The citizen., 1917-11-01

| III ] get chance, George"
mo, sirw George protested joviaIly.
u guess you're sad birds over in this
town. but look outl when I hit q town
II don't take long till they all hear
there's something doini You know
how am when get started. John.
nier' Here he turned upon william.
tucking his fat arm affectIonately
through Williams thin one. "Hi. snort,
Ole Johnnie's SO slow. you toddle me
over and get me fixed up with this
Miss Pratt, and III tell her you're the
real stufr-after we get engaged.'
He was evidently true cloud ION.
peller, this horrible George.
Cars comingr sounded The joung
people poured out through the gate
and. as the car stopped scrambled
aboard. william struggled anxiously
to push through to Miss Pratt and
climb up beside her. but Mr. George
Creoper made his way into the crowd
In a beaming though bul-like manner.
and fat back In purple and white
blazer" fiattened Williams nose. while
ponderous heels damaged Williams
toes. lie was showed back and just
managed TO Chamber upon the foot
board as the car started
The friendly hand OF Joe Bullltt
pulled him to a seat, and William found
himself rubbing his nose and sitting
between Joe and Johnnie Watson. di.
rectly behind the dashing Crooper and
Miss Pratt. Mr.. Crooper had already
taken Flopit upon his lap.
Dogs arc always crazy bout me-"
they heard him say In his high voice.
dogs and children dunno why IL
is, but they always take to me My
names George Crooper, Sd, Johnnie
Watson's cousin. He was tryin' to In
tradooce me before the car came along
but he never got the chance. | guess
as this shindig's for you. and I'm the
only other guest from out o town.
well haze to intradooce ourselves. tn
two guests of honor. as It were''
Miss Pratt laughed her. r.silvery laugh
murmured politely and turned no freez.
ing glance upon her neighbor "FYopit
look so toot an tunnin." she was
eard to remark "Flopit look so little
m dray. big 'normous mans lap"
Mr. Crooper laughed deprecatingly
He does look kind OF small compared
9TH the good ole man that's got charge
OF him now. Well, always was good
deal bigger than the fellas went
with. | dunno why It is. but l was al
ways kind OF quicker. too. as 1t were.
and the strongest In any crowd I ever
got with. I'm kind Of muscle bound, l
guess, but ] don't let that interfere
with my quickness any. Take me in
an automobile, now-I got a racin' car
at homeland ! keep my head better
than most people do. as II were. can
kind OF handle myself better. dunno
why 1t is.
"My brains seem TO work better than
other peoples: that's all 1t is. don't
mean that I got more sense or any
thing like that It's just the way my
brains work. They kind Of put me at
an advantage. as 1t were.
well. fr instance. II Id been livin'
here In this town and Joined In with
the crowd to get up this party-well,
II would Of been done a good deal
diff'rent won't say better. but
diff'rent. That's always the way with
me-if ! go into anything. pretty soon
I'm running the whole shebang. I dun
no why 1t is. The other people might
try to run il their way for awhile, but
pretty soon you notice 'em step out Of
the way for good ole George. ! dunno
why 1t is.
well. II I'd been running this party
Id Of had automobiles to go out In,
not a trolley car. where you all got to
sit together, and I'd of sent over home
for my little racer. and Id of taken
you out in her myself. I'd like you to
see that little car. Well, anyway. I
bet you'd of seen something pretty
diff'rent and a whole lot better IL I'd
of come over here to get up this party
for your
"For Vs." Miss Pratt corrected him
sunnily. "Bofe strangers-party for
us two-all bofer' And she gave him
one OF her looks.
Mr. Crooper flushed with emotion.
He was annexed. He became serious.
Say" he said, that's mighty smooth
hat you got on" And he touched the
fluffy rim OF 1t with his forefinger.
His fat shoulders leaned toward her
yearningly.
Wed cert'nly Of had a lot better
time sizzin along In that little racer I
GOT he said. "Id like to had you see
how handle that little car. Girls over
home. they say they like to go out with
me just to watch the way handle her
They say II amt 80 much Just the ride.
but more the way l handle that little
car. dunno why It is. but that's what
they say.
That's the way I do anything I
make up my mind to tackle. Just
lemme make up my mind once. and
It's all on. ! dunno why II Is. There
was q brakeman on the train got kind
Of fresh. He didn't know who ! was.
Well. l just put my hand on his shoul-
der and pushed him down In his seat
like this" lie set his hand upon Miss
Pratt's shoulder. 81 didn't want 70
hit him. because there was women and
children In the car. 30 ] Just showed
NV face nm cloSa to him like this Il