Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-06-08


Miss Sally's pals were empty. sure
enough.
When they had been refilled and
placed M the end of the kitchen sink,
Jerry was proffered plate of hot. SUI
CARED doughnuts.
Jupiter he CALCULATED, between
enormous bites. them beat tn Queen
o. Sheba's."
"Do eat all you can of 'em. Jerry"
urged pleased Miss Sally. IL d'clare,
i have hard work 10 get things ct up.
A body can't relish much settin' down
alone"
NO" agreed the Captain. sym
pathetlcally, but there's wuss things,
Sally he sighed. thinking of the
odds and ends" breakfast.
Miss Sally. pouring beans into
shining brown beanpot, made no
answer.
IL see you don't share Shadrach's
grudge aginst BEANS" smiled Jerry.
"Grudge?"
"Yes. Shadrach won't bake beans
he's turrfble sot Oh Il"
Miss Sally, looking up, caught the
usefulness in the Captains eyes.
81 d'clare," she said impulsively,
"twould do my appetite good If you'd
stop In then tonight on your way home
and help me eat these up"
"D'you mean itT gasped Jerry in
credulously. "By gum, I'll come then"
he promised, forgetting IN his delight
the hated compact.
The Captain trudged guiitily home
wards i'm the early dusk. He had eaten
a supper the like of which he hadn't
tasted since the days of Melissy, but
the Joy Of it was already fading Con-
science, like an avenging angel, was
reminding him now Of the broken COM
pact.
Hang that compact" muttered Jer-
ry. II swan L man / amt goin' t
he tied t it no longer. A woman like
Sally Dakin don't grow Oh every bush
I'll tell Shad so tonight"
But as he neared the house the
Captains resolve grew rapidly weaker.
Shadrach had been a good pal-it was
going to be hard 10 break with him.
Jerry paused and wiped his puckered
brow.
you're in tn mess. Jeremiah Webb
he soliloquiZed grimly. IAN you can't
Git out o. it-hon'rable. You've got L
stan by that fool compact
When he opened the kitchen door,
however, he stared in amazement at
the scene before him.
Seated in the armchair by the fire
sat Shadrach, one arm bandaged and
white cloth tied over one eye.
Great Scott" exclaimed Jerry.
"What in tunkets tn matter?'
Shadrach squirmed uneasily. "Ice
jumped up an hit me when was
dumpin' tn ashes" he explained
sheepishly.
'Humph Hurt much?'
"Oh, no; only sprained my arm
little, an got few cinders In my eye.
Where you been so long?" he added
hastily.
1t was Jerry's turn to look con-
fused.
"Me?" he asked innocently. "Oh,
amt hurried much. Who done up your
arm?'
"Marthy. She see me fall an come
over"
"Marthy?" Jerrys bewlderment was
superb.
"Yes, yes-Marthy Trip. Don't
stan there gapin' so, Jerry. Get ready
for supper"
II ain't hungry" stammered his
partner. q"
The door opened abruptly admitting
the Widow Trip.
She had brought over a second bow
of beans-for Jerry this time-and she
had found the eye-stone for Shadrach.
The shameless Jerry sat down to
his beans, grinning wickedly across
the table TO Shadrach behind the
widows back.
His partner fumbled with the
bandage pretending not TO notice.
He protested family at the eye
stone, but twas useless. The widow
had brought that eye-stone over TO
use-and use 1t she did, effectually.
too, Tor the clnuerS cuine out oI SHuu-
rach's weeping orb.
At last, Shadrach and Jerry were
alone in the kitchen.
"ReckOn we best turn In, Jerry,
said Shadrach. III feel purity well
SHOOK up
"Heart's tn wuss. amt itT'
"Don't be fool, Jerry. Marthy
Trips wonder-I found that out
today. Women like her don't grow on
every bush
Jerry leaned forward confidlngly.
That's what / thought tonight bout
Sally Dakin," he said deliberately,
when took supper with her an
busted tn compact"
AS Snadrach received this astound-
ing news in silence, Jerry added
alphabetically
Honest, twas fore I thought, Shad.
clean forgot the compact"
"numph !" Shadrach rose and limped
over TO the clock shelf. When he re-
turned, he held the compact in his