Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-01

had a pipe dream, too. He came
over hot-foot looking for mountain
of gold he dreamed was here. I'm
sorry for that old boy"
Sorry for him." repeated Minot
| "Yes-sOrry. He had the right
idea, but he arrived several hundred
years too soon. He should have wait
ed until the yellow rich from the north
showed up here. Then he'd have
found his mountain-he'd have found
a whole range of them"
Il suppose I'm to infer" Mr.. Minot
said, that where he failed, you've
landed"
Yes, Dick. am right on the noun
tain with my little alpenstock in
hand"
I'm sorry" replied Minot frankly
You might babe amounted to some.
money long enough"
$50 I've heard" Paddock said with
a yawn. But 1t wasn't to be.
haven't seen you since we left col
lege, have II" Well Dick, for couple
of years I tried to make good doing
fiction. I turned them out by the
yard-nice quiet little tea-table yarns
with ssnappy dialogue Once l got
eighty dollars for a story. 1t was
hard work-and I always did yearn
for the purple you know"
81 know" said Mnot gravely.
We'll, I've struck it, Dick. I've
struck the deep purple with loud If
sickening thud. Hist! The graft I
mentioned yesterday" He glanced
over his shoulder. Remember Mrs.
Bruce, the wittiest hostess in San
Marco?"
'Of course I do"
well, l write her repartee for her."
"Her-what?"
"Her repartee-her dialogue-the
bright talk she convulses dinner
tables with. Instead Of putting my
smart stuff into stories at eighty per,
| sell it to Mrs Bruce at-Td be
ashamed to tell you, old man. re,
marked that it was essentially soft.
1t is"
"This is a new one on me- said
Minot, dazed.
A delightful smile spread over Mr..
Paddock's handsome face.
Thanks. That's the beauty OF it.
I'm pioneer There'll be others, but
was the first. Consider the situation.
Here's Mrs. Bruce, loaded with
diamonds and money, but tongue-tied
in company, with wit developed In
GAINESVILLE Ohio. Bright, but strug-
Cling, young author comes to her
offers to make her conversation the
sensation Of the place for a few
pesos"
"You did that?"
"Yes--I ask posterity to remember
it was who invented the graft. Mrs.
Bruce fell on my fair young neck.
Now, she gives me in advance list
of her engagements, and for the I'M
portant ones l devise her line of talk.
Then, as I'm usually present at the
occasion. l swing things round for
her and give her her cues. If I'm not
there, she has to manage it herself
It's a great life-only bit Of a strain
on me. l have to remember not to
be clever in company. If forget and
spring a good one, she jumps on me
proper afterward for not giving 1t to
her."
Jack said Minot slowly, come
way from here with me. Come north.
This place will finish you sure
Sorry, old man., laughed Paddock,
'but I've had a nip of the lotus. This
lazy old land suits me. I like to sit
on a veranda while dusky mental
In a white coat hands me the tinkle-
tinkle in a tall cool glass. Come
away? Oh, no-I couldn't do that
you'll marry down here sighed
Minot. Some girl with money And
the career we all hoped you'd make
tor yourself will go up in a golden
cloud
Il met girl Paddock replied, half
closing his eyes and smiling cynically
at the sea-"little thing from the
middle west, stopping at back street
boarding Householder in the hard
ware business, nobody at all-but
ayes like the sea there, hands like but
of-got me- That's how
happen to know I'll never marry.
For il l married anybody it would
nave to be her-and let her go home
without saying a word because was
selfish and like this easy game and
intend to stick to it until I'm smoth-
cred in rose leaves. Shall We wander
,ack?"
See here, Jack-I don't want to
tried to conceal his
seriousness with a smile-"but If l
we're you I'd stick to this girl, and
make good"
"And leave this?" Paddock laughed.
Dick, you old idiot, this is meat and
rink to me. This nice old land OF
otter in the sun. Nay, nay. Now,