Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-01

"Do you hear thatT' demanded
Elackie OF Wallingford. but J. Rufus
lad turned bis back. THE hand bag u
black"
|. "No. brown asserted the best post
I'd man In town.
Brown" repeated Blackie in dis
lress. THAT throws me Oh my calcn-
Iations. What does he carry In them9~
/ The best posted man shook his head
lady. Nobody Knows" he confessed.
|s"l can tell you something else about
him, though. Once every month or six
weeks be expresses heavy box to
New York"
Blackie caught his breath loudly.
mot a wooden box!'
"A wooden boxr' repeated the other
triumphantly. 1T Is always addressed
to b. F. Tuttle. at Fifth avenue and
Eorty.second street; prepaid"
futile" unused Blackie. as IL to him.
self. II never dreamed that he would
be In this"
Before they returned to their hotel
Councilman Brand, who operated q
brickyard DUST behind Henry Closby's
store, and who was the best posted
man in town. told them that Henry
went to Chicago about every two weeks
and was in the habit of digging holes
In bis back yard. Before they went to
bed Councilman Smith, who sold farm
Implements. ammunition and lightning
rods, and who. besides being the best
posted man In town. suffered from in
somnia, told them that he frequently
saw lights in Henry Closby's upstairs
windows as late as o'clock In the
morning: also that Henry paid mystic
rious visits to Chicago.
IL owe Henry Closby an apology. and
he gets it." stated Blackie before he
turned out his light
Henry Closby was alone in his store
on Sunday morning, taking m invoice
Of his goods, when they called on him.
and be came forward to meet them
with the engaging air Of man who Is
quite sure of himself.
I'VE don't want a thing in the world"
said Blackie. genuinely regretful. Il
owe you an apology for starting some
gossip about you here"
Nobody ever starts any gossip In
this town." observed Mr.. Closby dryly.
'It's always under way"
II think we gave 1t an injection OF
hurry-up hop" insisted Blackie. and We
explained exactly how the thing had
come about.
Mr.. Closby only laughed. "It can't
hurt me-" be said, very much to both
Blackie's and Wallingford's relief.
1.-THE town wasn't 50 bad. though. till
q long haired Socialist converted the
place to public ownership"
"a little soft music and I'll tell you
the story" offered Wallingford. with
a chuckle. First they confiscated the
electric light plant, the gooseberry in
dustry and the Ak handle factory; then
they bought the mortgage on your IA
theirs hotel and foreclosed."
"You must be detectives. after ALL"
wondered Closby. "Oh. see. You
got the name from the old advertising
register"
"How did you get BY with the
store?' inquired Wallingford. looking
with interest at the well stocked
shelves.
'"They tried that, but they were glad
to let CO. They gobbled everything
else, though. started these fireworks
festivals. and as soon as they saw I
was making money at 1t they absorbed
it."
WalIingford laughed appreciatively.
"It's better than the legitimate mu-
nicipal graft, believe" he comment.
ed. THE councilmen draw fat sala.
ries. and half the voters are working
for them, SO reelection doesn't cost
cent" -
"And the place is dead. supple
mented Closby. They've Killed ambi-
ton. enterprise and progress.
.And they've made it dry town."
added Blackie. II can't forgive them
for that
There's a cellar under every house"
Closby informed them. "lf you gem
tlemen are suffering from thirst l
think I can relieve you"