Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-16


was there with. the cagey play. 1
starts stallin' him Off.
Thanks. Bedford" says l. mighty
decent of you. and all that sort of
thing; but honest now, you don't want
me-really."
He's quiet spoken young gent, you
know; but what he says always comes
across straight. right over the middle
of the plate. IF 1 didn't, Shorty, 1
shouldn't be asking you," says he.
"Come, why shouldn't your,
THAT amt SO easy to tell" says I.
But have a bunch 1 shouldn't, and
I'm playin' the hunch.'
Young Mr.. Ames smiles and shakes
his head. TOO thin, Shorty. You must
find better alibi than that before I
let you off,"
Listen. Bedford" says I. "There
was time when kind of look pride
in being one of these I'll-try-any-
thing-once birds. Used to shoot 1t on
all occasions. unfit finally some smart
guy came back at me with "Hoy
about broiled crow?' And I've been
Off that bright little sayin' ever
SINCE"
Bedford grins. But this Is hardly
a parallel case, Shorty he goes on.
Maybe not" says 1. And I'll admit
I've let myself in for some odd acts
in my day. Once I helped play dem
fist to a tame elephant with a tooth
ache. Another time I went with a
friend to meet steamer when he'd had
word that chum Of his had died
abroad and had left a pair Of some-
thing. named Jack and Jill, to be
shipped to him. His guess was polo
ponies. but they turned out to be a
pair of six-year-old twins. I've ref
creed boxin' bouts and umpired ball
games. I've served two terms as
chairman of the house committee out
at our Yacht and Country Club. And
once l was judge at baby show.
But up to date I've ducked being an
usher at church weddin'. Say, think
1t over. Bedford. That would read
nice in the accounts next day: The
ushers were Percy stuyvesant. oggie
Vandyke, Reginald Twombley-and
Prof. Shorty McCabe?' Eth? Now,
wouldn't it,"
That line of argument don't get any
where with Bedford at ALL He amt
gettin' married. he says, just to make
an item for the society column, and he
don't give a whoop what the papers
print about it. or don't print
you know why I'm asking you.
Shorty" says he. IF 1t hadn't been for
what you did. Dixie and might not
h4 Vn--Wa11 ha
to want you in on the wedding. wouldn't
II"
I expect I was tellin you about Bed
ford and the little queen from Ken
lucky whose Aunt Alicia was so sore
on him when he first came to Rock
hurst because he'd inherited a chair
factory in Vermont and had failed to
have his pedigree printed on his call
in cards. And then. when him and
Dixie Patten had fallen for each 9TH
er. Bedford remembered this great
great-grandfather by the name Of
Ammi Ruhamah, whose monicker
he'd promised to wish onto his
son. II he ever had one Which was
where he gives me the distress signal
and helps him out by gettin' the facts
before Aunt Alicia, includin' the his
tory stuff and a sketch Of the family
coat-of-arms. Course, Bedford was an
easy winner after that. and now it's
merely a case of goin' through the
wilt-thou-act.
Il think I get your idea. Bedford"
says ]. land it sure does you credit.
But I'd like to have read into the rec
ord here and now that any little thing
I might have done toward easin' you
two onto the matrimonial chute you
were perfectly welcome to in advance.
So let's let 1t ride at that"
Dixie will be disappointed II you
don't accept" saye he "She's count
Ing on You, too
THAT makes 1t more complicated,
them" says I.."She stands pretty high
with me, Dixie does. So I'll tell you:
Ill have to talk with my friend. Pinck-
ney. and II he thinks I can qualify for
the part, I'll let you know"
He ought to be Judge, Pinckney.
That's his long suit. church weddins.
I couldn't say how many times he's
figured as usher or best man at them
affairs. but he's been at 1t ever since
I knew him, and what he don't know
about this hymen business shouldn't
be worth writin' down. So when he
drifts into the Physical Culture Stu