Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08
TAKING THE GAFF FROM PHOEBE

Dagoes preparin' to run barbed wire fence smack
the middle of the courts An indignant of
young people that had been driven off and half dozen
wrahy club members grouped on the porch watchn
the proceedn's. -
whats all this?" says l, climbs out Of the road
ster
"Some more of Miss Phoebe's work. says Brick
Bailey.
"Sure it's her land?" says l.
ooh, it's hers all right" says Bailey.
"Then that's simple enough" says 1. 3Why don't
some of you hunt her up and buy or lease Jolly her
Huh says Brick Bailey. 4Ever tried to jolly Miss
Van Klipp?"
mot yet" says l.
is right there bossing the job. Go on Shortly
"Please do, Professor McCabe comes in chorus from
the young folks
~Whv, sure!" SAYS /. "Watch mel"
And, say, there want anything dangerous 1ookin'
about this quaint old party sittn there in the ckety
brougham with the dinky sunshade tilted up rakish,
like overdone pancake stuck edgewise stick.
She don't even notice as ranges myself alongside
She just goes watchn the gang scoop out the post
holes, calm and placid, and | stands there minute
szin her UP while | waits for openin.
ONE of these plump, straightforward, well seasoned
- old maids, Miss Phoebe is, who must have been
some queen in her day There amt many wrinkles in
evidence, and her face looks smooth and satiny
babys only her complexion, bein dead white with
mere me OF
ripe roquefort cheese She has her gray hair braided
and cooled up under the little jet bonnet and
min little in front held in place by net after
style that goes too far back for me to remember.
"Er-ahem" says l. clearin' my throat. "Mss Van
Klipp, amt it,"
She turns slow and deliberate. II Miss Van
Klipp, if that is what you meant to ask.
"Good guess then want it?' says sort OF chuckly
and confidential.
want it," she comes back Il presume you mean
Was it not'?'
"Somethn' like that" says I. "You see, I'm from
the Yacht Club"
"Why," goes on, Il thought I'd stroll over and see
if couldn't get together this land proposition
Course, we're in bad with you, duckin that. But
YOU know how these club committees apt to pull
things off. And it bonehead hunch grabbn that
slice without much askin who held the paper But
tell from here that you amt one to keep peeve
ice when to you with both hands IN the air
askin for a new deal. You amt now, are you.
Some oration eh9 And it makes great hit with
Miss Phoebe-not! She svers twice. as though
something Jared her, and when I'm all through she
stares at me frgid.
young man. says she, Il understand not word OF
your outrageous JargOn
"Wha-a-at?' says l. my jaw droppin' "Was all that
1ost?'
Il presume it had something do with this barefaced
trespass my property" says she.
"Why, say, you got the key, after all, saws |. "The
rest mainly jolly. But We'll ditch that part and
get down to brass tacs Now what you gon to set us
back for that thirty-foot strip OF salt marsh!
"If your club has any communication to make to me,
young man. says Miss Phoebe, Il should advise sending
someone who talk English
"Ouch!' saysI. "A jolt in the conversation works. l
get YOU though. You amt balkn' on the proposition:
it's only the way put it over, eh?"
utterly barbaric" says she. Il had not dreamed
that beautiful tongue could be woefully corrupted
Truly, it has become sounding brass and tinklng
cymbals
aWow,~ saysI "Say, that last was new one on me.