The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-17
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mp upon Mr. Hiik good-naturedly.
I'm I'm ssllin' gold bricks. I've got one
Slowly he unwrapped the package
he had placed on the eouater and
disclosed the stained, pitted, muddy
looking brick of maple sugar.
I've got one here I'd like TO sell
you' he continued faint quite as
oeeeivln as some. faint as Cutlery
and goldfish as the kind aim to self
20 suckers generally, because I made
It myself. It's sort of amateurish
iookin and that's fact"
Mr. Hlik, in spite of himself, bent
GOVT and looked at the muddy block
"Why-.,why, it's maple sugar." he
sa;eLLsimed, looking UP at Mr.. Bunker
Hey" eueried Mr.. Bunker, with
weii-simulated surprise. Maple
sugar. Nethin' of the sort; it's solid
gold. But-speakin' of maple sugar.
l bought some off of you yestiddy
II remember" said Mr.. Hilk.
faint pure" said Mr.. Bunker.
It. Is purer declared Mr.. Hilk
Maybe you'd chip off a piece from
One OF the bricks" suggested Mr..
N~t SWECblyt ana LI1Eft IL OFEf
i hsat t. snd H ;.iI mite of bakia' soda
For . moment Mr.. Hiik siased q.
Mr.. Bunker; then he picked up one
OF the maple-sugar bricks and walked
to the back of the store and disap-
peared in his office. In the Office Mr..
Hiik melted some of the maple sugar
and stirred into it a n1odicuni of
baking soda; It is test for syrups
that is as old as the ages. If there
green; if not, the syrup remains =
pleasant, healthy brown. Whether
It works with maple sugar / do not
know: neither did Mr. Bunker-he
did not care. He knew that Mr..
Hilk's maple sugar, when put to this
particular test, turned an especially
sickly green. In remarkably short
time Mr.. Hilk came out of his office,
and his face was red. He walked
right up to Mr.. Bunker.
Mice day, amt it," said Mr.. Bunk
er, beaning through his spectacies.
Seems like October in New York's
always nice, from what folks tell me.
Now, out 70 Oroduna, Iowa, where
/ come from, the weeks before elec-
ton time is likely TO be rainy"
Mr.. Hilk fdgeted.
i hear you're runnin' for alder
man." continued Mr.. Bunker pleas
antly. Prom what I hear, it's about
time somebody honest was elected
, from this ward-somebody folks can
trust-somebody. that is like YOU. /
can't vote here, but was glad when
/! heard you was nominated. Might
have been bad for the ticket If they'd
put up some. grocer fellow who
] mean, some fellow who would sell
maple sugar. frinstance, and g1afan-
tee It absolutely purcN when it was
most all brown sugar and the brown
sugar most all glucose. If they had
put some fellow like that on the
ticket and he was found out and thcy
got to CALM him old Strictly Pure
Maple Sugar, ! guess he'd get laugh
ed at some! ! guess folks would saw,
"a rather vote for a straight crook
like Ceggerty. that. don't pretend to
be honest, than for a crooked crook
that pretends to be honest but amt.
l guess"
What is this. blaekn,ailr" asked
| Mr.. Hllk, furious1y angry but trying
to contain his wrath.
.Heyf No, no, nothin' like thatl"
said Mr.. Bunker pleasantly. al was
just talkin' politics. Sort of forgot
what I came in for, 1 reckon. Now.
+, to get back to the buneo business, 1
got gold brick here that amt first
| class but might be good enough for
a man that wasn't too particular
and If you're in the market for one
| today"
How much do you want for it?"
asked Mr.. Hilk hoarseiy. for he could
Imagine what the voters of his ward
would say if they learned that he had
been selling aduiterated maple sugar
and guaranteeing II absolutely pure
That he had been quite innocent
would make no difference.
Il reckon this brick weighs about
four pounds" said Mr.. Bunker, heft-
ing it in his hand. "That is sixty
four ounces, and ! hgger twenty dol
lars an ounce. is about right. for gold.
Of course" he added quickly as Mr..
to. offer gold bricks for about half
price to stir up the cupidity of the
suckers. That would come to about
six hundred and forty. However"
he added, and his beanling face was
like benedietion, this amt much of
a gold brick, any way you look at il.
It's sticky, and its mud-green, and
it wouldn't foo, half-witted tadpole:
SO hgger / ought to make a reduce
ton on the price. What do you say,
now, to an even hundred dollars1"
Without word Mr. Hilk put his
! hand in his pocket and drew forth q
roll of bills. He handed Mr. Bunker
ten crisp ones from the top. of the
roll and picked up the gold brick.
Without word he turned his back.
"Mikew he shouted to the. nearest
clerk. .%Mikei You take ali this
brick maple sugar and load 1t on a
wagon and dump it into the East
River, and do it nowp d.
j When Mr. Bunker reached home,
dear old Ma Bunker was sitting by
the window knitting. She looked up
Back Already. Jabezy she said.
"Sell the gold brickl"
"Got one hundred dollars fer it.
| Ma" said Jabez genially.