The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-31

I steps into the basement and threw
open the basement door. On the
floor of the basement were six or,
elgnt cases of macaroni, and a half
dozen small gunny bags, one of
which was open. Mr. Bunker stood
with ms coat and vest removed and
his. gold-rimmed spectacles pushed
well up on his brow. Before one of
the upended macaroni cases stood
she printer, with a wooden nfallet in
MS hand. On the top of the maca-
ROM case lay the battered and splash
! ed remains of some vegetable re-
sembling an onion.
,.. Wen. George" said Mr.. Bunker.
IT don t hardly seem to me like that
there bag of garlic comes quite up
to army specifications for stren'th
an smell; 1 sort o feel we'd ought
to send that bag back Maybe you'd
better mash another piece first,
though. to make real sure"
He handed the printer another
twist of garlic, and the printer grave
iy. placed it on the macaroni boz,
raised his wooden mallet above his
head, and swatted the garlic. The
garlic spattered from under the NAL
let, but the odor rushed out like an
empowering wave. Mr.. Bunker gasp
ed, and tears ran from his eyes; the
printer ehoked and wept: Mr.. CATH
put his hand on his head and stag
Lgered backward.
No. it don't smell like speeifca-
tons, George" said Mr.. Bunker. "Set
that bag to one side and open the
next one. We got to sample them all
II they're runnin' faded and stale like
this one" -
""Stopr" cried Mr.. Gatti. "Stool Won
ruin my business! How can | do a
perfume business when you smell I'D
the world like this9 You ruin mel
You wreck mel You drive me awayw
Well, I reckon we won't drive you
away tor twenty years or 50, Gatti,"
SAD Mr.. Bunker ,plaeidly; "seein' as
oughtn't to object to the smell of
macaroni, ct cetery, anyway"
"Garliew cried Mr. CATH. 1.-THE
garlici You said macaroni-"
said" said Mr.. Bunker. "Itaiian
foodstuffs was what 1 said. George,
open that next bag and we'll mash up
little of that garlic an see how she
tests out" He added to Mr.. GATH:
i thought when l seen you come
down you was comm to buy that two
thousand dollars worth of stock. /
thought you decided you'd like to
own the control of this company. Of
course. IL you did. ~ turn this lease
| The printer had ripped open an
other bag Of garlic and had placed
"a likely looking lump on the upturn.
ed maearoni box.
Murderers Ruinationi ! buy the
stock: yes! -, Give It to me and get
well, if you feel that way about II,
Catti," said Mr.. Bunker, reaching for
his coat and vest, II suppose I'll
have to warn you faint no good.
Company wasn't ever incorporated,
and the stock certificates amt wuth
the paper they're printed onto"
Carried In my basement Ny
delicate Viola di RivieraI The gentle
heavenP exclaimed Mr. GATH Bring
the lease; l buy the stock, murder
erw
Half an hour later, when Mr.. Bunk
er had folded the twenty crisp hun
dred-dollar bills and slipped them in
his vest pocket, he offered his hand
to Mr.. Gatti. but the perfumer ignor-
ed it. Mr.. Bunker smiled. He drew
from his pocket the pink-wrapped
bundle of stock certificates.
II reckon they're all here" he said
} L diH Adu tiiiic " pen CHI up since
! l got EN- from the printer. Well,
good-by, Gatti. If you should want
any more stock, just let me know and
can have some more printed up
for you"
Murderer" said Mr.. GATH be-
tween his teeth.
That evening Mr. Bunker entered
his room and dropped the crisp hun
dred-doliar bills in Mrs. Bunker's
lap;
ingly, there's couple of thousand
dollars for you to buy knittin' yarn
with. ] guess maybe your old hus-
band amt so blame much out of prsc-
tice after all; two thousand bunk
money in two days work. Hey7"
well, faint bad, Jabez," she ad-
n1itted. "How come you to do it1"
With many chuckles Mr. Bunker re-
lated how he had rented the base
ment and flooded the perfume shop
with garlic. Mrs. Bunker listened
with deep interest, interjecting from
time to time do tell" or "Merey
mep
Right good bunkin', eh, Mar" Mr..
Bunker concluded beaniingly. Mrs.
Bunker let her hands drop in her
lap.
We'll. Jabez," she said, Seems to
me, like said yestiddy, the money
you spent for them stock CERTIFICATE
/ papers was plumb wasted"
"Why-why," sputtered Jabez, II
sold 'em for two thousand dollars.
didn't II"
"I dare say you did, Jabez," agreed
Mrs. Bunker, "but it seems TO me you
didn't need 'em at all. The way you
scented UP that mans perfumery shop
and the way he wanted to get YOU
and your garlic away from there,
seems to me he'd have paid you two
back, without you sellin' him the
| stock. 1t don't seem to me like you
had to have the stock at all Why
I L.. l. L