Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-20

4GE&1
out. Guess they're leasing it for a
skating rink now, though"
How can you joke when we're in
such a fix? He.Henry. you ne-ncver
do take things seriously"
"Why not joke, mother? Only thing
you can do over here you don't have
to pay for. Cheer up! There's the
Saxonia due here from Naples some
time soon. Maybe We can horn a way
up her gangplank. Consul says
Mrs. Sherman looked up from her
handkerchief with whitening scorn.
"'Tell me a way we can get aboard
any ship without having the money
to pay passage. Tell me that,
Henry Sherman
well, we've been broke before,
mother" her spouse answered cheer
lily, rocking himself ON heels and toes.
Remember when we were first mar
r1ed and had that little house on Lib
erty street.-the newest house In Ke-
vance 1t was; and we didn't have a
hired girl, then, mother. But we
come out all right, didn't WEI" He
patted his daughters shoulder and
winked ponderously. Come on, girls
and boys, we'll go look over those
Rock Chambers the English followed
out. We can't sit in our room and
NOPE all day"
The gentleman who knew Kewanee
was making for the door when Almer,
the suave, came out from behind his
desk and stopped him with a warning
hand.
Il am afraid the gentleman a not
see the famous Rock Chambers" he
purred. This Is wal time-since yes
serday, you know. Tourists are not
allowed in the Notifications"
Like to see who'd stop mel" Henry
]. Sherman drew himself up to his
full five feet seven and frowned at
the Swiss. Almer rubbed his hands.
"A soldier-with a gun, most prob
ably, sir" @ .@
Mrs. Sherman rose and hurried to
her husbands side, in alarm.
.Henry-Henry! Don't you go and
get arrested again! Remember that
last time-the Frenchman at that
Bordeaux town" Sherman allowed
ulSCIcIlOu W SOlJSu Ills SoAOA.
well, anyway"-he turned again
to the proprietor-"theyll let us see
that famous signal tower up on top OF
the Rock. Mother, they say from that
tower up there. they al keep tabs on
a ship sixty miles away. Fellow down
at the consulate was telling me just
this morning that's the king-pin OF
the whole works. Harbor's full OF
mines and things; electric switch In
the signal tower. Press a switch up
there, and everything in the harbor
-Blam!",. He shot his hands above
his head to denote the cataclysm. Al
mer smiled ~sardonically and drew the
Illinois citizen to one side.
81 would give you a piece of ad-
vice." he said in a low voice. ut is
Say, proprietor; you don't charge
for advice, do you?" Sherman regard
ed him quizically.
1T is this" Almer went on, unper-
turbed: III I were you I would not
talk much about the Notifications OF
the Rock. Even talk is-ah-dangerI
GUS if too much indulged."~ q
Huh! I guess you're right said
Sherman thoughtfully. "You see-we
don't know much about diplomacy out
where 1 come from. Though that
amt stopping any Of the democrats
from going abroad in the diplomatic
service, as fast as Bryanll take EN-"
Interruption came s~tartlingly. A
sergeant and three soldiers with guns
swung through the open % IRON
waterproof street. Gun butts struck
the floor with a heavy thud. The r.
geant STEPPED forward and saluted Al
mer with a ~businesslike sweep OF
hand to visor.
"see here, landlord. the sergeant
spoke up briskly. "Fritz, the barber,
lives here, does he not?" Almer nod
ded. 1--WE want him. Find him In
the barber shop, eh?'
The sergeant turned and gave direc.
lions to the guard. They tramped
through a swinging door by the |
of the desk while the Shermans, par
ents and daughter alike, looked on,
with round eye In less than a min
ute, the men in khaki returned, escort
ing a auaking man in white Jacket.
The barber, greatly f~ustered. protest.
ed in English strongly reminiscent OF
his fatherland.
ORDERS to take you, Fritz the SCI
geant explained not unkindly.
But I hat done nothing" the bar
Der cried. For ten years I hat shaw
ed YOU. You know I am q harmless
old German" The sergeant shrug-
ged. =.
81 fancy they think you are working
for the Wilhelmstrasse, Fritz. and
they want to have you where they
keep their eyes on you. Sorry, you
know"
The free-born instincts of Henry j..