The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-07-22
WHAT A
PEDDLER DID
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. BY Associated Lit
erary Press.

tllli, Nslc 'luiillcilllS.
\ little farm had been left the two
children by will. and. while they almost
hated each other. neither would sell to
the other. Both wanted the best of the
bargain and both feared to be cheated.
It had been IL cat and dog business
FOR years. anu Abraham had come to
be thirty years old and Cynthia twcn-
ty-cight. She was Il strappinE, healthy
young woman. and she not only acted
as !!ousckcepcr, but worked In the
fields Il part Of the time.
Nature had wanted to spite the state
Of Indiana when she created them
cross eyed. lop shouldcred. big ears.
big mouths, ovcrhansins teeth and bow
legs! The pair had once been offered
$40 per week to so rs freaks in Il dime
museum. They would have accepted
only they could not agree rs to the dl-
vision of the salary.
What tin peddler heard as he stood
IN the open door Of summers morn
Ing was:
"YOu are liari"
".And so are YOU"
"Oh. how / hate you"'
"And I'd like to kill you"'
"And what kind of talk is this be-
tween brother and sister, demanded
the peddler rs he stepped inside the
house.
There: I'm glad somebody has lis
tened and knows just how mean you
are" exclaimed Cynthia to Abe.
~ all ak ,,1
peddler.
"He wants to get married. but no
woman will have him." explained Gym
thia.
mo woman will have me rs long as
she is around. and you can't blame
her." added Abe. Just take Il square
look at her. will you:'
And then take Il square look at him.
will you?"
The pedtller helped himself to chair
and sat down. with his hands on his
knees. and took long look ut both In
turn. Then he uttered whistling
"w-h-e-w" and added:
ITS awful-just awful"
You mean her." said Abe.
"You mean Kim" added Cynthia.
"Um. UNI. It's which and t'othcr.
guess. So you quarrel about getting
marrled:'
They both nodded their heads.
"You arc right when you see no
chances"
| No response.
UNLESS you make it an object for me
| to help you ont" finished the peddler.
"What do you mean?" was choruscd.
"Sit down and lets talk. Now. then,
the first thing is to recognize the fact
that neither man nor woman is going
to fall in love with you and marry you
out of affection"
Brother and sister sighed drearily.
But one of You can get Il wife and
the other husband. Just the same.
II the scheme Is worked right. Just
about one marriage out Of seven is
love affair In the other cases it's
money that talks"
you have Il scheme. Let's hear It,"
Not so fast If l can marry you
both Off want $50 EACH"
You shall have It,"
"And you must do exactly as I tell
you to-"
For an hour the peddlcrs scheme
was discussed, and lie then resumed
his way.
The Barnes farm was on a main
highway. and somebody was passing
every few minutes. One morning
farmers driving to the village two
miles beyond pulled their teams up
short at an unwontcd sight. Abe and
his sister We're digging with pick and
spade in grove near the road. They
had evidently been ut work since mid
night, for there We're several holes in
which Il calf could have been buried.
Hey, Abe. are you digging Il well
there" was called, but neither Alb"
nor his sister pretended to hear.
What one farmer said to himself a..
he drove on half dozen did. and thai;
was:
"By thunder, but thought that tin
peddler was gaSsing when he told of
buried treasure on the Barnes farm.
Abe and his sister must have got Il
pinter and are digging fur it. Consarn
'em! If they find it they ortcr be made
to divide"
That peddler did his work well over
three counties. On the fifth day of the
digging Il widower came twenty miles
to look Cynthia over. He shook his
head and backed Off. but heard some
one whisper that the treasure amount
cd to $1O0O.OO0 in gold. lie therefore
drew Il long breath. braccd up and said
to Cynthia:
1T is love ut first sight with me-"
but we may not find the money"
she replied.
1T is wife to love me and no
money" he gallantly lied. And inside
Of four days they We're married.
1t was the day after Cynthias we'd
ding that Il widow with an eye to bust
ness came driving up in Il one horse
wagon and got audience with Abe to
say:
I'm hunting for the right kind Of q
man."
but l am as homely as n thistle
patch" he replied.
Not in my eyes"
IF we find the treasure it will be
near 81 100000. but we may not find It,"
"Do ne the justice. sir. to believe