The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-01-13

tikhAt az A'fN w u XIII IN IN tlAl
enough 10 be yer mother"
"A woman" Mr.. Geary retortcd
sagely and not n whit ahashcd. us NJ
the apex Of her feminine charms nj
thirty-Scvcn."
He knew his landlady 10 be not n
day under fifty. but such is the ease
with which the Irish scatter their
barney that neither BILLY Gcary nor
Mother jerks regarded this pretty
speech in the light If an observation
immaterial, ix ~onSequentlal and not
germanc 10 the matter at issue. New
~erthcleSS. there was n deeper reason
for his barney. This morning. watch
ing the ~telltale tinCe Of pleasure un-
DERIVING the alcohol-heCottcn hue OF
the good creatures face. he felt al
most ashamed Of his own heartless
ness-almoSt, but not quite.
For two months he had existed en-
tirely because Of the leniency OF Moth
or jerks In the matter OF credit. He
could not pay her cash. devoutlv ms he
hoped 70 do some day. and he conSid-
cred II OF the most vital Importance
that in the interim he should some
how survive. Therefore, in lieu Of
cash he paid Ger compliments, which
she snapped up greedily.
An inventive genius was Billy. He
never employed the same defensive
tactics two days in succession. and
when personal flattery threatened to
fall him, a large crayon reproduction
Of the late Henry jerks. which hung
over the back bar. was n ne%ver-failing
source Of inspiration.
This was the "sainted Emery pre-
~viOusly referred 10 by Mother jerks.
He had been n sergeant In Her Brit
tanic MajcStv's Royal Horse artillery.
and upon retiring 70 the reserve had
hardened To a proposition TO emigrate
to Sobrante and accept a commission
as colonel OF artillery with the gov
eminent forces her in the throes of a
triumphed, and as n result Emery had
been sainted via the customary ex-
peditlous route; whereupon his wife
had had recourse to her early profeS-
sion of barmaid, and Ell Buen Amigo
had resulted.
However, let us return to our
Sleeps, as Mr.. Geary would have ex-
pressed It. Seemingly the effect of
Billy's compliment was instantly evil
dent, for Mother jerks set out two
glasses and a bottle.
81 know yer a trifer, Willy Geary,"
she simpered, 'but If I do sly 1t as
shouldn't, / was accounted as and
some q barmaid as you'd find in Bris-
tol town. I've lost my good looks,
what with grief an worritin' since
losin' my sainted Emery, but | was
'andsome oncet."
~ can we'll believe It, Mother
since you are handsome still! For my
part" he continued c~onfdentially, as
with shaking hand he filled his brandy
glass. you'll excuse this drunkard's
drink, Mother, but ! need it; | had the
shakes again last night-for my part,
l prefer the full-blown rose to the
bud"
Mother jerks futtered like q dehu-
tante as she poured her drink. They
touched glasses, calloused w%Orldlings
that they were.
He tossed off his drink. It warmed
and strengthened him, after his night
of chills and fever, and brazenly he re-
turned to the attack.
Changing the subject from feminine
grace and charm to manly strength
and virtue. I've been marking lately
the resolute poise Of your martyred
husbands head on his fine military
shoulders. There was a man, If l may
judge from his photograph, that would
fight a wildcat"
ooh, m'ybe e wouldn't" Mother
jerks fastened to declare. you know,
Willie, / was present wen they shot
i'm, a-waitin' to claim rs body. e
kisses me goodbye, an says 'e: Brace
up, OF girl. Remember your 'usband's
been a sergeant in Err Majesty's Royal
'Orse artillery, an don't let the bloody
blighters see yer cry Then e walks
out front, with is fine straight back
TO the wall, draws a circle on is blue
tunic with white chalk an says:
Shoot at that, yer yeller-bellled
Founders, an be ID to yerr"
"To be the widow of such a gallant
son Of Mars" Billy declared, 'is a
greater honor than being the wife Of a
duke. All, Mother" he added with a
note Of genuine gratitude and sin
cerity, you've been awfully good to
me. I don't know what I'd have done
without you" He laid his hand on her
fat arm. Mother, one Of these days
I'll get mine, and when l do Tn going
to stake you to a nice little pub back
In Bristol"
She smiled at him with motherly
tenderness and shook her head. In q
concrete niche In the mortuary Of the
Cathedral de la Vera Cruz the bones
Of her sainted Emery reposed, and
when her hour came she would lie be-
side him.
Eyer a sweet boy. WILLIE" she told
MI, to-, ia tr,,et yor FOR doub1o tho