Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-11-11
The ~Irnpo@sib1e Boy

How will you do SOL" asked Pedro
eagerly.
Il do not know that. either" re-
sponded Beau-Jean.
Next morning the eight set out to
gether for the city. Whatever strange
undertaking Pedro was considering
they would all 60 along and assist II
possible. And so, without any Idea
save that of action, they set forth. de-
termined though indefinite.
The coppere OF yesterday were all
expended for breakfast, and the hrst
step toward the beginning Of a day
being accomplished, they betook them
selves to the railroad track and walked
beside it.. But noon came and passed
and still no granite towers doomed be
fore their expectant eyes. Finally. to
rest themselves, they turned from the
wearying, shining vista Of rails, and
seated themselves upon the dead grass
beside the mile post that bore the dis
couraging legend:
N. Y. Is M.-Harrison I NJ.
BY this time all were tired and hun,
CRY. Worse yet. the bears were hun
gry-a condition to be reckoned with
before the need of the masters.
Let us CO." suggested Pedro, Unto
tho town which this dusty road leads
to. and dance the bears. pass the hat
and eat, eh?"
The suggestion needed no second
ing. With groans and complaints they
got to their feet again, and set of for
the village. #r
But fate was not smiling upon them
Just then. The town was almost de-
serted at this hour. Besides which.
hear the end Of the performance, Toto,
who was supposed to Sing" raised hia
voice from his usual growing mono.
tone to q hungry growl. That sent the
watchers running Oh in all directions
Ruefully Old Nita counted the earn
ings. n. MI f. t&7,
/. "Only seven pennies in ALL" she
complained. Better to have rested
beside the railroad" @ :
1T is not enough to feed one bear
even," remarked Beau-Jean. "and I am
az hungry as two."f s.
Meanwhile Pedro was talking to
himself. you got them into this;
otherwise they would have travelled
the regular way. Now you get them
out" Then Pedro noticed a dingy
lunch wagon BY the broken curb,
some fifty feet away. At the entrance
to it stood q fat man with q dismal
dabby face. His hands we're tucked
beneath an apron whose immaculate
Wilderness shone out c~onspicuously
among the gray surroundings. The
man was motionless, as though he had
become petriied while waiting for Gus
toners who never came.
"Ah!" said Pedro aloud, Il have m
idea! Stay where you are. all OF you
until l beckon." i
Then, thrusting his hands into hif
pockets, he strolled nonchalantly away
in the direction Of the lunch wagon.
1t was a dingy affair. as has beer
said. and upon its tawdry sides the
lettering had grown dim. Still, 1t was
easy enough to make out the inscrip
ton: II .-5& -
Tho Elite
Pies, Coffee, MIIk, Frankfurters
Over the doorway was an invitation
to walk in," and underneath this the
owners name-"Isaac Lovejoy, Prop
had been printed small. Pedro
sided up to the individual who, II
would seem, bore this name and title
Business thriving bout here?
asked Pedro conversationally. by way
of an opening.
The man gave him .. glance, bu1
without moving to do 90.
"Nope!" he replied.
what! In a place where traveller
must pass 10 often?" Pedro exclaimed
lifting his eyebrows.
"Yep!" said the man. still motion
less. a.. '
what is the trouble? Are Their,
no travelers?" +
Travellers, all right" said the IA
man, but no customers! No one stop
here!" T..
whats the. trouble, do you Think
Pedro inquired.
1.-THE lunch-wagon trust!" Hexclaimet
the man. I'm an Independent, I am;
but everywhere 1, 90 where Their
might be good business doin'-say
corner near a factory, or any sucl
real wide-awake place-one Of then
trust wakons"is tAere before me- al
shined up an covered with gold pain
an plate glass! A fellow like m
amt got no show"
"Why don't you spruce up q little
then, eh?" asked Pedro.
"Why don't you buy somethin' 80
I'll get the money for to buy the gol'
paint With" retorted the other.
Because I have no money" Pedr
replied.
Same reason here, in answer t
your first" cried the fat man triun
phantly.
"Supposing, now" said Pedro, "tha
II could put you on the right tract
to competing with those trusts, eh?
What dyer mean?" demanded tn
man.
"Those wagons Of the trust-the'
are all alike7"
Eyes," said MI. Lovejoy, all tn
same; and very slick and fancy"
AHA! Then what you want I
something entirely different fron
them; something to make people nc
tice you,
Sure, but what?"
THAT" replied Pedro, lis just wha
I can tell you. l have a proposition t
make"
The man scowled at him for a me
ment, as though wondering at the I'm
prudence OF this whippersnapper's Of
fering to deal with him. Then Pedr
looked at him, and smiled n of thos
vivid. startling smiles that we're pe
culiar to him, and usually took peopl
-~-.-a. r.oL{-- %horo opi1o hoolr q