Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-03-14

But Pa and Ma Stubblns Had a
Kong Journey Before Than,
and II Was Their First.

NH. MelVlna StuODiHS SAAo ~
both foury hands In horror. Pa had
fallen over something in the wood
shed. The cat shrieked In pain. Then
another crash added CONSERVATION to
the startled woman.
Mrs. Stubbins rushed Into the
woodshed, Pa was down on the moor
with load Of stove wood about him.
His nose Was bleeding and the water
from the overturned pail on the wash
bench was damned against his over
ais The cat covered under the
washing machine. licking tenderiy At
her bruised tail n.y..
Josiah Stubbins. what be you d
dom ?" shrieked Melyina solicitously,
grasping the PROSTATE man determin'
edly BY the shoulder and striving TO
raise the grooming heap.
Y wux-jest a-thinkin'-about that
trip Of ourn." he painted. gaining his
feet, AN stumbled over tn bootjack.
Then the gol-darned cat got IN my
way, an went down." T..
Mrs Stubbins waved her hands des-
pairingly and sighed.
I'm so fidgety now from jist think
In Of goin' travelin'," she admitted.
tibet l amt good fer nothin'-an'
you're worse" heaping it onto Josiah
mercilessly. @@H.,
Sometimes / reckon it amt wuth
III candie-all this fussin' an stewin'
an packin' an plannin', he walled.
wiping the blood from his hickory
shirt and looking dazed. Folks would
be better of, l reckon. il they stayed
home whar they wuz comfortable.
AN never seem nothin' at all!
agreed Mrs. Stubbins. turning the
wash bench right side up and pouring
liberal helping of water into the
basin. Wash yerself. 1t looks like a
murder"
Josiah went out to the barn, feeling
ruefully of his nose. 1t was evident
that htese were perilous days In the
Stubbins cycle. Getting ready to go
travelling was sadly interrupting the
even tenor Of life on the farm. Half
the countryside knew Of the proposed
trip by this time, for the local CORE
spondent of the Advocate had chron-
icled the news weeks ago.
As the gala day approached, Pa and
Ma Stubbins packed and unpacked. In
creasiag the tension until neither OF
them slept at night for apprehending
train wrecks. The, train was due at
s:4O in the morning, but. in their
anxiety not to be late, the couple ar
rived at the depot before Z, flustered
and fidgety.
Better to be a little airly," COM
mented Melvina, futtering into a seat
in the big, barn-like station, where
the drum stove valiantly gave out Its
redolent coalsmoke odors.
Josiah took up his stand before the
closed ticket window and waited i'm
patiently. AS the minutes passed and
the agent busted himself beyond its
portals, their nervousness increased.
Josiah looked apprehensively at Mel
VIVA and shifted hts big form onto
the other foot. .t-.
"Gittin' most time, amt It, pa?'
asked Mrs. Stubbins, wiping her
sharp nose with a polka-dot handker.
chief. .-@~
Josiah consulted his watch. -
II wish this here window would
open up" he complained restlessly.
I'VE amt got more'n As minutes"
Finally Josiah could hold himself no
longer. He stepped determinedly up
to the ticket-shelf and raped loudly
on the window. The sounds from be-
yond stopped. The agent approached
and threw up the sash.
"I-er-could ye wait on u.s." Jo-
siah asked apologetically.
Which way you goin'?" queried the
agent, none too affably.
East" replied Josiah. II wuz
afeared it wuz gittin' late"
HUH grunted the railroad man.
"Plenty of time! Where to?'
How fur is 1t to Harpersville? ?"
questioned Mr.. Stubbins, looking the
agent in the eye.
Eighteen miles" -
AT two cents mile?
YES" VAS
"All right. Gimme two tickets-an'
return" with the air Of a man about
to take Niagara. "Melvina an me air
goin' travelin'!"
Globe-trotttng is only relative, after