The Topeka state journal., 1913-07-29

walks within six hours after the storm
ceases, providing there is any storm
to cease. Are you following me?"
The man at the desk kept scratching
away for dear life.
"Of course you foller. The next great
event was the deluge. All the snow
was soaked up for the time being but
We've had heaps of it since and some
men are too stingy to pay fifty cents
to have their walks cleaned. 1 pre-
sumo you catch on?''
If the gentleman ever knew that the
old man was present, he did not betray
the fact by gesture. The visitor
changed feet against the stove and con-
tinued:
Then there was the Drift-Period.
Icebergs. ash barrels. snow drifts and
old hats went drifting around the
country at the rate of 40 miles an hour
The man who wants to keep out of the
poor house, and is willing to shovel off
snow at the rate of dollar a day.
drifted too and finally brought up in
Detroit. | presume you tWig?"
If he did there was no sign
Then came the Stone Age resumed
the old man, as he hunted through his
pockets for some tobacco dust Good
many stones around, / reckon and
there have been hearts of stone ever
since. Yes, sir, there are men in this
very city who won't pay 80 cents to
clear off their 40 feet of sidewalk If
the snow thereon is up to their chins.
L presume you tumble?'
The man rose up from the desk with
out a word walked over and seized tbe
old man by the collar and without even
looking into his eyes. he opened the
door and lifted him to the sidewalk ar
two motions and flung the snow shovel
after him. The elected stood and
stared around for a minute, rubbed the
top of his head gently, and was min
ute more in fully realizing the situa-
tion. Then he descended the stairs,
opened the door and walked out
1T isn't the two kicks l care about
for I'm used to that, but it hurts me TO
think that l went and posted up such "A
man as you are on the Biblical history
and solemn facts that you would never
have heard of in all your born days.
The Little Widow Briggs.
A span of ponies attached to an emil
grant wagon, containing a woman and
three children and various household
goods halted to have a blacksmith set
shoe for one of the horses. AS the
woman seemed to be alone, at least
"Old man Sick?'
mo, sir; I buried him up the country
a year ago.
Then you widow"
'I reckon am, and my name is Briggs"
(which way are you jogging?'
Going SouthweSt-maybe into Indiana
Got Sick of Michigan?'' continued the
smith. as he pared away at the hoof.
well the state is good enough" she
good schools and tolerable weather. but I
had to get out of where 1 was. 1 lost
a pound a week right along for the last
three weeks"
"Ague?''
"Humph! I'd like to see the ague upset
u.s. No, sir! My husband wasn't cold
before 1 had offer of marriage! 1t
wasn't six months before their tracks
were thick around my house as cat
trails on the snow"
Had your pick, eh?'
'Pick! 1 could have married anybody
from my hired man up to a chap who
owned section of land and four saw
mills They came singly and in droves.
They came by day and by night
say you she exclaimed as she drew
herself up, do L look like an idiot?"
Wen. when I fling my three children
at the head of a second husband and give
up the $500 in cash in my pocket you can
They had to- Susan, hand me that
second-husband repeller. It's in the
wagon"
The girl hunted around and fished up
a hickory club four feet long. and the
woman held it out for inspection and
"There's hairs of six different colors
sticking in the splinters. and these blood
stains are the pure quill. You can 1uoEe
tore down the front fence in their hurry
to reach the woods
by GeorgeH' whispered the smith after
a long inspection. 'WeH, / guess you
don't want to marry.
"K'rect sir. If you have any Ola
widowers in this town or II you know
any one between here and Indiana VINO
wants a headache that will last month
without any letting up. just put EN- up
to begin to ask me If my heart don't
yearn for love and my soul rattle around
righted, 1919. by the Associated Literary
Press.)