Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-07
ADAMS
A NOVEL
By NINA WILCOX PUTNAM

down, IN obedience to q gesture from
the young man. and placing a hand on
each knee. peered at Adam in keen
ferret fashion. He had an authorita-
tive air as n who holds an offender
to account. Adam, sitting opposite,
felt a little like an overgrown schools
boy about to be disciplined by his
school-teacher.
,.Well!" said the old fellow, "An'
now mebbe you'll; explain q few
First let us introduce ourselves
suggested Adam, my name is Van
Vleck-Adam Van Week. I was once
a-a-well, 1 don't quite now what,
for I did nothing. Then I was an or
gan-grinder, but it didn't last long.
Then l was a junk-dealer, but now I
run a f1orist-supply."
e Hum! Very fluent" said the herb
doctor. Very fluent. indeed. Ny name
is Kipp. Business, c~atnip-vendor an
herb-doctor."
"Indeed!"- said Adam.
"Yep!' Mr.. Kipp assured him,
"Catnip-vendor." He waved his hand
toward the market-basket with a large
GESTURE. II carry it about! Finest
quality, fresh. green catnip. Also make
a speciality O. curing cats. Yep"
"And you are incidentally a friend
of Jerry and his daughter"
II am completely SUCH" said Mr..
Kipp.
came to call at the moment o did,"
Ia Il allus come not less than onct a
lmonth," Mr.. Kipp informed him inn
pressively,. Though a social call is
ness, too. For years I've been supply
ing jerry with catnip for the cats he
boards here"
Very interesting" murmured
Adam.
"And WI been friends going on over
a quarter of a century," Kipp o
tinued. Ever since Jerry come here
= h settlement. You know about the
| settlement"
YES"
The old man heaved a sigh.
We'll. they kicked me opt with the
rest!" said he. II used to have a shack
and a bit ,of catnip bed over in the
west corner; out 1 had to get out like
the others when the time come. Only
jerry, he stayed. and I allus. come
back and we'd talk about old times.
He sighed again, and blew his nose
cautiously upon an enormous green
and red bandanna handkerchief.
$50 that is how vol recognized the
girl?"Ncommented Adam. you must
have seen her often!"
Il completely did," replied Mr..
kipp. And a fine, rosy-cheeked little
lass she was once. I can recall her,
| the bare-footed rascal, always tearin'
around with the boys, playin' their
games. As healthy and fine! And
who'd "a thought she would grow up
ESQ bold! Eve seen her many's the time
before the three a past: a lovely
girl with great eyes in her head, and
dear me, such a way of tossing her
name! Jerry and I'd be sittin' before
the hre, h same as we two. now, and
in she'd f1ounce. her hat all colored
ribbons and gewgaws. and her father
would ook at her with the pain in his
eyes and ask her where she was going
then. And she'd twist herself about
before the little mirror yonder, till the
chains and bangles on her tangled like
an Eastern dancers, and she'd mock
him with. I'm goin' to church. faith
err With which she'd be off, and
Jerry. he'd sit a while sucking his pipe
in silence, and wonderin' what under
heaven he could do about 1t; KNOWN
we'll enough it was not to the church
she was bound, and. that he could do
nothing at all. A girl needs a mother.
1 guess. though there seems a strange,
wild devil in some that the mother
herself can't conquer. It's like, as
though they got all the fire that was
left out of the drab ones, the lank-
haired, quiet home keepers. An
mebbe, poor things, they can't help
being burned by their own flames,
Different from that there bird, you
know, the what's-its-name." =
THE phoenix" suggested Adam.
Il reckon" said Mr.. Kipp. Dear,
dear. what a muddled race the hu-
mans is. Cats is far better organized.
You can believe me, I've had a heap of
experience with both"
Il don't doubt it," said Adam re-
specially. There was a sad, yet cour-
ageous wisdom about the old chap
which commanded : attention. And
though it was-impossible not to smile
nous coat, and the wrinkle-enmeshed
face, he had a way of opening his eyes
as though a door behind the pupils