Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-28
The Best of Chester
A TALE OF RED ROSES
BY George Randolph Chester
Author Of Col. Rch Quick Wau;asford Etc.
cop,rlshtsd. Besbs MsrrsI Company
CHAPTER XIII (Continued).

IOOul, LIuCu dS IL BIG we've huOuI ~
bid 1t good-by. There was rag car
pet on the floor Near the window
cluttered with magazines and BIZ
Of embroidery and sheet of Jessie's
violin music and Mrs. Peters sewing
spectacles, was sewing machine
over which hung bird cage, framed
In by clean dimity curtains. In the
corner was Minnies baby buggy
which the grandchild had outgrown
Minnie always talked of taking it out
OF their road, but Mrs. Peters was no,
anxious to see it go. On the mantle
shelf, beneath which the stove pipe
entered the chimney, was blue faced
wooden clock, through crescent
shaped clear space of which the moon
grinned whenever it was time to vino
the heavy weights.
A picture of a beautiful, red-faced
girl. abnormally healthy. drinking a
gIass of Elixir tonic, hung to the
right of the clock, framed in a splen'
did imitation of mahogany; and nine
excessively pretty calendars, some OF
them dating back half a dozen years,
added their touch of warm color to
the decorations. 1t was not an eX-
tensive apartment, but it was cheerful
and comfortable and it was home!
It saved them rent. 1t was roof
over their heads. 1t was their own.
"You see it, don't you, Carrier
Henrw persisted, as he put on his
derby, and gave his gray beard a
parting touch with the comb Wnlch
dangled at the end of string under
the glass near the door.
Eyes maybe" she admitted, with
sigh. It had taken them fifteen years
to save the money for this home.
Jessie who had been reading the
papers. with Thoughtful broWs, now
ventured a question
But father" she said, "will there
be an undivided surplus every Tune
there is q reorganization?'
Henry looked at his presumptuous
daughter severely.
THAT" he explained, lis one of the
legitimate chances Of business
Only briefly disturbed by this I'M
nleasant incident, little Henry Peters,
looking remarkably like the cartooned
Decentralization Of The Common PEG.
Die. hurried to catch his car. A tall
Young man. who, On the back plat
form. had kept his eyes glued to the
hnuse from the moment the car had
swung in sight of it, helped drag little
Henry on, and greeted him with an
elusive cordially surprising when one
considered how little there could pos
sibly be to make the two men sympa'
thetic. ;,
Good morning, Mr. Peters, SAID
the. tall young man, guiding NIUE
Henry affectionately into the comfort
able corner by the rail. "Ho"s Jes-
sie-and Mrs. Peters,
Zine. Dicky," replied Henry. I'm
fact. we're all feeling fine this morn
Ing. There's happy news for US IN
the paper"
whats that?" politely inquired
Dicky Reynolds.
"The street car company reorganlza-
ton replied Henry promptly, allow.
ing the information to be dragged out
Of him with no unseemly protest. II
haya some stock in that, you know
.Congratulations, cheered Dicky::
"That gives you present OF Just nall
more than your holdings"
"Best investment in the world
boosted little Henry, accepting
cigar IF I had put all my savings
into this stock when l was young
man OF your age, I'd be pretty well
fixed today. You should be IN on II.
.I'm not ready" replied Dicky, Wav
ering between his fxed plans and
desire to please one SO influential IN
certain quarters as little Henry Pet
ers 81 have little over six thou
sand dollars, but there's house ia
IKE to buy up in Willisburg, where
I'm making a pretty fair success OF
the firms branch. The house Is
worth Eve thousand, and l expect 10
use the other thousand in furnishing
IT,
Don't do It," urged Henry. idle
,,capital Is the cause Of poverty
made that mistake in my youth. !
tied up all our savings in a home, and
now / have practically nothing
"A home is something" objected
Dcky. with smile. I'D rather have
q home, and the right kind OF VIE
In 1t, than a pocketful of money
why not have both?" urged Henry.
"Invest your money, In good safe
stock. and let the dividends help you
pay for the house You see 1T, don't
you, Dicky?"
Il see that house" insisted Dicky.
ats picked out, and I.know it's a safe
investment. Stock isn't, always.
1T is, where you have keen bust.
ness man like Frank Marley back OF
it. and a powerful man like sledge
supporting it," argued Peters.
Dicky threw away his cigarette ana
brttoned his coat His corner was
approaching.
"sledge might change his mind" he
laughed. 81 don't like to bank my en-
tire resources on the support OF pro-
fessional thief like Ben Sledge.
you're mistaken in him. quickly
defended Henry, swelling up his chest
with generous thoughts. "Sledge Is
sne working mans friend
CHAPTER XIV.
BIondy Switches.
The working mans friend did not
attend the reorganization meeting OF
the street railway company. He was
foo modest man to urge his person
alitv upon a corporation in which he
held no great amount Of stock. so ne