Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-07-10

Copyright. 1913. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
Gimme them close pins, Alice EN-
flyl Pears like / see somepin' blue
a-comin' acrost old man Shearer's pas
ter! Eff Johnny Beals a-hadn't jest
been here a Sunday, I'd be willin' to
swear hit us him. Now hain't lit"
Alice Emily Towers eyes, black and
wondrously soft, followed her moth
er's lean f%orefinger.
"Yes'm, it's him."
Minerva flung a screening sheet over
the line.
"You git in the house," she ordered,
"and skin off them sudsy things you
got on, quick, and put on your new
penang, and tell Matte Lou to kill
two Of them fryin' size 'Nocker chick
ems the biggest uns!"
Minerals command was tense with
excitement. 1t vas as though the
king, a hoped-for but unexpected guest,
approached. Indeed, Johnny Beals,
queer. ffty-year-old Johnny. the gro
Ger, with his reputation for wealth,
boarded and being added to, was to
her a monarch, and the brilliant blue
suit Of clothes he wore, the coat gilt
tering with the golden double-eagles
that served for buttons, the trappings
OF royalty.
Poor Minerva, for 80 years a tobac-
co-growing tenants wife, with an I'M
satisfied longing for al abundance of
life's good things physical, hoped
through sons-in-law to bring riches to
the family.
For two years Alice Emily. now
eighteen, had lived in the heart of
Beverly Dixon, who daily drove one
of the Green River Wholesale Grocery
c~ompany"s big delivery trucks. But
since that unfortunate May day when
Alice Emily came into Beals' store
with her little basket Of eggs, Johnny
had spent three Sundays at the Tow
ers' ramshackle abode-a tenant house
on the Isom Tewmey farm, and each
time he had brought presents for the
family. With two exceptions, the fam
lily was highly elated over Alice EN-
ily's rich beau. These exceptions were
Alice Emily herself and Matte Lou
the elder daughter, who was twenty
eight, and lovingly sympathetic In the
plans of Beverly and the little sister
Ten years before Matte Lou and
Ellis Brooks, a fine young fellow who
cropped for a neighbor, In the tobacco
wanted to be married, but because OF
mis- poverty Minerva had raised ob1ec
tions so vehement and strenuous, Ellis
angered, had gone away, and Matte
Lou had never seen him again.
On the first two Sundays OF Johnny'
visits Beverly had not been able t.
make his usual Sundays visits to Alic'
Emily because Of his sick sister, Blu
on the third Sunday afternoon he hat
gone joyfully to the Towers. Minerva
eating luxuriously from a ffve-pount
box of chocolates, greeted him.
"Them's what Alice Emily's new fel
Ter fetched me, Bevl" she had exulted
ArHit's Johnny Bealsl He's been to Sc
her twict sence you been here, an,
now he's tuck her out a-walkin'."
"Johnny's cut We out shore, Bev," Al
yah had spoken up, "fer good and all.
Then remarking the whiteness tina
came over Beverly's brown face, h
had thrown a consoling arm about tn
boys broad shoulders.
ether, don't We feel that away abou
hit, Bev. Gals is curtis, and TIERS
minny another purity one in the worl
sides Alice Emily"
Beverly had laughed, but his laug
was queer and forlorn. When tn
strollers had returned, Minerva ha
slyly but successfully frustrated hi
maneuvers to speak a word alone I
Alice Emily. Hurt and miserable, h
had refused friendly old Alvah
pressing invitation to stay to supper.
On the next afternoon he had RI
ceived at the post office a hastily pei
ciled note.
Dear Bev," 1t read, ina and r
and the boys would be mad at me
they knowed / written this, but I can
stand for you to think Alice Emily
carried away with Johnny Bea
and his money, like they are. ST
amt, but they've got him to think
she Is. You try to come down hel
about Wednesday, or any evenin' b
fore Sunday and talk to Sissy.
MATTE LOU"
And now 1t was Wednesday, ar
Johnny had come again! Matte Ii
went upstairs to their little bedroom
Alice Emily sobbed softly In the fol-
of the red penang.
"Oh, Matte Lou, he come agai
and ma and them are tickled to deaf
They're a-rushin' me to marry that o
theng. with them pop eyes, and
mouth that looks like it wanted to e
somebody hate him, Matte Lou!
never got to say a word to Bev Su
day, and he won't W. come ba'
any morew