join the little group
as he spoke. "Howdy, Miss Mary!
Hope you're not feeling tired after the
picnic. How are you, STAN
The Jealous antagonism between the
two young men made itself instantly
felt STAN Thicker plainly resented
Toms entrance upon the scene. The
latter as plainly showed that he had
come purposeIy to be IN his rivals way.
The situation was greatly to Colonel
Todhunter's humorous liking.
well, wellr' he exclaimed Innocent
". Great Scott and Maria, you must
have hot footed it away from your Wit
ties, young man! If your daddy'n only
get such a move on for governor We'll
win hands DOWN.
Tom Strickland laughed. ''It all de-
ponds, colonel" he made pointed an
swer. ION how badly my father wants
to be governor If he wants it half
as bad as I wanted to call on Miss
Mary this evening, I'll back him for a
winner against all comersr'
The note of challenge was unmis-
taxable. Siam fuckers face darkened
with anger. Mary Todhunter blushed
to the roots of her hair. The coloneI's
grim lips twitched with amused ap-
proval, his eyes twinkIing under their
shaggy gray brows. But Mrs. Tod
hunter came to the rescue with some
placid remark that eased the mOmen-
tary strain.
A little later she and Colonel Tod
hunter withdrew to their own end of
the gallery, leaving Mary to entertain
her callers Colonel Todhunter was
vastly dck1ed.
Lord, Mary he conf1ded to his
wife; them two young rascals
wouIdn't like nethtn betteTn5 to get at
each other, hammer and tongs, this
very minute. I declare, honey, this
here old world of ourn don't change a
bit It's precisely like our own young
days. I'll be eternally whipsawed if
It amt and it's been that way for all
tme-as it was in the beginnin', is
now and ever shall be, world without
end. amenr'
And so profoundly interested was the
colonel that he would gladly have lin
gered to see which of the two young
men sat the other OUT had not Mrs
TOdhunter fairly compelled him to &C
company her into the house at last. It
was with sigh of genuine dtsappoint-
ment that he arose to do her bidding.
"BlesS my soul, it's as good as a
shown he said. But don't wonder
you pull me away from SEEM 1t, Mrs
TOdhunter. Your daughter AIaryis
playin' every one o. your old tricks
over again You've got good reason for
not wantin' me to keep tab on 'em at
this late day, madam"
The moon had just moved Inajest.
tically out from behind a little silver
edged cloud. Colonel Todhunter's eyes
swept across the softly melIowed Mis-
souri, night picture. Then he nodded
his head as If communing with him.
self
You're right, honey he spoke final
ly. Good Lord above us! Pm just as
much a part of all this as our old house
here or the trees and the grass and
them there cornflelds way cross the
pike yonder Go way from Nineveh?
why, they'd have to pull me up by the
roots to make me do it, suh!'
CHAPTER III.