The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-10-01
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> FRANK Il. VILLAINS

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A.sssssss'| ,S.C,ure Newspaper syndicate
ne seventeen hundred
FOLKS p !" street used to say
~ho .an,ded like blacksmith shoI
: hd INV day when jim staples ray,
o puss the street in his I1I\er IL
y Johnson home T. can -
BOO gore about right in the mat,
' :, that. Certainly Jim,s car looked a
70 y ..lic Of the prehistoric past ana
Bsa sound Of lis painting, Wheezlhg'
a,sbIng approach cats were ,.n known low,
cDsn' Z terror and dogs were wont
. s theIr voices in mournful bayine
f y. fin and Ruth had a good time
Du' AID wreck. On soft spring
a. they buzzed downtown TO PIC
@ sa shows or TO an ice cream parlor,
nd sunday afternoons senerally iounu
meu out into the country eating
vi ,,st Of larger and less antique ma
dimes. =, a+ul bave hoo,
,.,oly and noisily travelling here and
ss.s IN maxine" as Jim called his
"sehne, If it hadn't been for the ad-
- If Henry Ferguson and his Twin
Eight WhiM. .,a .o,,.r
:. uos some years older than Jim
,oony times more successful and
.sressive Right away when he saw
a.h he fell for her with a thud which
',,yt,erated in gossip at bridge par
n and other social gatherings for
~ He managed always to be on
,..d when she was leaving the office
- home and he always invited her
m ride to her house.
And Of course, Ruth liked riding in
~ whlzz because it slipped along as
y, as silk and with only faint purr,
,bch reminded Ruth Of the family cat
.ououncing its happiness as 1t lay be-
srp the open fire on a winter night.
a, course Henry's advent In no way
n,orfered with Jim's regular schedule
4 calls. He still bounced in his fliv-
60, TO the Johnson home every Tues
ny Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
urht and Sunday afternoon. But
moro was a difference. Now and then
h surprised sly smiles on the faces
d the Johnson family as they looked
Il Maxine. And quite frequently he
hi as though he was being compared
With Henry much to the latter's bene-
4 and his own discredit.
u simply can't afford to buy a
Vhiu car like Ferguson's!" gasped
Hkny boyishly and rather wrathfully
d Ruth one Sunday afternoon.
Then II would be foolish even TO
hnk Of doing such thing" said
Ruth emphatieally.
Jim felt somewhat cheered up at
Dis
DO you--would you" he began
kstatngly as he gulped bit.
He looked sideways at Ruth. She
vas looking at him eypectantly. but
witt an unfathomable look on her
lace
DO you--' began Jim again.
Then be stopped suddenly. A faint
Eur sounded behind him, and then
the Twin Eight Whizz passed him in
itioud of dust. Jim saw Henry turn
and tip his hat to Ruth; and then In
an Incredibly short length of time the
Whizz was only a speck far in the
distance
inns afternoon was spoiled right
there. He writhed as he thought of
The sardonic look on Henry's face, and
be kicked Maxine's pedals wrathfully
Is he thought Of his financial inability
opurchase Whizz or any other high
priced car.
What were you going to say?" quer-
I'd Ruth beside him.
Jim gave fleeing glance at her.
le't bis heart bound at the sight of
Mplquant prettiness and then turned
snberly away.
-No'hing" he CALCULATED, and gave
nxne more gas until she sounded
IKE an express train pounding over
& great continental divide and rolled
Md rocked like an ocean liner on a
aormy night at sea.
Twas on the next Sunday afternoon
ma1 dim had an engagement to call
w Ruth at two O'clock at the home of
inehd where she was to take dim
VT. From there Jim was to take her
@see another friend who was leaving
" uty at three o'clock and then the
~ Of The afternoon they were go
wo spend riding out In the country.
Y course. when so much depended
y AaSlne she had to get balky. When
'm turned the crank on her Sunday
~M sne simply wouldn't do her Gus
~ uars shimmy. She stood perfectly
Z refused to cough and merely
hoked cynical.
=" gave her an extra shot of gas,
sea cranked again. Nothing doing
NJ '0oS on his coat and put more
" grease into his task. Still there
=. aohihg doing. Finally, however,
~. s'm was about ready to call up
y. a snd tell her lbs troubles and sug-
ua' she get taxi and that he