Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-18

he2"
Piddie mods.
Showed it to you himself, did he?"
asks.
.-Oh. no." says Piddie. I'VE learned
of it quite by accident You see. Mrs.
Piddie has a dressmaker in the house
and as the light is better in Uncle
Nicholas room she has been using that
to do her sewing in daytimes. He
didn't mind at all. And the dressmaker,
in looking about-well. you know how
dressmalsers are, Torchy?"
"Sure." says l. They don't miss
much.
'1She saw it on his bureau" adds Pid-
die True, she should not have been
curious about his affairs. but she is
woman whom Mrs. Piddie has employed
for years and who almost considers her
self one Of the family. | presume, too,
that Mrs. Piddie had told her more or
less about Uncle Nicholas and-er-well,
it seems she sat right down and read
the document. Then she took it to Mrs
Piddie, who did not realize, until after
she had gone through the thing, that
possibly she should not have done SO.
Anyway, she put it right back. But we
cannot help knowing, of course, that
Uncle Nicholas is a man of considerable
property
You don't say?" says I. What
kind?"
"Oh, real estate and stocks" says
Piddie. AN entire business block in
small town up near Utica, l understand.
Also a half interest in racing stable.
rather large holdings of mining stocks,
and so on. 1 believe the document also
mentions certain jewels stored in a safe
ty deposit box. Probably owned at one
time by-er-one OF his wives.
will?" I asks.
"The sole heir admits Fiddle, Eek
cept that the jewels are to go to Mrs.
Diddie. I have been unable to make
any exact appraisal, you know. but
from what | can learn should estimate
that the estate would run into five fig
ures, at least; well into five figures"
Say, that listens good" says I.
Congratulations. Pidde. Itll all
come in handy some day. Ell? And.
of course. knowing that makes it diff
ferent about-about the eggs and
things"
Naturally" says Piddie
"Ain't mentioned it to Uncle Nicho-
las, 1 expectr' says l.
# decided that it would be more
delicate not to-" says Piddie.
Just moved him down from the
attic and so on" says /. "And lifted
the smokin' ban, suppose?'
"Oh. yes" says Piddie. zone can
always air out afterwards, and it's
are. getting along much better than
| spirits. too. Always jovial now Goes
around chuckling. But he does have
a large appetite, particularly for
sweet things, and with sugar at, its
plain. as 1 tell Mrs. Piddie.'
I 81 know" says i, slippin' him the
! wink. Just a good investment, eh ??
"Ah-er-um"' says Piddie, with
| out committin' himself.
1t was intereStin', though. to watch
this reversal of form. I wasn't close
enough to see it work out, but I got
glimpses now and then from little
| things that Piddie did or said. And
| take it that from being merely allow
stray cat. Uncle Nicholas had sudden
| ly acquired merit. A star boar1er had
nothing on him. He had breakfast
| served whenever he happened to stroll
down after it, he had his easy chair
| in the Twin room. ran into town and
| back as the spirit moved. and If he
wanted any little table delicacies ali
| he had to do was name en-
And Uncle Nicholas had a CROWN
taste for such things as honey dew
fee. and cork-tipped cigarettes. to
| Judge by the occasional whines
| heard Piddie let out. He didn't do his
wh:nin' to Uncle Nicholas, I under
| stand. He favored me with 'em. And
not long ago, just after the first OF
auditin' the household expense &C.
count, he comes to me in a reg'laI
panic. fled woke up in the night
| with horrible thought. What II this
being looked after right? Suppose he
wasn't keeping up the fire insurance
or the taxes?
I Eyes, that's something to worry
about" says I. "Where'd you say al
this real estate .was?"
1 hryv
know just where it is, however.
must look it up on the map"
| Il would" says 1. THAT might
help"
And it's funny. amt it. how you'll
hear a name like that for the first time,
and then likely as not in the next few
days youth read how something has
happened there, or meet somebody who
has just come from there. In this case
| it was country banker who was lowed
in by one Of our directors to see Old
Hickory about placin' a bond issue. Az
the big boss amt in and as MI Robert
is out too. meets 'em and finds out
what it's all about. Another odd thing
was that Piddie was in the Office at the
time and stands by while 1 do the
smooth private sec. act.
! Sorry" says l, +but can make an
appointment for you to see Mr. EIlins
at 11:15 tomorrow morning. Will that
do? Fine! And let's see, Mr.. Pettigrew
| is from-er-
"coopersburg." speaks up Pettisrev
prompt.
! "Ah. yes!" says I, givin' Piddie the
stick around signal. ''Coopersburg, Ell ?
Then I expect you can give me a line
on some property up there that a friend
of mine is kind of interested in Let's
see. I believe part of it is the BulIen
block on Main street. Don't happen To
know, do you, if the insurance is being
kept up and the taxes paid?''
! 81 ought to know" says Pettierev.
81 pay 'em myself"
! "Eh?' says I. ''Oh, l see. You Act
as agent for the owner?"
! 81 am the owner" says Pettierew.
| land have been for the last twenty
YEARS"
At which Fiddle half smothers a rasp.
like a slow leak in an inner tube de-
velopin' into a rim cut, and slumps into
| a chair.
That's queer" says I. "Ain't sold
it recent to a party by the name Of
| Nicholas Piddie?"
| Mr.. Pettigrew snorts sccrnful
| What" says he. ITO Slippery Nick!
/ should say not. Why, he never had
money enough to buy one end Of it,
This time it's a real groan that comes
from Piddie.
| MY error" says I. 'But how abou1
that racing stable or his?"
| Never heard Of IT," says Pettisrew.
/ maybe you mean livery stable? Seems