Evening star., 1913-12-07

loose by Burmah. 1he Colonel had just
hammered his thumb in the new offices when
Burmah appeared with two boys behind
him Juggling huge bundles.
"Put 'em down there, indicated Burmah,
and after they had gone turned to the Colo
mel. "Got 'em!' he exclaimed Just what
we want. Found most of em in store
ben' sold out by the Sheriff; the rest got
down in Schwabachers'.
The Colonel contemplativelv sucked his
injured thumb and stood above Burmah
while the latter opened his bundles. First
came a shock of Dakota wheat, cut green,
and palpably dyed to an extraordinary
golden hue. Next came a shock of Idaho
oats. An enormous stand of Iowa corn
stalks with immense white and yellow ears
wired thereon dozen monster Oregon APP
pies, some California Bartlett pears, and
some Florida lemons completed the Sc
lection. The Colonel forgot his thumb and
looked at the display on the floor.
"But pardon me, Sir" he queried, "if |
ask what we all are to do with those things"
"What do with EN-? Put em in the win
dow over there as soon as we pull the shades
up, and have a nice sign painted to hang
above 'em which reads, Port Hatch land
the most fertile in the world. Look at
these!''
Burmah got up from his knees with an air
of triumph; but the Colonel looked doubt
full
Don't you think -eh-that is amt you
afraid that's sort of misrepresenting things?"
the Colonel asked.
Burmah took off his hat and wiped his
forehead. He then twisted the large dia-
mond ring on his hand, pursed his lips, and
vented a sigh that sounded more like the
exhaust from a river packet than a human
being. "But we don't exactly say they was
grown up at Port Hatch do we?"
Don't see how the inference could be
palmer" the Colonel replied.
And there was something SO infiexibly
honest in his attitude that Burmah decided
to change his attack.
That's the way real estate men did in
lots of places where I've been, he remarked,
as if to himself; "but maybe it amt exactly
right, Colonel. III tell you what III do with
you. I'll split the difference. You're right
about our having no fruit up there yet; SO
We'll just put the grain in the window, with
the sign. Well eat the other stuff. Besides,
it wouldn't keep long, anyhow"
Mentally he consoled himself with the
thought that he could have Hubbard make
lot of drawings and fill the window with
pictures of buildings such as proposed
Methodist Church at Port Hatch, and have
the word proposed so small that it would
take a reading glass to discover it. Out
WdIUly Ic Was dCLlVC WlIH LHc I)edTS ana Dy
careful attention to business succeeded in
eating four to the Colonel's one; for the
Colonel had fallen to rhapsodizing on the
excellence of the fruit, and now and then
quoted poetry.
THERE was arap at the door, and frowzy-
headed messenger boy, with uniform
that had evidently done much service for a
larger lad, opened it and stared around.
"Any feller here by the name of Hatch?"
he queried nonchalantly
The Colonel stopped quoting and as
sented.
Message for you,' the boy said, and de-
livered yellow envelop and his book
The Colonel adjusted his glasses, signed
the book gave the boy dime, and tore the
envelop open. "She's coming!' he exclaimed
jubilantly @Shes coming, Lord bless her!
She'll be here tomorrow"
Burmah had been looking at him as if
transfixed with a pear half eaten in his
hand; but now he was assailed with a dread
full surmise. Coming! Who's coming?' he
asked.
"My daughter Arabella," the Colonel al
most shouted.
Good Lord" groaned Burmah Jones, as
happily as if someone had just read war
rant for his arrest. Coming, is sheo7 and
then to himself added, a wish to the little