Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-06

II you had any self-respect you'd be
taking a bath yourself. You need 1t!
Hark!" He broke off and listened.
who's that singing?"
The sound drew nearer-a lugubri-
Gus chant, with the weirdest minor re-
Elections. family suggestive of the rag
time ditties of the music-halls. yet
with plaintive cadence:
"As he went mowin' roun' de fiel
Er mocc'son bit him on de heel
Right toodle-link-uhday
Right toodle-link- uhday,
Right toodle-link-uh, toodle-link-uh,
Da-a -dee-e-eaye!
"Dey kyah'd him in ter his Sally deah.
She say, Nah lawd, yolooks so queah.'
Right toodle-link uhday,
Right toodle-lnk-uh day,
Right toodle-link-uh, toodle-lnk-uh,
Da-a-dee-e-eaye!
A smile Of genuine delight crossed
the listeners face. THAT would make
the everlasting fortune of a music
hall artist" Valiant muttered, as, coat
less, and with a towel over his arm,
he stepped to the piazza.
"Dey Lid him down-spang on de
groun'.
He-e-e shet-up-his-eyes en- looked all
arOun'.
Right toodle-link-uh day.
Right toodle-lnkuh-day.
Right toodle-link-uh, toodle-lnk-uh,
Da-adee e-eaye!
so den he died, Civ up de Ghos'.
To Abrum's buzzum he did pos
Right toodle-link-uh-day
Right odle-link-uh- day"
Good morning. Uncle Jefferson"
The singer broke off his refrain, set
down the twig-broom that he had been
welding and came toward him.
"Mawnin'. sub. Mawnin'," he said.
Hopes yo'-all slep' good All reck'n
dem ar birds woke yo' up; dey's
maxim sch err miration."
THANK you. Never slept better in
my life. Am | laboring under a de-
fusion when I imagine smell coffee?"
Just then there came voice from
the open door of the kitchen: "Calls
|yo'sef er man. yo' triflin' recon-
|structed niggah! Wen marstah gwine-
ter git he brekfus' yo' ramshacklin'
eroun' wild dat dawg all dis Gawd's-
blessid mawnin'? Go fotch some mo-
fiah-wood dis minute. Yo' heah?"
A turbaned head poked itself
through the door, with a good-natured
leafbrown face beneath it, which
broadened into a wide smile as its
owner bobbed energetically at Vali
'ant's greeting "Fo' de Lawd!" she
exclaimed, wiping foury hands on
Bingham apron. "Yo' sho' is up early,
but All got yo' brekfus' mos ready,
|suh."
"All right, Aunt Daphne. I'll be
back directly"
He sped down to the lake to plunge
his head into the cool water and there
by sharpen the edge Of an appetite
that needed no honing. From the
title valley through which the stream
|meandered, rose a curdled mist, fray
ing now beneath the warming sun.
The tall tangled grass through which
he passed was beaded with dew like
diamonds and hung with thousand
fairy jeweled webs. The wild honey
|suckle was alive with quick whirrings
of humming- birds, and he hung his
pocket mirror from a twig and shaved
with woodsy chorus in his ears.
He came up the trail again to find
the reading-stand transferred to the
porch and laid with white cloth on
which was set steaming cOffee-pot,
with fresh cream, saltless butter and
crisp hot biscuit; and as he sat down,
with sigh Of pure delight, in his
dressing gown "a creepy Japanese
thing redeemed from womanishness
by the bold green bamboo Of its design
Uncle jefferson planted before him
a generous platter Of bacon, eggs and
potatoes. These he attacked with a
surprising keenness. AS he buttered
his fifth biscuit he looked at the dog,
rolling on his back in morning ecstasy,
with a look Of humorous surprise.
"Chum," he said, what do you think
of that? All my life single roll and
a cup Of coffee have been the most
could ever negotiate for breakfast,
and then it was apt to taste like chips
and whet-stones. And noy look at
this plate!' The dog ceased winnowing
his ear with hind foot and looked
DdCk dL HIS lldSLcl Will lHuCu Tic
same expression. Clearly his own
needs had not been forgotten
"Reck'n All bettah go ter git dat ar
machine thing" said Uncle Jefferson
behind him. "Ol' CONAN, heah, she
low ter fix up de kitchen dis mawnin'
en- we begin on de house dis evenin'."
"Right-o," said Valiant. cts all
uphill, so the motor won't run away
with you. Aunt Daphne, can you get
some help with the cleaning?'
Hep" that worthy responded
with fine scorn. "No, sub. Moughty
few, in de town 'cep'n low-down yaller
lnew-issue trash Diet ain wuf KILN!
All gwineter go TO- dat house mahse'f
TO long, hannah en- tongs. en- git it
fix up"
"splendid! My destiny is in your
hands. You might take the dog with
you, Uncle Jefferson; the run will do
him good
When the latter had disappeared
and truculent sounds from the kitchen
indicated that the era Of strenuous
cleaning had begun, he reentered the
library, changed the water in the rose
glass and set it on the edge OF the