Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-08

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right man I'll bring him to you ant
let you pass judgment. You shall tel
me whether | can or can't
Cali right-though isn't that rather
a paternal prerogative?"
"Oh, dad always lets me do what
want. You're the only man that has
ever dared oppose me-"
But suppose I did oppose you in
Ia matter of such Importance?
Miss Dolly thought eve Wont
cross that bridge before we come tc
it. You said you were thinking and
dreaming. 1. know what you were
thinking about. Now, what were yo,
dreaming about all by your lonely, sit
ting by the fire."
Bob was glad he didn't have to blurt
out the truth any more. He evaded
did l say dreaming" he asked.
"You did. Was it of some one?'
Pooh. What nonsense"
ooh 1t isn't nonsense to do that"
Il was only thinking Of chimneys
and things like that returned Bob
That was an out-and-outer. He shud-
dered to think of the answer he would
have had to make few days ago.
Never mind" said the jolly little
pal. "You needn't tell me. There are
some things we keep locked up, forev-
er and ever, in the inner sanctums OF
our hearts, aren't there?" Sadly And
we die and they are buried with us.
Oh dear. I'm beginning to feel
dreadful Only jolly little pal is aw-
fully sorry" For him, she meant.
Bob WINGED. Il hate to think of you
sitting there, poor dear, all alone, and
and-and-"
"I'm having a bully time-honest,
said Bob 81 really am. I'm planning
out my future. I'm going to do some.
thing. I'm tired Of being nothing. I'll
work right with the workmen at
first
"And you will be all perspirey and
covered with soot?" In horror.
'I'll be worse than that. I'll be
sweaty and covered with soot,' said
Bob practically.
Dolly groaned. at seems to me as
if everything is upside down.
mo. Downside down. Life Is
real: life is earnest " he quoted,
laughing.
ooh, dear! That solemn sound! |
can tell you are terribly determined
He did not answer. well, good-by,
great big. perspirey-I mean sweaty,
sooty old pail!
"Goob-by, Dolly. And thank you
for calling me up. 1t did me good 10
hear little pals voice. wish me
luck"
"I'I send you horseshoe tomor-
row. she laughed. And then sudden
", as an afterthought-"By the way
I have a fession to make"
"All right Fess ahead"
"Well. don't suppose l really and
truly-deep down, you know-actually
ever did quite think you were regu-
lar burglar. l guess it was the dra-
matte situation that appealed to me.
rye often thought I had histrionic
ability and you did make such big,
bold. handsome, darling make-beHeve
burglar to play with, just couldn't
resist"
81 understand" said Bob. II guess
deep down. guessed as much.
And rang off.
Bob went back tc the fireplace. Was
he dreaming now or only thinking?
Dolly's voice had taken him back~to
Mrs. Ralston's and the Goals now
framed face. He looked quickly
from them, his eyes following the
smoke of his pipe. But the smoke now
framed the face. Bob half-closed MS
eyes an instant, then resoluteiy ne
laid down his pipe and went to bed.
Dad had closed the rather spacious
old-fashioned house when he went
away. and a momentary feeling OF
loneliness assailed Bob, as he realized
there was no other person in the place,
but fought it down. Work was his In
centiye now-hard work
The next day he learned they had
lodged the promoter in jail. The olg
men had gone cunning for him. and
as usual, they got him. They got the
JJtopian,'' too They took that be-
cause there wasn't anything else to
AXE. incidentally. they discredited
the brokers' statement that no one
but a buzzard would go near it. Or
some of the big men were Duz.
ards in disguise. Anyhow, they mad
he Utopian on their hands. and after
.hey had settled with the promoter
Who had dared cross the trail of the
zig interests in his operations, they
ooked their fingers into Utoplan ana
orodded it and examined 1t more
carefully and discovered that with
honest judicial management" and
,roner application of more funds that
which had been but an ooorous pros
beet might be converted INTO prop
,rty.'' The promoter had taken funds
which he shouldn't so he was out OF