Gilpin observer., 1917-01-04
Observation-Disclosures, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
TICK and cATHY

'Sawed-off thing out there uskin' fer
Mis- Sherman" she snorted. "When
'Quired his business he told me to shoot
for the boss. as he didn't treat with
meniais. Can | order him away?"
mo. Mebbe it's the plumber. an
with leakin' pipes he's man we can't
worry none. Let him come in.'
But 1t wasn't the plumber
Been loOkin' over your place.
ma'am." the caller said affably. as he
advanced into the room. "Shows every
where the need of a good. handy man
like me. Lucky got hungry trampin
an' seen this house an come in for IL
bite"
rs it?" dryly. II never give a bite
to tramp"
"Who said give?" Indignantly. 81
work for everything l ask. An | ainr
tramp. l worked In II printin' shop
where | come from. an was thinkin
of tinsmithin' at the next town. But
| amt farined In quite u long spell. so
| b'Iieve I'd rather do that now.
Must be mighty old. the way you
talk" scorned Cathy.
"I'm twenty-four. but age aInt moth.
in. | started out at fourteen. maxim
up my mind to be well-rounded in all
trades. That's why I've tried en-"
"Plumbin'?" inquired Aunt Lizbeth.
"Three months with bunch OF rob-
bers over In the next state"
waters drippin' In my kitchen
right now," lamented Aunt Lizbeth.
S'pose you could fix 1t up us special
job, me not hirin' you reg'lar?"
but you are hirin' me reg'lar." he
grinned. Got any tools and things to
mend the pipe with?"
"Cathy'll show you."
The fellow turned and regarded
Cathy us he would an unusual curiosi-
ty, provoking grin on his face.
Pretty stingy on looks" he COM
mented. "but that amt sayin' she can't
cook. which is the main point"
Aunt Lizbeth's lips tightened as the
two went back toward the kitchen.
Cathy's angry answer rising high
above the bantering voice of Tick.
Il can't have them two in the house
together, even If could afford man.
which l can't" she thought.
But when dinner came there was no
Tick.
"All that starvin' was just talk"
snapped Cathy. bet he stole enough
along the road to keep him stuffed all
the time"
did he do the plumbin' Job all
right?"
YES" grudged Cathy, "just as goods
the best kind of plumber could. an In
half the time. When he started Off he
said he was gOin' to look the farm all
over to find out what II could do an
what needed bein' done most"
They waited supper for him a half
hour before he slipped In. tired. but
bright-eyed.
WELL" helping himself literally to
fried eggs and ham. 81 guess I've left
my footprints pretty well over the sands
an loans of this farm. got II all
planned out"
I'm afraid sha'n't be able to"
began Aunt 'Lizbeth. when he went on
calmly:
ITS that big twenty-acre lot south
OF the house. It's fine. level. rich
ground. but amt been cropped In three
years. should Judge by the weeds. 1t
amt no use to you. Here's the way |
figger It. got the farmin' bee 10 my
bonnet. hard. I'll take the big lot an
farm 1t on sheers. half an half. I'll
spend half my time on the lot, an the
other half workin' for you round the
place. crOppin'. tinkerin' an maxim a
good garden. Suit2
%-guess so. But been tryin' to
sell that twenty acres to Mr.. Bush OF
the farm beyond. ask one thousand
dollars. and he offers only eight hun
dred dollars. I'd hate for you to git
In crop an then SELL"
"S'pOse you give me a thirty days
option" considered Tick.
"All right" acceded Aunt 'Lizbeth.
Thirty days later. Tick entered Aunt
'Lizbeth's room with brisk. business.
like air. Cathy followed him to the
door with an embarrassed self-con.
sciOusness she had never shown be-
fore.
"Why. Cathy," Aunt Lizbeth called
at sight Of her. 'where have you been
all this afternoon?"
"She drove into town with me-" an.
swered Tick for her. I'VE got married.
an got the money"
"Got married-you?" echoed Aunt
'Lizbeth. feebly. "Why. you've hated
each other"
HAS seemed that way" assented
Tick. But ! been iyin' to you right
along. 10 a concealin' way, Mis- Liz.
beth. What really come In here for
was to study Cathy-though she didn't
know. My grand-dad was her grand
dad-in-law or something. but with us
not knowin' each other nor reIated In
any way. Grand-dad was an umbrella
mender. an felt himself awful rich,
with q whole thousand dollars in n