Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1922-05-18
Popcorn
Queen
By R. RAY BAKER

As the little roadster rounded the
curve neal the tiny house the wheels
ceased to spin so rapidly.
.aThis would be a good time" re-
marked Ted Marshall, ito call on
the popcorn queen. What do you say,
MadgeT
Madge Holbrook turned a glance
on him in which the presence of If
ritation might have been noted had
there been more light.
Popcorn queen" she said, with
a tinge of asperity in the tone. do
you mean old Mrs. Quentin? What a
name to apply to her! Ted, you
must have popcorn on the brain.
You're eating it or talking about it
all the time. Some day you'll have
a ruined stomach because of it. Don't
you know that popcorn will destroy
your appetite, consuming it by the
barrel the way you doY
Ted had brought the roadster to
a stop in front of the tiny house,
which perched on a green terrace,
peeking over a group Of rose bushes
and between the tendrils of a flour
ishing vine.
popcorn is an appetizer for me"
he replied. 81 just can't seem to get
enough of it. Yes, Mrs. Quentin IS
the popcorn queen. You see she used
to be a neighbor to us over in Val
lev City and l call on her o and
then to renew acquaintanceship-and
to consume a big bowl of popcorn
which she always prepares. She and
her husband, who works at the saw
mill, are perfect fiends for popcorn
-as bad as or worse than /. | prom
Used I'd bring you for a call some
time, so let's stop now"
Madge shrugged her shoulders and
adjusted her cape.
"All right, I'm willing, because it's
rather chilly and this will be an OPP
p~ortunity to get warm. But don't eX-
pect me to eat any corn. You know
I detest it. It's bad enough to sit
around and watch a lot of others fill
UP on it-and hear them, too-with-
out being obliged to take a hand III
the performance. Remember, we can't
stay long"
Mr.. and Mrs. Quentin were quaint
kindly old souls, both with beaming
ruddy faces, and they extended a
hearty welcome to the wayfarers. The
A. Lo,1a cVanlyad q a0rn0nI
nine while his wife busted herself II
the kitchen, and the two young people
sat about the fireplace blaze, which
was glowing red, and discussed wealth
er. motion picture stars and congress
with the genial old gentleman. In TIL
kitchen could be heard q staceato re
frain like the voice of a machine gun
and presently Mrs. Quentin BUSTED IN
to the parlor with four heaping bowls
Of fluffy white kernels which she pro
ceeded to distribute.
'Tm sorry, Mrs. Quentin" salt
Madge. "but I never eat it. 1t look
tempting, but l really don't care TO
It,"
"Heayen sakes, girl" deplored tn
hostess, "but you certainly do mis-
a lot in life"
When the roadster had resumed 1t
rolling on the road Madge remarked
mice people, but that popcorn eat
ing session nearly drove me wild"
'Yum, yum said Ted, smacking hi
-. uT - +ne+a 81 uat ModUo w
must learn to like popcorn. BY tn
way, have you decided yet when W
are to get married."
'Don't you think" she said FINAL.
shat it would be nicer for you t
learn to unlike popcorn, seeing tha
I have no use for it? And, as fc
marrying you, I haven't thought ser
ously about it. In fact, marriag
doesn't worry me at all. You're
nice enough friend, Ted, except whe
you're eating popcorn, but really you
never do for a husband. Let's tai
about the weather"
But Ted was insistent. Perhaps til
harvest noon, rising over the easter
hills, had something to do with 1t.
sBut you can give me a little hop
can't you Madge? You know, I'm g
ing away to the city-to get rich,
hope. and 1 want something to loo
forward to-"
The moonlight was not sufficient
bright to reveal the whimsical lit
smile that played about Madge's RI
lips.
This much Eli promise, Ted 81
said. "When I consent to eat popcol
I'll consent to marry you"
In the two years that Ted spe'
in the city he did not mass wealt
but he managed to obtain a nice lit
nestegg. The city was a long WI
from the village Of Gregory and i
business prevented any visits hon
until the termination Of those ty
years. He carried OF a regular corr
s~pondence with Madge, and occasio
ally asked her whether she HI
learned to like popcorn, to which
always received a negative answer
When Ted came home for his fiji
vacation he made the trip in a nc
roadster. 1t was early in the fa
and he and Madge enjoyed a numb