The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-11-11
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A fitfui br,e1e cuu,,u Lne ..tS
painted sign ui;lt han. ONei IA, u'T
and set IL Swinging gcnty 10 aud
fro above John 1enrys hean Al
Told an Indifferent world that John
Henry Of STA Bleecker street sold.
lawn mowers.
Up and uOwn the sun-haked street,
torpid in the August heat, there was
not a sign of life; 1t might have been
"a deserted village.
mot q creature was stirring, not
even mousse" murmured John
Henry to himself.
Somehow Ii all reminded John
Henry of the summer two years ago
when he had been salesman for the
Red Star Special Iawnmower conf
pany and had tried to sell Il machine
to a pretty girl in a small town up In
Connecticut. Whenever John Henry
thought OF her standing there in the
doorway of the little old farmhouse,
with the sun in her hair aud the blue
sky In fier eyes, lie was conscious of
a little jump in his heart beats.
lie closed his eyes. and the whole
scene came back to him. He had
spoken eloquently of the way u Red
Star Special worked.
"A lawn mower! wouldn't buy
q lawn mower IL had so much money
that | had to hire bank to take
care of ii. Look at that one under the
tree there-works few minutes
day and sleeps all the rest OF the
time. Does nothing but cut grass from
one years end to another. | hate
grass and trees and-oh very much
and--lawnmowers If you were selling
city pavements and crowded street
cars or something that really lived,
Mr.. Agent, Id buy. But as II is, III
save my money for carfareto a place
where there is no grass that needs to
be cut"
She had turned on her heel and
slammed the door in John Henrys
face.
lie gave a sigh as he remembered
the picture she had made in her PINK
bingham dress, her sun-tanned cheeks
flushed with anger at lawn mowers
and life in general. He was wonder
ing where she was now and If she
had ever saved up enough money for
carfare, when soft exclamation
from the doorway made him turn
quickly around.
"Oh, what beauties! What perfect
beauties :" came in tones of huSheu
fervor.
There, but for the gingham dress
and the angry discomfort, stood the
girl from Connecticut Her French
heeled slipper and blue georgette frock
proclaimed her very much of the city,
ctified-but John Henry knew her In
AN instant.
"How much are theyT" she went
on. while he continued inadequately
to mop his brow. Il do not know how
can use one exactly in an apart
ment-but somehow / think I'd just
love to have one around. / suppose l
could use it as a sort Of hatrack eff
feet. Painted black, with rosebud
pattern on the handle. 1t might be quite
effective"
She paused a moment in deep
thought, and then suddenly Inquired {:
II don't suppose by any chance
these are Red Star Specials"
! Then for the first time she looked
straight at John Henry. Blocker
street outside was beginning TO wake
up for from a block or so of came the
softened jangle of a hurdygurdy and
boys voice singing so that they
could hear the words quite plainly:
"A veranda with some sort Of clngins
And a kitchen where the rambler roses
climb"
/ "Ohr' said the girl. Its you. Mr..
Agent, isn't III"
YES" answered John Henry, rather
breathlessly. 81 had just been wonder
ing whether you ever saved up
enough-carfare, and then looked up
and here you are"
Better than a palace with gilded dome
Is love-nest we can call home"
came the boys voice outside, nearer
this time.
"When you saw me that day |
wouldn't even talk clyllly to you about
lawn mowers-though we really did
need a new one-just because they
stood for the grass and trees and ooun-
1 try. ! thought was fed up.
To-day" she continued, when
saw your green sign, would give any
thing possess to be running one up
and down. up and down"
"Ilere," said John Henry, thrusting
! the handle of his choicest grade A
into her hand. "Try 1t. / often do"
Quite solemnly they walked back
and forth over the dusty boards of
John Henry's Bleecker street store, the
wishing-carpet of their imaglnations
taking them far away to some grass
covered slope in the Connecticut hills.
Then, suddenly. catching each others
eye, they broke into a gale of laugh
ter such as Bleecker street had never
heard before.
Just love-nest. coy and warm.
Like a dove rest down on the farm"
came from Just outside the door as
| the how naSSQd Nv