Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-29
CHAPTER XIV, (continued).
- hi ri

the one here. VINO VIII you lH'lte
Everybody you can think of-anybody
you want. Make 'em come. Tell EN-
we're sending automobiles after en-
"But our car can't carry everybody.
"Our car? Our car isn't going TO
work. I'm going to have whole Meet
OF cars, with nothing to do but run
around and scoop up guests. I'll have
'em hired in ten minutes"
They'll soak you funny price for
that" remarked Billy.
"Who said anything about price!
What's price got to do with it? I'll hire
every taxi from the Battery to Harlem,
II we need EN- Get. busy with the In
vitations. Connie-dearest."
I'm all in whirl,' she confessed. Il
don't know who to invite and who to
leave out
Don't leave anybody out. Get
mob. Just to give you an idea Of what
I mean, invite Tommy Treadwell. Yes,
and invite the Van Nest atrocity and
that Witherbee thing, If you like. Take
'em all in, from top to bottom. Tele-
graph Washington and invite the Pres
ident."
"E. E., you're absurd
"I'm worse than that-1'm rtdicul-
GUS But I'm going to be good ana
loony for one right il I 90 into
straight jacket in the morning. Now,
hurry, Connie, my dear. Wait-kiss
me! Now beat it,"
Constance fed to her room and seiz-
ed the telephone.
"Now, Bill" said n. Hedge, you
never worked for me before, and this
is your last chance. Dump barrel or
% OF gas into that foolish jitney OF
yours and stand by for orders. You
may have TO go a hundred miles
minute, 30 here's money to pay your
fines"
He jammed roll Of yellow bills into
the hands Of Billy, whirled him about,
and propelled him from the room.
Then be seized the desk phone.
For the next fifteen minutes RI.
Hedge was a conversational volcano.
He Spouted vehement words until the
transmitter fairly quivered.
How many? oh, be ready for two
Or three hundred anyhow. Walters,
everything! How much do l want to
spend? Don't be silly. want the whole
works, and it's up to you to see get
'em. Make believe it's for royalty;
there'll be a queen here anyhow.
Wine? OF anything. every
thing! What do you think I'm running
IA hash house? You want deposit?
Right. I'll have it there in half an
hour. Now hop of the wire. I've got to
talk to somebody else"
He never paused to take breath.
"You say you've decorated this
house before? You're wrong, old man;
you only think you did. You mean you
trimmed 1t. want 1t decorated. You
got six hundred dollars for the last
fob? Well. you're going to get fifteen
hundred for this, and II everything
isn't all set by nine o'clock I'll come
down there and throw bombs through
your greenhouses. Yes; you'll get
deposit, too. Now, hustle out the be-
gonias and the ported palms and the
fioral bowers. Do want roses? / said
wanted this place decorated. didn't
I? want everything from roses TO
rubber plants. Get it into your head
that this is a desert and that you're
Luther Burbank. Ring off, Luther"
H. Hedge was assuredly tireless.
"Send somebody to the phone who
can talk United States. l want the
boss: don't want that guy that saws
the big fiddle. Hello-ah, good. want
q couple Of orchestras. Yes-two! Can
you ret the Metropolitan Opera
bunch? No! Why, could do that my
oelf II I had time. Get q Russian
orchestra and German orchestra
Whati That's right; forgot. Get neu'
trails then, or Allies don't care a
whoop.
Have EN- on the lob at nine o'clock.
What IL they play7 All the latest
dance dirges. friend. For how long?
How do I know? may have 'em here
playing for breakfast. They're here un-
IN blow tho whistle.
Would I like lady harpist? Sure
I would. Tell her to trot right along
leave It all to you. If you say hand.
organs. it's hand-organs. But the Lord
help you IL you throw me down Selah?
Yes-that means by.by."
From telephoning H. Hedge turned
10 writing OF checks. He was still at
It when Billy Brooke returned to an
nounce that his car had been vitaliz-
ed again.
TAKE these checks to these ad-
dresses, BILL commanded the ex-effi-
cheney man. They're deposits. Let's
see; it's two o'clock. Take 'em to the
hank first and get 'em certified. Don't
mind, do you, old man.
Billy grinned.
Lets shake again. he said.
They shook.
And say, E. E.-you're going to be
awful good to Connie. aren't you?"
H. Hedge gripped Billy's fingers I'M
til their owner WINGED.
Bill" he said, ''Tm going to be
awful good-but not enough to Connie.
I'm only poor human boob, after all"
you'll do" said Billy. "And E. E.
some time ! want you to teach me
that straight left-the one you hand
ed Tommy Treadwell"
"I'll demonstrate it right now If you
don't rustic with those checks, son!
Burn the road It's Comics party
The retired efficiency engineer was
sitting back in a swivel chair, with his
feet on the desk, smoking placidly,
when Constance appeared.
1--WE come down for breathing
SPELL she said There's crowd
t.,