The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-02-21
CHAPTER I.
The Beauty Contest.

would make NANCY pup unhappy.
Il suppose you think yer Venus.
eneer red James, remark that he fiat.
.tered himself was rather classy.
The Watermelon sighed as one
'wolld over the ignorance OF a child.
No" said he. hardly"
Don't let that bloom!n' modesty OF
ysrs keep yer from teliin' the TRUTH
adjured James.
The Watermelon waved the posi-
biIity aside with airy grace. With
tall due uodesty, James," said he, Il
ican't claim TO be a woman"
Not with that hay on yer mug.
agreed Mike, casting a sleepy eye up
ward from where he lay in lazy con-
tent In the long, sweet grasses under
the butternut tree.
When | was a Kid. ! took a prize
In beauty show" announced James,
with pardonable pride Il was three.
! remember. a cute little cuss. My
hair was yellow and ma curled it-you
know how-all fuzzy-and ! had a
little white dress on. IL was a County
fair. | got the first prize for the best
lookln' kid and was mugged for the
papers. II was shaved now and had
on some glad rags. I'd be lady killer,
all right, all right"
"'Longs!de OF me-" said the Water
melon, you'd look like blear-eyed
son OF a toad"
you! Why. you'd make balky
horse run. you would"
when me hairs cut, I'm bloonin'
AdCnis. not Venus" and the Water
melon drew languidly at an old brown
pipe, warm and comfortable In the
pleasant shade, where soft breezes
wandered fitfully by. laden with the
odors of the fields in June.
Beauty" said James with charm
ing naiyete, runs in my family"
1T went so fast in the beginnin ,
then, yer family never had chance
to catch up returned the Water
melon Wen have beauty show
Just us two"
Inspired by the thought, he sat up
TO explain. and Mike opened his eyes
long enough to look each over with
slow sccrnful derision and a mocking
grunt.
James fondled the short stiff hair
on his cheeks and chin and waited
for developments
The Watermelon went on. we will
meet this afternoon, here, see? Shaved
and with decent buds on. And Mike
can pick the winner"
Mike! He cant tell a sick cat
from a well one"
That's all right. He knows enough
to tell the best lookin' one between
you and me. a blind mug could do
that"
But"
we haven't anyone else, you mutt.
We can't have too much publicity in
this show. dislike publicity anyway,
at any time, and especially when |
have on clothes, borrowed, as you
might say, for the occasion. II the
gang was here, We could take vote,
but seein' that they amt, we got TO
do with what we got" N
The cost OF Twin is goihcup so
these days. It's gettin' hard even TO
batter handout,' groaned Mike,
whose idea OF true beauty consisted
OF a full stomach and shady place
TO sleep on long quiet Sunday after.
noon. i ain't goin' TO get every place
soured on me n the public gets any
more stingy, I'll have to give up de
turf for Twin. that's all To throw
a gag will be harder den hod-carryin'"
We amt goin' to hurt the burg
nome" said James
He rose languidly and stretched.
You be here this afternoon. Mike.
about three, see, or I'll knock yer
block OF It's a nice quiet hangout
and far enough from the village TO be
safe. I'm goln' to get shave and
borrow some buds from the bloomin
hostelry up yonder to do honor to de
occasion" He knocked the ashes
from his pipe and slipped IL into his
pocket. III you don't get the clothes
aud de shave. Watermillion. you'll be
counted down and out, sect"
Sure" agreed the Watermelon.
He lay at length on the ground be-
meath the butternut tree and James
paused moment to run his eye criti-
cally over him, from his lean face
with its two-weeks' growth OF beard
10 his ragged, clumsy shoes. James
smiled grimly and drew himself up To
his full height with Just pride. He
was six feet two In shoes that might
as well have been stockings for all
they added to his height His shout.
ders we're broad and muscular, with
the gentle play OF great muscles In
perfect condition. His neck, though
short. was well shaped and sinewy.
rot the short thick neck OF a prize
fighter or a bull. His hips were mar.
row and his limbs long and straight.
beneath his open shirt one saw his
bronze throat and huge chest. A
splendid specimen OF the genus homo.
for all the rags and tattcrs that served
an clothes.
The Watermelon was a BIT shorter,
with narrower shoulders. but long.
Logged slim. graceful. aud under his