The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1919-10-03
The Grist
s~<s
Copyright, 1913. by Mcclure Nswspspss
nyndicats)
by ARCHIE CAMERON NEW

Jehn Gates came out Of q trance
like stupor and stared In disgust. He
had not been the victim Of bad
dream. No, he shivsred, would that
life were like that dream!
Two minutes before there had
danced before his vision q picture Of
an old srist mill. He could see the
trees lazily and happily brushing their
leaves with every pun Of wind, and
the little dam that laughinsly dashed
Its spray against Its rocky formation.
And his father, with his kindly old
eyes and stopped shoulders, pouring
into the mills grist fine whole wheat.
And then he saw the lpure-whits
-four, 50 much In keeping with the sa-
credly pure precincts about which no
had scampered years before. barefoot.
poer, but happy. And then the sweet
smile Of his fnother--that dear, kindly
soul, whose happiest mission was min
istration to his boyish whims and an
appreciative fathers wants. And then
he woke upl
For moment he surveyed himself
sadly. Those bare toes Of his boy
hood were now encased In rich. com
Portable shoes, showing of In marked
contrast the worn carpet on which
they rested. He fingered nervously
the wsll-tailored clothes that long since
had replaced torn, ragged sveralls,
and smiled bitterly. And then he
looked upi
An old man bent over q desk several
feet away seemed to remind him Of
the old miller, his father, with his
sparse gray hairs and stopped Shout
ders-until he looked up. A pair OF
rascally, cunning eyes met Gates fur
lively and then darted to rough
looking individual waiting. as was
Gates, on one of the chairs in row
about the wall Of the large outer Of
Ace. A buzxer sounded and the door
of the inner sanctum opened.
Its your turn next" huskily whis-
psred the old nan to the other. Leave
1t to Jerry Blstxman. He'll IN You
up"
The man srunted unintslii gibly and
rose hesitatingiy to his feet. He, Ike
most OF his waiting brethren, had
come to DO sAxsd up" And Bletzman,
the far-famsd P. Gerald Bletzman, self.
styled counselor at law" was to do
the fixing" or, rather. the "unAxtng."
For Blstzman's many hired henchmen
proclaimed that NO matrimonial knot
was too hard for their patron ito I'M
tie.
sJes' leave 1t T. me-" doomed rau-
cous voice, which Gates recognized as
Blstzman's as he hurriedly pushed>a
spidery-looking young man out Of his
Office 'Ill get somethia' on her. They
Amt none O. them too foxy fer BlstE-
man, are they, Petew
Pete, his assistant, acguissced
speedily with chuckle, and Bletzman
bent beady eye on the man who stood
close 10 Pete's desk.
"Come right In" he welcomed the
other suavely. laying q sweaty palm on
the clients sleeve. pete. bring tn
gentleman's card in--now."
The door slammed and again the
outer effice subsidized into q low MUIR
mar OF voices.
So. unused Gates, this was what no
had come to. A place where the %.
cred des Of marriage and motherhood
were banded about like packing boxes
ana eard-indexsd like case Of
measles. Br-r-ri
And across the room, instead Of the
sweet smile Of his mother, a gray
haired woman in gay clothes smirked
fraternally at him while waiting her
turn.
This drove Gates eyes to his lap.
on which rested neat package, which
he now united. Dragging forth a yell
lowish paper. he fell to reading 1t, and
again 1t conjured forth visions from
out Of happy past.
There was great high-ceilinged par
lor, smelling deliciously Of fresh.
picked blossoms. and ech0ing the
sound Of many laughing voices and
the crinkle Of many stiff party dresses.
And a rose-bower in the center, under
which an ecstatic couple were receiv-
ing congratulations. And Gates, as he
read his marriage license, heard anew,
as IL 1t were yesterday, the little old
pastors solemn warning, "Whom God
hath Joined together, let no man put
asunder."
"Purty well prepared, amt yuh, mis-
teri" The voice at Gates elbow
caused him to thrust the paper back
in the packet, as he looked up to
meet the leer Of the man on his right.
MY old woman swiped NINE" contin-
usd the other, enviously. "Leastways,
she muster given 1t & tn guy she
Hoped with. Cost me fifty extra t. get
a new one. Amt women tn darnest
yeggsr
Gates stared at him unseeIngly, but
the last remark caused him to SILVER
anew. Lucille, his wife, a yeggf New
erl She was fine girl, through and
through. They just couldn't get along
that was all. And some one had sug-
gestsd Bletzman to him, and
"Y'll come outa tn mill sadder an