Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-15

~ news he commented. Il suppos.
you've dropped the merry little greer
goods game TO which you were such
al ornament"
-coid.' eoughed Dollar Bin. 1--WE
Z quit graft forever
What are you dolngr- asked Wal.
unSford sympathetieaiiy.
Manufacturing antique furniture. /"
was the cheerful reply. IN which there
vas a note OF pride i learned NV
trade IN the governments big board
Ing house on the island. and. n / do
say u myself. there isn't a man IN the
business can bore a. me a set OF
worm holes as can or break a chair
ieE 50 natural Why. I've even had
my own antiques brought 10 me 10 be
restored
No wonder you pin bouquets on
Bill approved J. Rufus Il suppose
there's a good profit in 1t
There would be II I didn't have 10
go 20 Texas every winter tu save the
piece % lung have left Looks as II
I'd be late this season. Ny best new
plant died. confound him. and I had
Just sailed his shack"
Its n game I'm not hep to-" con
fessed Wallingford. How do you lay
the pipes 10 sell genuine antiquesyf
Well. I've worked up my own bunk
watch the papers. and when / see
that Mr. Pozollop has picked up a prize
Pembroke highboy in Liberty Center
I bit out for that new Yukon on the
first rattler. because I know that the
junk bugs viii swarm there Ike mos
quitoes around 4 rain barrel. locate
a brass necked old farmer or a thin
nosed splnster or even a thousand
year-old Niger nanny living In a
shack with all the weatherboards
loose and slip them In a few choice
antiques"
Il laugh as follows" observed Wal
iingford. with profound appreciation.
Il should think these highboy high
brows would have some way to tell
the real goods from the pbony. though"
II meet all tests scorned Dollar
Bill Il know 'em as soon as they do
Ny best gag. however. Is 20 write in
the bottom Of the secret drawer: From
John o. Prudence. With a heart full
% love. July 4. I7T6' That always
fetches EN- ] got old Jonathan Bun
kcr In nearby PoplarviIle. His was
the only rheumatic mansion In the
county. and he was such n crouch that
none % the neishbors had been in his
house Tor twenty years Sd nobody
knew what be- had"
You ntted him 40 right. them
-From cellar Co attic" boosted Dol /
lar Biii. glowing with pride. Every I
room 10 his house Is filled with price .
less antiques. with a secret drawer in .
every thing but the glassware and not F.
an unbroEeu piece IN the collection I /
had the plant all ready for opening 20 .
the public and mad suction sweepers /
working. reversed. for a week. TO get n
good coating % dust and had turned
iwo dozen spiders ioos. IN each room
10 put on the finishing touches when
Did Jonathan. who went through every
lat;ie Of the civil war without a
scratch. ran n splinter in his thumb
and died % iocEjaw. Now. every stick
~ furniture I bad Is In that house.
hnveu't a scrap % paper TO show for
h. and the Oklahoma heir viii probably
throw NE on the place when / put IL
my hill~
-'Popiarvuie,-' yelled the brakeman
is the engine whisSie'i FOR down brakes
The antique furniture maker arose
YEARLY. Where are you goinss' he
.sEcd. I,
Lafayette. They tel me it's a live
igtie county seat with plenty OF loose
money"
Ten miles farther on commented
ne other ANY particular business
here
no. Just prospecting"
- wish you'd get or and help me
ollect Tor my antiques And the e--
Fren goods man eyed wistfniiy the
irEe proportions and Impressive ap-
saranes OF his Old friend Wallingford-
n don't mind " do" observed !.
.ufus careleSsly. and he went back 10 !
- chair Tor his hand luggage
Lafayette Bunker. who was n gannt Z
nd clumsy man % queerly knotted
iuscics. stood at the gate OF the old
uuEer farm and acknowledged his |
lcniity with gloomy reluctance.
- came 20 see you about some an. S
que furniture" said Dollar Bill
Il don't want 10 buy none" imme-
lately repudIated Lafayette. Il de- 5
I'm got all the worthless trash the q
ouse Is ciuttered up with. When I I
as here i've years ago he bad two
sairs and a kitchen table and u can l
- cot" q
He got Il from me" explained the i
orm hole expert. land here's the Dill {
y a. I'm William ]. shuyit"
Lafayette Bunker. who had not vet
moved his foot from the lower bar
the gate. eyed the document in ques- -.
IN with careless indifference. but did =,
q take 10 In his hands =
That ain't no proof that Jonathan
red 10 TO you" he uninterestedly
Eued- Course don't say be didn't. .
u II he did you'll have TO collect IL :.
G next time you see him" and he y
aghed silently, Ike a man too stingy
share even a joke
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