Evening star., 1921-05-01

8lr6Q earnestly ~ 81 "AN
tree and pull the tree up after him.
1t was Mr.. Towle's firm conviction
that Etna Gore was just the place
for a man who wanted to get "a good
vays off,; besides. he had a cousin
there.
Bucyrus D. Purvis. besides being
Mr.. Towle's cousin, was first select
man of Etna Gore, but the posses
sion of that Office did not signify that
Mr.. Purvis was either proud or
plutocrat. Etna Gore was in such
straits, financially and socially. that
nobody wanted the thankless job OF
selectman, The voters had brow
beaten Mr.. Purvis into taking the
office because he could keep books.
Therefore it was to an humble and
unpainted cottage that Mr.. Towle
took his way.
He was obliged to tell his cousin
who he was. because the tastes ana
the paths of Messrs. Towle and FUR
Wis had been far divergent 1or man
years. Mr. Purvis. who wore his hair
in ringlets and masked the most OF
his emotions with beard, showed
cordiality in his meek blue eyes.
"C,y," declared MIR. To~le. stoutIF'
"Ill tell you right at the outset .mal
would never have come a-couSlninS
on you if I wasn't in dretfui state.
Land sakes" sympathized his cous-
in. Tell me all about it,
Its TOO long a story. and II! fain'
away if ] don't get something 10 cat
Amt dinner most ready?
"I'u have the woman hurry 1t.
Come in"
Mr.. Towle hesitated a moment.
"Cy, if you think this is imposing on
you, or if your wife VIII 1esi tna. va
I'm sponging. or if you'd ru'her ~
II tell you to come in cried Mr.
Puryis, gieefully. You have come TO
me in the nick O. time: l NEED Mseu you sst
/ can make your fortune. wen eat
and then Ill show you.
Mrs. PURvIS was cordial. too, and
1l this heartened Mr.. Towle. because
he had a bachelors awe of house
wife surprised by an unexpected
guest at the last moment There was
plenty to eat-good food. too.
Il don't mind telling you that we've
had a run of luck lately" said Select
man Purvis. 80 pitch right in and
eat hearty.
I'm glad to hear that some one IN
the family is on the upgrade. Mr
Towle stabbed potato. elevated II on
his fork and began to peel 1t. HIS
eyes roved gustfully over the steam
ing nappies and platters.
"a city man came here and started
a sheep ranch. and l was president
and general manager till he-he got
restless. like all these rattle-headed
city fellers do. and went away. But
while it lasted. l made good thing
Than Celacfmap PurviS attended
strictly to eating.
II hope you don't feel too logy to
move about little" suggested Mr.
Purvis. solicitously, after the dinner
show you something that is con-
cerned with that future OF yours l
spoke about"
Mr.. Towle, blinking like an over
fed cat. painfully boosted himself Qua
of his chair II don't know whuther
it's because 1 have hoofed it SO far
or because I have ct SO much. but l
do feel kind of ungainly. How far
do we have to move
"Only to the barn.
well, I reckon 1 can get as far as
that without using wheel chair:
But the moment Mr.. Towle arrived
in the barn. he bounced out of his
torpidity with great suddenness He
beheld in various cages TWO huge ana
hiheous baboons. about a dozen mon
queer little woolly animals that he
could not identify. and most ex-
traordinary fowl with bare neck and
breast. warty legs and a. head like
doorknob.
I got 'em for nothing. He didn't care
to take 'em with him." confided Cous-
in Purvis.
"Hod. on account of your owning
trot-hosses for so many years, you
fots ~
and how to deal with the folks who
run the fairs. and you know about
the public taste. and
"You just hold on a minute. You
Amt proposing for me to go into the
show-business with them animiles.
are ye?"
"It's a chance for both of us to
make our fortunes"
II said to you little while ago
that it's long story how ! happen
to be at the bottom. like | am
amt going to tell the story. 1t
would spoil that dinner l just ct. But
I'll say this much: The last trot-
boss 1 had left my last chance to
climb back up the ladder-was
chased off'm the Milo fair grounds
of them shows that they're mussing
up hoss-trots with nowadays. That
hoss run so fast that she contracted
the heaves. and now you see me
like I am. Nothing left-no pros
poets, II any other man but you
that I'm beholden to was saying to
me that I'd do well to take holt of
a gorrifYered animile show. I'D rise
up and mallywhack the tophet out of
him. And I'm giving you fair warn
topic" He walked from the barn.
Mrs. Purvis came to the open but
terry window. Before you two get
all wrapped up in business talk
want to know how you'll have your
chicken for supper-fried with corn
fritters, or fricasseed with dump
lings?"
proffered Mr. Purvis- But ! will
hint that her dumpIings are mighty
fluffy and tasty"
al wasn't thinking Of being here
for supper" mumbIed Mr.. Towle.
"Of course. you'll be here to sup
per, And you're going to stay here
just as long as you can spare the
time
Hurry up and decide on that
chicken" urged the housewife.
We'll. II it amt going to he no
special put-out." confessed Mr.. Towie.
"i'd relish the dumping way OF cook
ing it,"
THAT was the first stage OF Mr..
L Towles surrender. He made the
best struggle he could, but he had
to admit the validity Of Mr.. Purvis'
reasoning when that gentleman said
that Mr. Towle's reputation as a
horseman wasn't Of much real value
unless he had some horses to go
with it. In the meantime the animal
show was ready at hand.
Mr.. Towle could not stir up much
OF any feeling about those animals
except disgust and fear. He listened
sourly while Mr.. Purvis expatiated