The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-30

ner office an wait fer instructions. Don't ask questions. Just do as tell you. Now, you women keep backi This is fer men only"
 In due time a troubled, anxious group of men sallied forth from the alley back of the Banner office, and headed by Anderson Crow, marched resolutely down Sickle Street to Maple and advanced upon the house of Deacon Rank
 The song service was in full blast The men stopped at the bottom of the yard and listened with sinking hearts
 Now. remember the plan" said the marshal. We're just droppin' in to surprise elm, sort of join in the service Don't fer the lands sake, let lem see we're uneasy about 'em. We got to use diplomacy. Look pleasant, ever body-look happy. Now, then-forward march! Laugh. dern you, All"
 Once more they advanced, chatting volubly, and with faces supposed to be wholly free from anxiety. The merest glance, however, would have penetrated the mask of unconcern. Every mans eye belied his lips. "1 make 8 motion that we tar an feather Deacon Rank" said Newt Spratt. as the foremost neared the porch.
 Anderson halted them abruptly. T want to warn you men right now, that I'm going to search all the cellars in town tomorrow, so you might az well be prepared to empty all your cider into Shocks Crick. | You don't need to say you ain't got any on hand. I've been investtsatini for several weeks, an l want to tell lyou right here an now that I've got every cask an every bottle of hard cider in Tinkietown spotted. I know what's become of every derned appls that was raised in this township last year"
 Dead silence followed this heroic speech.
 Ed Higgins larne1y explained that he had put up little for vinegar" but Anderson merely smiled.
 The front door of the house flew open and several of the first ladies of Tinkletown crowded into view. An invisible choir was singing the Dox- ology.
 Hello, boys,~ called ont Mrs Jones. cheerily. Come right inl l Where's zat nice old deaconf''
 Been waiting for him for nawful long time" said Mrs P1att. Couldn't wait any louder-I mean longer"
 'tYou had it right the first time..- said her husband. t.
 Just in time for Doxology," called out Mrs. Jones. Then we're all going down town to hop open-air temperance meet-meeting"
 a
 Late that evening Marshal Crow mounted the steps leading to pr. Browns office and rang the bell. He rang it five or six times without get ting any response. Then he opened the door and walked in. The doctor was out On 8 table inside the door lay the slate on which people left word for him to come to their homes as soon as he returned. The Marshal put on his glasses and took up the pencil to write. One side of the slate was already filled with hurried scribbling. He squinted and with difficulty made out that Dr. Brown was wanted immediately at the homes of Situate M. Jones, Abbie Nixon, Newton Spratt. Mort Fryback. Pro-
 lessor Rank, Rev. Maltby and Joseph P. Singer. He sighed and shook his ] head sadly. Then he moistened . i. finger and erased the second name on the list, that of Mrs. Abbie Nixon. Husbands first" he muttered in justification of his action in substi- tuting the following line Come at once. A. Crow, Marshal } of Tinkletown."
 Compunction prevailed, however. l He wrote the word "over'' at the bot } tom and turning the slate over. l cleared his conscience by jotting down Mrs. Nixon's "call' at the top
 of the reverse side. Replacing it on ; the table. he went away. Virtue was its own reward in this instance, at least. for the worthy marshal
 neglected to put the slate down as he had found it Mrs. Nixon's "call" alone was visible.
 He set out to find Harry Squires
 That urbane gentleman was smoking his reportorial corn-cob in the rear Ol IdlilbOu StOlS. kIANCpt lSi i<t-Lll7 ] son's clerk, who had seized the rare opportunity to delve uninterruptedly } into the mysteries of the latest Nick Carter, the store was empty. Tho
 usual habitues were absent. ''Did you get her homer" inquired : Anderson in low. cautious tone.
 'T did," said Harry.
 "See anything of the deacon?'' } No; but Bill Smith did. Bill saw : him down at the crick an hour or so
 ago. knocking in the heads of three or four barrels. Do you know what 7 I've been thinking. Anderson. If somebody would only empty barrel
 or so of olive oil into Shocks Crick l before morning. we'd have the foun- . dation for the largest supply of
 French dressing ever created in the history of the world"
 Mir Crow looked scandali5ed. ! Good gosh. Harry, ain't we had
 enough scandal in this here town to- day without addin anything French to it?'
 , The only moral to De attached to : this story lies in the brief statement r that Mrs. Crows indisposition, slight } in duration though 1t was, so occu- , pied MT. Crowns attention that by Il the time he was ready to begin his , search the second night after the
 song service, there wasn't so much } as pint of hard cider to be found