Evening star., 1922-10-01

Mr. Pottle. with apologetic MUIR
stick; then he busted his victim with
talcum powder. and gave the patented
chair a little kick, so that it's occu-
pant was shot bolt upright.
'tBav rum" asked Mr. Potte, pro-
fessionally.
Nope"
"Dandruff death?"
Nope"
"Sweet lilac tonic?'
Nope"
plain water?"
Yep"
Naked savages danced and
howled round the great pot in
which the trussed explorer had
been placed. The cannibal chief.
firebrand in hand. made ready to
ignite the fasots under the pot.
1t began to look bad for the ex-
plorer."
Again a shrill voice OF protest pune
tured Mr.. Pottle's day dream.
Hey. Pottle, come to life! You've
went and put sweet lilac tonic on me
stead of plain water. l amt going
to no ball. You've gone and smelled
me up like a screamin' geranium."
why, so l have SO l have" said
Mr.. Pottle, in accents of surprise and
contrition. Sorry, Luke. It'H wear
off in day or two. Guess I must be
gettin' absent-minded."
That's what you said last SADLY
when you clipped piece out o. Vir-
oil nx.n al hos L.
with some indignation. What's
bitin' you. anyhow. Pottlc" You used
to be the best barber in the county
before you took to readin' them
books
What books
"All about cannbals and explorers
and the South Sea Islands, answered
Luke.
They're good books" said Mr.. Pot
tie warmly His eyes Frightened. Il
just got a new one" he said. Its
called Green Isles. Brown Man Eaters
and White Man. sat up till 2
readin' it. It's about the Marquesas
Islands, and it's darn excitin' book,
Luke"
1T excited you so much you sliced
clampins on his rubber collar. You
had better cut out this fool readin."
Don't you ever read. Luke "
Sure I do. The Mornin' News-Press
for week days. The Plice Gazette
when / come here to get shaved
SADLY nights and the Bible for Sun
days. That's rcadin' enough for any
man
Did you ever read Robinson Cru
soe'?'
Nope. but I heard him.
Heard him? Heard who?'
"Crusoe." said Luke, swapping his
ready-tied tie into place.
Heard him? You couldn't have
heard him.
II couldn't. hey? Well. I did"
Where demanded Mr.. Pottle.
"Singin' on phonograph." said
Luke
Mr. Pottle said nothing. Luke was
. regular customer. and in successful
modern business the customer is
always right. However. Mr.. Pottle
seized a strop and by his vigorous
stroppings silently expressed his dis
gust at man who hadn't heard Of
Robinson Crusoe," for Robinson was
one Of Mr. Pottle's deities.
When Luke reached the door he
turned.
Say, Pottle." he said. "if you're so
autty about these here South Sea
Islands. why don't you go there?"
Mr.. Pottle ceased his stropping.
Il am going" he said.
Luke gave a dubious hoot and van-
ished. He did not realize that he had
heard Mr.. Pot.le make the big deci
sion Of his life.
THAT night Mr.. Pottle finished the
J. book, and dreamed, as he had
drRmed on many a night since the
lure Of the South Seas first cast a
spell on him, that in a distant, sun
loved isle, bright with greens and
purples. he reclined beneath the
mana-mana-hine Cor umbrella fern)
on his own paepae Ior piatform),
scarlet pareu Cor breech- -clouD about
his middle, a yellow hibiscus flower
in his hair, while the kukus Cor small
green turtle doves, cooed In the
tree}, and Bunnidori Chat is. she with
the lips of love), a tawny maid OF
wondrous beauty. played softly to him
on the ukulele. The tanta!izing fra
GRANGE Of bowl of popoi Cor pud-
dinH) mingled in his nostrils with
the more delicate perfume Of the
golden blossoms of the puu equ Cor
mulberry tree). A sound in the jun
Eie. q deep boom! boom! boom! reused
him from this reverie.
What is 1t. o Bunnidori?" he
asked. =
"'Tis a feast. o my Pottle, lord Of
the Menikes Chat is, white men),"
lisped his companion.
Upon what do the men in the
Jungle feast. o plump and pleasing
daughter of delight?" inquired Mr..
PottIe, who was up on Polynesian
etiquette.
She lowered her already fow voice
still lower.
Upon the long pig that speaks"
she whispered.
A. delicious shudder ran down the
spine Of the sleeping Mr.. Pottie, for
from his reading he knew that "ths
long pig that speaks" means-man!
For Mr.. Pottle had one big ambi-
tion. ons great suppressed desire. 1t
was the dearest wish Of his thirty
six years Of life to meet a cannibal. q
real cannibal. face to face. eye to eye.
Next day he sold his BARRIERS shop.
Two months and seventeen days later
hs was unpacking his trunk In the
tiny aattlament Of Yait.hua, In the