The Spectator., 1914-11-13

them; something to make people mo- tice you
 Sure, but what?"
 That" replied Pedro, "is just what I can tell you. l have proposition to make"
 The man scowled at him for mo ment, as though wondering at the i'm prudence of this whippersnapper's of- fering to deal with him. Then Pedro looked at him, and smiled one Of those vivid, startling smiles that were pc culiar to him, and usually took people unawares, making them smile back al him before they really knew what they were doing. Nor did it fail this time. The fiaccid face of the lunch-wagon man expanded into broad grin.
 That's it!" exclaimed Pedro.
 That's what?" asked the man, grow ing serious again.
 "Oh, don't spoil it." cried the lad, that smile is just what you need | to attract customers!"
 This time the man laughed.
 Well" said he, what is your prop osition, young one?"
 q have some friends with me-" be- the bears. We are all hungry, see? Now I will paint you picture on the side of your wagon, and also l will paint for you new sign; and if, when I have finished, you agree that the sign and the picture will bring you customers in tho future, you will feed us all, not forgetting the bears, eh?"
 The fat man considered long time before replying, and Pedro watched | him anxiously.
 Well" he said at last, "the old dog wagon couldn't look no worse'n 1t do now; an my stock what have laid in will get spoiled If it don't get eat You can have a try, young one, If you like"
 "Hurrah," said Pedro, and hurried over to tell Nita and the others. A musty hardware store that also sold grain and lumber, furnished a few crude materials. The fat man paid for, them, and Pedro carried them over to the cart and set to work.
 Please, one thing" he begged of its proprietor, don't you look till all is finished"
 All right" agreed the man, ''Tll sit here just inside the door, and read outer the paper till you're done."
 Pedro answered nothing, but gave glance at a little mirror that hung just opposite to where the uncon- scious Mir Lovejoy sat. whipped oil the old green coat and began working frantically.
 The proprietor settled himself on the little stool near the door. and. faithful to his promise. unfolded @ pink evening paper. Cautiously, and speaking not at all, Old Nita drew near, leading MT. Jones. They sat down in the dust beside the step and watched Pedro in silence. Then came Beau-Jean and Koko, followed by Gunny, who settled themselves beside the old woman. Before half an hour was gone all the town, for the first time in the lunch wagons history, had clustered before its door. AS for Pe- dro, he had forgotten that there was a world which might come to gape and criticize. He was working.
 But if the painter was unconscious of the crowd, the proprietor was not. Twice he wanted to move, but dared not; and as the crowd increased. so. did his impatience.
 For half an hour longer or more Pe- dro worked. glancing now and then at the little mirror just inside the door, in which MT. Lovejoy's unconscious face was reflected. There began to be an occasional tittering from the crowd and then, later, spontaneous. bursts of laughter.
 When kin I come out?" cried MT: Lovejoy at intervals. and
 Wait" commanded Pedro. Fever ishly he added the finishing touches to his production, and then at length stood back and invited his patron to descend. AS the fat man came down the steps there was little burst of | applause which he was at loss to understand until he stood before his transformed place of business. All the old lettering, already faint. had been obliterated, and in the cen ter of the largest space was a portrait head of himself-a large, laughing DOT trait, just like him, yet irresistibly merry It was face at which one in- stantly smiled in sympathy; indeed 1t wore the very smile to attract cus- toner's" as Pedro had said Over this extraordinary production Pedro had painted in neat black letters: [. Lovejoy Eating is Joyful Come Tn and Eat