The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-07
TEE EVENING STORY
Working a Side Line.
(By Lawrence Alfred Elay.)

took a seat on the grass ana struck
savagely at a grasshopper that jumped
against his chin.
Philetus Cartwright, farmer and wild
over, was having an off day. He had
plenty of hard work and he didn't seem
to be getting ahead as he should.
I'D sell the darned old farm for a
| dollar!
I'D work in a sawmill for so cents
a dav!
I'D mar the homeliest woman in
the state!
"rd-Pd- Now what in thunder
is the chicken buyer back here for?
I sold him all the fowls 1 could spare
last week..
The man drove up in his wagon,
hitcned his horse to the fence, and,
climbing over, he was soon beside the
farmer.
mo more chickens to SELL
I'm not after chickens this time"
What is it?''
Say, Cartwright, my name is Per-
kins, amt it?''
@I guess so.''
And because I look out for num-
Der one folks call me Pinchem.''
Guess that's right"
well. I'll show you that I have
conscience. The other day, when
bought your fowls, worked off a bad
quarter on you. 1t got on my con-
science and kept me awake nights
Gosh! but 1 wouldn't a-believe it,"
laughed the farmer.
But you'll have to now, for here's
a good COIN
wall, it will astonish folks when
I tell them about it, said Philetus,
as he bit at the money to test it.
'And that isn't all. You are hard
working man."
Hanged if I hain't.'
But, Cartwright, you are a wild
over"
Have been for three years.
You have all the homework to do,
and all the puttering around that falls
to a farmers Wife
That's right, but what's a teller go
ing to do?"
Get married again, and here I am
to help you. Got to thinking of your
couldn't sleep"
Gosh. Gosh! And you are going
to help me get married.
81 may say. Philetus Cartwright,
that you are as good as married again
already. She's widow. She hain't
tie farm. She's good worker Never
been away from home. and don't want
to go. Won't ask for any bridal tour,
and her present pair of shoes have
lasted her over two years"
"why-why she must be an angel!''
stammered the dazed Philetus.
Next door to it, but 1 haven't told
you all. She got a big back pension
a few weeks ago as a soldiers wild
der. They say it was most $1,000
by the living jingo!'
"And that's not all. She's a bit
literary, and 1 have got you the
agency with a book firm in New
York. You can brush up and be lit
erary, too, and you can make use of
the agency as a side-line to farming.
AS soon as you get your outfit go and
see the widow. She dotes on book
agents, and there is a fraternal bond
between literary folks. Go in and be
a winner
by thunder, I will, Say, Perkins,
the next time I hear a man call you
Pinchem I'll break his neck, Why,
you are honesty, truth and integrity
rolled into one! How do you make
anything out of it?'
II don't make a red cent
Il wouldn't have believed it! I
couldn't have believed it,"
In the course of a fortnight Farmer
Cartwright drove over to see the Wild
ow Gordon. He found her with her
old clothes on making soft soap. Her
welcome to a stranger was pleasant
enough, but when she learned that
he was a book agent she was bland.
She had read the life of Dan'1 Boone
three times over, and was then perus-
ing Lorna Doone for the fifth or sixth
time.
Philetus was selling Shakespeare
at Home" 1t came in monthly parts
at dollar a month. For cash in ad-
vance the "a parts would be only $50
The widow must have it, whatever the
price She wanted to read it while she
was waiting for the potatoes to boil
for dinner, and during the hour be-
tween shutting up the hens for the
night and going to bed.
wards he had cause to chuckle and |
chortle. He was not only going to MARI, !
the widow. but he was going to make 20
per cent profit while he courted Ten ,
days after the first visit he called again |
He had 1.-THE Lives of the Saints with /
him this time. There were twenty MONTH |
ly parts, at a dollar a month, or SIS if
paid in advance.
There were st. Peter. ST. Paul, St John I
St James, St. Joseph and every other
saint male or female. anybody ever VOW /
ed by. Their records We're given in full
The widow had never heard of any but |
St Paul, but she put down the cash for |
the lot. The parts would be interesting
backaches. She was more than pleased to
find Philetus literary sort. 1t was his 1
quoting four lines of poetry to her as ne
lunched on cider and pie that put it into
poets. He had. They were in twelve;
volumes, at 81 per volume He couldn't
renernb Der all the names, but he was sure
that Buffalo Bill and Byron were among |
them.
At the third visit the poems were de-
ivered and paid for. The farmer was not
only doing a lot of counting but making |
more money from his sales to the widow |
Than he could hope to do off his farm.
ct think If / should pop the question
vlS's unused .-b1ff 4