Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-06

Ills mousse ana his nay lever.
That evening l was strolling past his
house when he came down the steps
| with kit bag in his hand
! Evening. Nugget sorry to see that
your travels have come to an end SO
soon," said.
Nugget sneezed three times and said
in spluttering croak: WHO said they
had come to an end? Ahtish-oo! All
tish-oo! Ah-tish-oo."
well. It's pity that they have been
interrupted for | can see that the
hay fever has got hold of you" said |.
Eyes; it has-confound it," croaked
Nugget and he sneezed again. bud
Ib off agaid next week - ged rid OF id
in Idaly"
We'll, hope you'll arrange to have
your window boxes kept clean while
you're away"
"Sha'd spent penny on them - nod
a penny" said Nugget
We'll, I'll have them kept tidy for
you, send you in the bill and sue you
for 1t. Good night" said cheerfully,
and strolled on, leaving him splutter-
ing and sneezing.
1t seemed likely that man with
such stiff dose of hay fever on him
would not write any more letters than
he was obliged; and Nugget did not.
| saw him twice during the next three
days, in the evening; and every time
he was dragging that kitbag with him.
I wondered If he kept it with him in
case he might be able to dash off at a
moments notice to Italy. Hay-fever
like that would make any one be pre-
~ h0
the chance, without waiting to go home
and pack.
Then to my intense surprise l found
him at one of Scrutons baccarat par.
ties, playing hard. was not the only
surprised one there; two men told me
that they had never known Nugget to
stake penny on game of any kind;
and one of them suggested that the
hay fever had flown to his brain. We
kept on stopping our play to watch
him. He was playing very cautiously:
and he shifted and sneezed steadily
without break; and when he lost he
spluttered.
Z played for good while because the
piebald duke. Sir Theobald Walsh, and
LIE Quesne, were sitting around Alice
Devine talking to her; and general
conversation was not what wanted.
But when they came to the table, ! left
1t and went to her.
"You seem to have been having a
regular conference" I said as I sat
down
"We've been talking about my
uncle's new guest, Sir Nugent Clipp,'
she said.
"1ll bet anything they weren't lavish.
ing compliments on him." said.
ooh, no; they all said he was the
meanest man in London; and they
were telling me mean things he had
done. Some of them were very funny,
said Alice smiling.
eve all love Clipp," said.
Then I'm sure he doesn't deserve It
she said. But why does he make up?'
make up?" said I. Nugget isn't
made up"
ooh. yes he is" she said firmly.
''Then Nugget must be going in for
beauty show; anything to turn an
honest penny. Nugget loves it."
II don't know about that" said Alice.
"But his face is certainly painted the
wrinkles around his eyes would be eve-
so much deeper # he hadn't partly
painted them out"
ooh, must look into this" I said.
Nuggets one Of my tenants. l can't
have my tenants improving nature,
though there is lot of room for 1t
in Nuggets casae Come long. let's go
and take look at him from close to-
We rose and went to the table and pre-
tending to watch the game, sided up
behind Nugget looked and looked,
but | could not see any makeup. His
wrinkles looked real enough to me. We
came back to our chairs and sat down.
"Well?" said Alice.
81 can't see it," Isaid. "His wrinkles
look natural enough to me. There's no
paint"
But there is" said Alice.
IL tell you what. the wrinkles NAV
look painted because the dear old Mug
get has been economizing in the mat.
ter of soap" said.
"Men do say horrid things about one
another said Alice.
YES: it's jealousy - Nuggets pretty
whiskers," said
But ii is paint said Alice obstin.
ately.
We argued the matter for some time,
N'f'N'ScihE VIM llttu TIC pCitVl Vy
Then we stopped talking about Nugget
and talked of pleasanter things. Then
she slipped away to bed! I went back
TO the card table and played steadily.
When the party broke up, Nugget
was almost in tears not hay fever
tears, but another kind-tears from the
heart. He whined and spluttered and
spluttered and whined, because he had
lost eighteen pounds. No one seemed
the slightest bit sorry for him.
The next night was motoring off to
dance at about ten o'clock. when |
passed Nugget in four wheeler with
big portmanteau on the top of it; and
! thought that losing eighteen pounds
had been too much for him and driven
him off again on his travels But next
morning | was again disappointed for
saw that Number was stir in.
habited.
That evening | was strolling round
the Gardens. smoking cigar after din
ner. when | came upon Brookes and
stopped to talk to him. He takes
great interest in the affairs of the in.
habitants of the Gardens; and since he