Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-02-20
"Howdy Do, Anthony" He said.

"Howdy Do, Anthony" He Said.
down and saw the draggled flower
thrust through the twist of grass. "Oh.
pup Of w~ondersi" he exclaimed.
Where did you get that rose?'
Chum sat UP and wagged his tail, for
his masters tone, instead of ridicule,
held a dawning delight. Perhaps the
thing had not been intended as a dis
grace, after all!
With the first sight Of the decora-
ton Valiant had had a sudden memory
of a splotch of vivid red against the
belted gray-blue of a gown. He
grinned appreciatively. And l warned
her" he chuckled. Told her not to be
afraid" He busted the blossom pains
takingly with his handkerchief and
held it to his face-a live brilliant
thing, breathing musk-odors of the
mid-moon of paradise.
A long time he sat, while the dog
dozed and yawned on the shiny cush-
ion beside him. OF a sudden Chum sat
up and barked in earnest.
Turning his head, his master saw APP
preaching a dilapidated hack with
side lanterns like great goggles and
decrepit and palsied curtains. It was
drawn by a lean mustard-tinted mule,
and on its front sat a colored man of
uncertain age. whose hunched verte-
brae and outward-crooked arms gave
him a curious expression of replete
and dubious inquiry. Abreast of the
car he removed q moth-eaten cap.
"Evenin', subj" he said,-"evenin',
evenin'."
"Howdy do" returned the other
amiably.
"Ah reck'n yo'-ll done had err brock
down wild dat machine-thing dar. Yo'
been hyuh bout er hour. ain yo'7'
Nearer three" said Valiant cheer
fully, but the views worth It."
A hoarse litter came from the con-
veyance, which gave forth sundry
creakings of leather. "Huyh! Hugh!
OATS SO, sub. OATS SO! Hmm.
Reck'n Ah1l be gittin' erlong back"
He clucked to the mule and proceeded
to turn the vehicle round.
Hold on cried John Valiant. II
thought you were bound In the other
direction"
mo. sub. Aim gwine back whah l
come f'om. All JUS druv out hyuh
case Miss Shirley done met me, en-
she say, 'Unc' Jeffe'son, yo' go 'treckly
out de Red Road, case er gemman
done got stalled-ed.'"
"Oh-Miss Shirley. She told you,
did she?. What did you say her first
name was?"
Oats huh fust name, Miss Shirley.
Vas, sub! Miss Shirley done said f.
me ter come en- git de gemman whut
-whut kinder dawg Is yo' got dar?"
Its a bulldog. Can you give me q
lift? I've got hat small trunk and"
Oats a right fine dawg. Miss Shir-
ley she moghty fond OBJ dawgs, too"
Fond of dogs, is she?" said Valiant.
I might have known It. It was nice
of her to send you here, Uncle Jeffer-
son. You can take me and my traps,
l suppose?"
Pens on whah yo' gwineter," an
swered Uncle Jefferson ~sapiently.
I'm going to Damory Court"
A kind of shocked surprise that was
almost s~tupefaction spread over the
others face, like oil over a pool.
Danny Co'ot! OATS de old Valiant
place. Ain nobody lives dar. All
reck'n ain nobody live dar fer mos er
hun'erd yeahsi"
The old house has a great surprise
coming to it, said Valiant gravely.
"Henceforth some one is going to DC
cupy it. How is it anyway"
"Measurin' by de coonskin en- th'ow-
in in de tail, cts erboHt two mile.
Ain gwineter live dar yo'se'f, sub, is
yo'?"
Il am for the present." was the
crisp answer
Uncle Jefferson stared at him a mo-
ment with his mouth open. Then ejac-
ulating under his breath, go de
Lawd! Whut folks gwineter say ter
dati" he shambled to the real Of the
motor and began to unship the steam
er-trunk. Whit yo' gwineter do wild
dat-ar?' he asked, pointing to the car.
"Ah kin come wild ole Sukey-dat's
NAH mule-en fotch it In de mawn-
In. Amt gwineter rain ter-night no
how
This matter having been arranged.
they started jogging down the green !