The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-11-03

department"
"Shs amt mine." Amt nothin'
ter do with SELL
In treesT' LATE suggested.
Nope"
Nor books?"
Nope"
"Nor lightnin' rods?"
Nope"
Then put up yer horse an step
round to the house"
Tanning is my name-William <.
Tanning"
Late was not impressed.
We'll, l s'pose canvassers must have
names, same as other people" he said.
Mr.. Tanning grew slightly purple.
II amt a c%anvaser, and l don't want
to sell you anything. You understand?
I'm here to talk business" He hurried
along before LATE could get In a word.
The United States typographical de-
partment is making a map of this coun-
try, and you may or may not know 1t,
but right on the creek that runs
through your pasture lot, next to the
white oak tree,"-here Mr.. Tanning
consulted a paper-"and thence twen-
ty-four degrees forty minutes east ten
chains and thirteen Inks
Excuse me, Mr.. Tanning" LATE In
terrupted. Il amt no land Surveyor
Mr.. Tanning waved an airy gesture
with his large white hand.
That's all right" he went on;
there amt no necessity for me to con-
tinue. The point is this-right next to
that white oak tree is the center of
population Of New York, Vermont,
Pennsylvania and Connecticut"
Pretty lonesome there in winter, all
the same" LATE suggested. He shut
fed his feet uneasily. I'D be glad to
visit with you some more, but | got a
heap o chores an no help to speak Of"
That's all right" Mr.. Tanning as
sured him again; my times worth
money and so is yours. | won't mince
words about it, but the United States
government has decided to put up a
monument in your pasture lot similar
to the one | show you here"
Mr.. Tanning produced some photo
graphs of small cairns, or monuments,
erected by the United States geodetie
survey in the course of its work and
made a running comment on each pic
ture.
NOW, here's n of the monuments
built on Mount Pisgah. the highest
point in the northern tier counties" he
said. Handsome piece of work. don't
you Think"
Some might say So" Lafe replied
but l don't know as l want any such
c%ontraption in my pasture lot"
Immediately Mr.. Tanning - dow
into his trousers pocket and ,roduce
a roll of bills, from which he lleelea
ten crisp five dollar notes.
Uncle Sam amt no niggard when
it comes to paying for what he wants.
he declared. land here's $50 for the
privilege of building a small stone
monument in your pasture lot. Take
EN- He thrust the bills into Lafe's
hand and seized his hat. Nov. that's
settled" he said and strobe out of the
house.
See here" LATE commenced, 81 don't
know as | ought to-
You mean." Mr.. Tanning broke in
without pausing in his progress toward
the barn. you don't feel like taking
the money without giving a receipt.
Well, that's all right; your words good
enough for me-"
faint that" LATE corrected, but
well. ali right, if you insist" said
Mr.. Tanning, pausing. Have 1t your
own way"
He searched in his breast pocket and
pulled out a sheet of paper. Then he
handed a fountain pen to Lafe.
Sign here" he said.
Folding the paper so that only the
spot he indicated was visible, he held
it against his horses flank while Lafe
appended a very shaky signature.
Without waiting to blot it. Mr.. Fan
ming took the document and started TO
leave.
The buggy had proceeded a couple of
hundred yards when LATE woke up.
He Immediately commenced running
and shouting at his lungs capacity,
whereat Mr.. Tanning gave his trotter
a vicious cut with the whip and start
ed off at a 2:40 gait
In the meantime Jimmie moved
peacefully at the bend of the farm lane
heal the pasture lot. He had straight
ened up for a moment to take the kinks
out of his back, when the clatter of
the trotter's hoofs and Lafe's discord-
ant roaring broke on his ear.
"a runaway he cried, and sprang
into the middle of the lane.