The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-02-07

When Spring Comes

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well, it's beginnin' to look little
like spring, amt it?" ventured the
groceryman as he tramped muddy
path across the kitchen floor and be-
gan dumping the supplies on the
table. Il amt seen no robin yet, like
some Of these guys that's writin' to
the papers, but I kin sort O. feel it In
my bones. Spring fever. guess,
huh?"
The pretty cook smiled disdainfully
as she brought out the mop and start
ed to clean up her floor.
That's a good name to call it, sup
pose" she said. Il know when my
brothers back on the farm got SO lazy
they couldn't do anything but go fish
ing they used to talk about spring
fever. But my poor old father had to
do all the chores-he was too busy
to have spring fever"
That's the way-jump on me-" said
the groceryman mournfully. Just
when I thought prob1y you'd get a
little bit sentimental about the comm
of spring and matin' birds and--and
all that. Don't you never feel that
way in the spring, Evelina? YOU know
like you ought to have strong arm
to lean on?"
"Any time want strong arm to
lean on know where to find one" re-
torted the pretty cook. ''If you don't
want to feel strong arm yourself
you'll SO along out of this kitchen and
let me get my work DONE"
The groceryman sighed and moved
slowly as far as the door with his box
under his arm, but he kept his gaze
on the pretty cook.
II visit / could think up some way
of maxim you feel the way ] do" he
said gloomiIy, "so's you wouldn't hand
me bump like that every time try
to talk about somethin' besides groc-
cries. l should think you'd want to
look ahead little bit and sort o.
think where you'll be five years from
now. Let's figger little, Eyelina,
won't your" he added, anxiously.
The pretty cook jerked the kettle
off the stove and poised 1t menacingly,
but the stream splashed into the dish
pan a moment later, and the grocery
man breathed more freely.
'If that's the way spring fever
makes you talk" she said, ''you'd bet
ter go and see doctor and get 1t out
of your system. I'm too busy to do
any figuring this morning, and that
wagon load of groceries you've got out
there In the street will get wilted If
you don't hurry along with 'eIn. What
are you waiting for. anyhow? We pay
our grocery bill by the week, you
know"
81 know" said the groceryman, edg-
ing slowly toward the door. II amt
worryfn' none about your bill. If you
folks was to fall a little behind and
the boss should mention it to me, Eve
lima, I'd just pay it myself on account
of you rather than say anything to
your missus, Honest. I'd settle it up
and work it all out if it took me six
months. That's the kind of friend 1
am"
what do I carer" said the maid,
scornfully. II wouldn't be surprised
if it took you six months to earn what
our grocery bill is every week-the
prices that man you're working for is
charging nowadays"
Jaw, now, didn't expect you to get
into, the knockers club about the
prices" protested the groceryman.
Eve told you half dozen times that
we don't get the money! It's them
farmers that's gettin' it all. Haven't
you been readin' about 'em ridin'
around in automobiles and havin' tele-
phones from the house to the barn to
give the hired man orders, and all
that? Us folks are payin' for that
swell business, and it's the poor
grocer who gets the blame. That's
Just what ] was thinkin' when 1t felt
so balmy and springlike today--if /
only had nice little place in the
country, with few pigs an calves"
you'd feel right at home. wouldn't
your" snapped the pretty cook.
"That's where you'd shine. The pigs
wouldn't mind how much you tracked
up their place or how much you loaf
ed-they're used to it, from all I've
seen of pigs. And the calves wouldn't
care how much noise you made-you
could stand around and talk all day
and not bother 'em a bit. But folks
happen to have work to do, and if you
get in their way you're likely to get
into trouble
The groceryman sighed again and
slowly edged his way out to the back
porch. But still he hesitated.
Il can't understand it," he unused
aloud. Nov, to look at you, Evelina,
anybody would think you was real
sentimental girl that would sympa-
thize with Teller when he's feelin'-"
With deft move the pretty cook
stepped behind the door and closed it
on the sentimental groceryman.
His Proposal.
AS rats did much damage to his