Evening star., 1926-10-19
Rules of the Road.

w YHEN the young Johnsons
n took possession Of the old
wv fashioned hotel in the
mountains they deter
mined to make a success
of bookkeeping The Pines had once
been a we'll known Summer hostelry,
but it had been allowed to run down.
May Johnson had directed and
helped inside, with only two good
maids, until the interior shone with
cleanliness and the ancient oak floors
were polished to an almost dangerous
degree.
Jim Johnson had put the grounds
into shape and the roses and vines
had been pruned into semblance of
order and were blooming gorgeously
when the opening day arrived
What do you think of that, May?'
exploded Jim, his hazel eyes spar
ding with disgust. THAT hotel east
IF us has noticed our expensive ad-
vertising and has actually changed
he name of the place from Ye lime
o.
May dropped the sheaf of scarlet
roses she was arranging on one of
he numberless small tables in the
lining room: mot to-why! Jim,
hey wouldn't dare"
They woudn't?" retorted her broth
er grimly; well, they did. The post
master said he didn't know how TO
divide the mail, so he put half the
mail in our box and half in theirs.
Ye lime is no longer in existence, but
9lue Ridge boasts two hotels called
The Pines. They've been steadily
losing business because of their in
ecrior food and failure to advertise
Now they step in and take advantage
Of our ads to recruit their guests"
Wen put in some new ones and
have our own box number added.
That will end that. But" the girls
voice was q little unsteady with
poignant disappointment, we've lost
exactly half our publicity money for
he opening"
NO use bowling" Jim achieved
rather creditable cheeriness; we
better do what we can for the half
rations left us. Most of these letters
announce arrivals for today, so I'll
shine up the old bus and get ready To
meet the noon train
IF YOU hadn't bought those Won
derful tires we wouldn't have been
short. 1t wasn't worth while putting
the best shoes on an old omnibus.
Couldn't you have had the old ones
mended, Jim ~
Sure I could; they might have
lasted another / 900 miles. They are
mended, too, and I've got four spares
.ucked away in the back. The noun
ain roads have too many stones 10
take chances with. If we have
guest we want to get him up here ana
let him see the place, not have MN
R1rh
tinker with patches
"Oh, Jim. all mended. Don't you
wish" she bit her lip and paused.
mo" he answered seriously,
"even now I don't. l don't like
makeshifts and don't believe sloppy
methods ever pay--not in the long
run. I had to put up with the old
bus that came with the place, but
was determined to have the engine
oyerhauled and new shoes before
thought of new cushions or paint.
Better have the fundamentals than
q lot of nicknacks. You wouldn't
serve substitute for butter or
canned milk instead of cream, would
you? Come and jump in. Well meet
the first guests together"
There were amused glances cast
at the two cOnveyanCeS, each mark
ed The Pines. The old Ye lime bus
was uew and glittering i'll the noun
tain sunshine. The young man at
the wheel wore a sports shirt and
his satin smooth head was bare.
The Johnsons were "A mite shabby
in their old bus and they lacked the
ultra smartness that characterized
Stanley Morton.
Only three people resisted the gay
blue alIurement of the Morton bus
which filled to overcrowding honked
mocking'y at the Johnson bus and
ana whizzed past.
Yet 10 minutes later, Jim slowed up
at the request of the blue coach that
was standing by the roadside,
Say, Johnson, can you mend a
tire? / can't make the patches stick. y
II wouldn't do it. Why, the old
cheater has taken our boarders and
has the nerve to ask YOU to help.
II just hate him with his silly
plush hair and fancy clothes" May
almost sobbed in her excitement and
her words reached the red-faced