The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-07-17

copyright 1913, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
The snow fell. heavy, continuous;
the February afternoon was as dark
as the soul Of Bluebeard, but is was no
two young women who occupied, re-
spectively. the hyacinth-perfumed sit
ting room and the vanilla-scented
kitchen of David and Eloise Holdings
worth's bungalow.
David and Eloise were gone to their
work as newspaper editor and city
librarian. Theresa, Davids dainty
young sister. crocheted and wept al
ternately. and Ishta Matilda Gumm's
swart hands expressed the feeling of
her suffering soul in the lOng-con-
tinued beating that made her egg
kisses things to call forth stomachic
peans.
"Thump do love me-" Isnty MUIR
INJURED; but dat lump o. taller inside
his skull is dat money-crazy rs feered
he's gwine ask dat yaller Anna to
marry him. whilst he's dazZelt wild de
accounts she givin' him O. de PUNK
she makes! Oh, Lawd, eff | jest had
some property Thump could see now J"
Greed for gain was the dynamic
force of the soul of the widowered
teamster, Thumpus Cleaves. He
owned his home and bit of ground
at its rear; he kept hens, fed them
from garbage scraps (this was in the
good old days" when the American
garbage can was not lean and ill-fa-
vored D-and sold eggs at so cents the
he did janitor work, and at odd times
toiled at anything that brought him
money.
Two weeks before, however, outside
of property, Ishty Matildy had appar-
emily been all in all to Thump, but
now she believed he had his "eye on"
Anna Justice, maid in the fashion
able High Street school, permanent
position with wages largely in excess
of Ishty's.
Money, too, was making Theresa
miserable. Two years before, Great
Aunt Theresa Cass BOssier had sue
ceeded in getting payment from the
government for parcel of land
Great-Uncle John had sold in Civil war
times. There was $4,000 of it, and
Great-Aunt Theresa had died a month
ago and left Theresa every penny of
1t.
Only two persons outside Of her fam
lily, in the town in which she lived
with her brother, had as yet heard of
her inheritance and one was Ishty Ma
Tidy. The other was Park Collins,
whose property, outside of his slen-
der law practice, was less than moth
ing.
Tessie had told him. She had
wanted to hear his joyous exclamation
over her good fortune; but wanting to
hear had been all. Park had con-
graduated her with all indignity, then
had gone home and hadn't been back
since. But Theresa loved him until
the stars in the evening sky were not
stars at all, but his blue eyes.
When she finally wiped her eyes and
a newspaper propped in front of her.
''Lawd, why couldn't dis fool niggah
been white jes' fun dis occasion?"
she heard her mutter. Then the news
paper fell to the floor, and Ishty wept
aloud. EFF l was jest white now l
could git de man l wants.
81 am white" thought Theresa, land
l cannot get the man l want"
Ishty mopped her eyes with her
skirt tail and pointed to the papers
first page. You kin read good-read
DAFT"
Leap Year Opportunity! Don't Be
Shy, Girls-Pop the Question Now!"
ran the headlines of the article THAT
Free Marriage License Offered Yester-
day Still Awaits One Who Makes First
Proposal. More Offers Are Made! Min
lister Jones and Justice VIII Make No
Charge for Tying the Knot"
Beneath these lines were the mate
rial offers to The first bride who
popped" the question. The photog-
rapher offered to make free one dozen
wedding photos, and to frame Tin
fumed oak or imitation mahogany the
marriage certificate; the horse and
mule dealer offered free mule Gage
not told) the coal man a ton of coal
(actual weight; the furniture man.
bed guaranteed first-hand).
EFF was white woman I'd go out
and tell dem folks I'd deposed mar
rage and been accepted by de man !
loves" commenced Ishty. "Ef Thump
could jest see 7 had q whole lot o.
things fun housekeepin'. he'd run af-
ter me like a hound after de meat
Vaughn, but amt! Oh, Miss Tessle.
jes' knows Anna Justicell git hm!"
Possessions oh. possessions The
resa resolved that IL she could not be
happy because of them She would see
that Ishty was not unhappy because
of lack of them.
"Ishty"-she touched the shaking
mountain of misery-"if you'll promise
me you won't shed another tear I'll
have you married to Thumpus before