Mexico Missouri message., 1913-11-13

U
there and had 20 sell books to get
home. He had a little money, enough |
for a grub.stake," he said and all his .
folks were dead. Then college friend T.
OF his wrote a rural play called Sweet t.
| Peas"--"Great title don't you Think" |
| he asked--and he put UP all the money. |
/ II would have been hit, he said, but /
! the kid in the play--the one that |
unites its parents In the last act just /
| before he dies of tuberculosis-the kid /.
/ took tho mumps and looked as II, In |
/ stead of fading away, he was going /
to blow up. Everybody was so afraid |
OF him that they let him die alone for |
| three nights In the middle OF the |
stage Then the leading woman took |
the mumps. and the sheriff took ev.
erything else
Well, OF course, the thing failed,
and he lost every dollar he'd put into
| 1t, which was all he had, including
what he had in his pockets.
They seized my trunks" he ex.
planned, and | sold my fur.lined over.
coat for eight dollars, which took one
OF the girls back home. It's hard for
some sort of job was coming up
here to see II they needed an extra
clerk or a waiter, or chauffeur, or any
thing that meant a roof and something
to eat--but suppose they don't need
a jack-of-all-trades."
NO" | answered but I'll tell you
what | think they're going to need.
And that's an owner!"
I'm not making excuses. did 1t for
the best. II Mr.. Thoburn had not been
there. sitting by to see the old sana-
forum die so it could sprout wings
and fly as a summer hotel, I'd never
have thought of it, But | was in de-
spair
l got up and opened the door, but
the snow came in in cloud, and the
path was half foot deep again.
But the angel of providence ap-
peared in the shape of Mike, the bath
man, coming down through the snow
in tearing rage. The instant l saw
Mike | knew 1t was settled.
Am | or am | not to give Mr..
Moody a needle shower" he shouted,
almost beside himself And / saw he
had his overcoat over his bath cos
tune. which is Turkish towel.
"A needle shower followed by a salt
rub" said !. He's been having them
for eleven years. What's the matter?"
That fool OF a young doctor"
shouted Mike, he told him before he
left that II he'd been taking them for
q eleven years and wasn't any better II
was time to stop. Amt business bad
enough-only four people in the house
takin' baths regular-without his but
tin in"
Where's Mr.. Moody"
In the bath. I've locked up his
clothes"
You give him a needle shower and
/. salt rub" l ordered. and II he
makes fuss Just send for me. And,
Mike" ! said. as he started out, TASK
Mr.. Van Alstyne to come out here i'm
: mediately."
: Mr. Van Alstyne came out on the
. run, and when he saw Mr.. Pierce by
: the fire-that was his name, Alan
Pierce-he stopped and stared. Then
1 he said:
You Internal young scamp" And
with that Mr.. Pierce jumped up, sur
4 prised and pretty mad. and Mr.. Van
4 Alstyne saw his mistake.
4 I'm sure l beg your pardon" he
4 said. The fact is, | was expecting
4 somebody else, and in the freight"
4 You surprised me, that's all" said
I Mr.. Pierce. Under the circumstances,
II oil hn he
You may be-" assured Mr.. Sam
grimly. You're not unlike him, by
1 the way a little taller and heavier
| but"
| Now it's all very we'll for Mr.. Sam
| to say / originated the idea and all
| that, but as truly as / am writing this
| as | watched his face ! saw the same
| thought come into It. He looked Mr.
| Pierce up and down, and then be
| stared into the fire and puckered his
| mouth to whistle, but he didn't And
| finally he glanced at me, but / was
| looking at the fire, too.
| Mr. Sam got up and began to walk
] the floor his hands in his pockets
He tried TO get my eye, but still
looked in the fire.
il IAN trafic's held up. Minnie" be
II said. The eight o'clock train il
stalled beyond the junction, in drift
n I've wired the conductor, and Garter
e, isn't on It,"
"Well?" said !.
n IF we could only get past to-day,
II Mr. Sam went on; If Thoburn would
ID only choke to death, Off there wat
h somebody around who looked like
y Dick, | dare say, by tomorrow" He
p looked at Mr.. Pierce, who smiled and
d. looked at him.
And / resemble Dick!" said Mr.
n Pierce. Well, II he's a moral and
d upright young man"
II He isnt!" Mr., Sam broke in sav
a agely. And then and there he sal
J. down and told Mr.. Pierce the trouble