Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-06

Scotty Briggs choked and even shed
tears; but with an effort he mastered
his voice and said in lugubrious tones
to the clergyman: Are you the duck
that runs the gospel mill next door?"
"Am I the-pardon me, believe I
do not understand"
With another sigh. and half-sob,
Scotty rejoined: "Why, you see, we are
in bit of trouble, and the boys thought
maybe you would give us lift, if we'd
tackle you-that is, if I've got the
rights of it and you are the head clerk
of the doXology works next door"
Il am the shepherd in charge of the
lock whose fold is next door,"
"The which?"
THE spiritual adviser of the little
company of believers whose sanctuary
Nhdioins these premises
Scotty scratched his head reflected
a moment, and then said: You ruther
hold over me, pard. I reckon I can't
call that hand. Ante and pass the
buck
How? I beg pardon. What did
understand you to say?"
We'll, you've ruther got the bulge
on me. Or maybe we've both got the
bulge somehow. You don't smoke me
and 1 don't smoke you. You see, one
OF the boys has passed in his checks
and we want to give him a good send
of, and so the thing I'm on now is
to roust out somebody TO jerk little
ehin-music for us and waltz him
through handsome"
My friend, I seem to grow more and
more bewildered. Cannot you simplify
"a q inn in III
1t not expedite matters if you restricted
yourself to categorical statements of
fact, unencumbered with obstructing
accumulations of metaphor and allie
gory?"
Scotty paused for reflection. "IIl
have to pass, judge"
"How?"
"You have raised me out, pard"
81 still fail TO catch your meaning"
"Why, that last lead of yourn is too
many for me-that's the idea. I can't
neither trump nor follow suit"
The clergyman sank back in his chair
perlexed. Scotty leaned his head OH
his hand and gave himself up to
thought. Presently his face came up,
sorrowfu1 but confident.
I've got it now, SOS you can savvy,'
he said. What we want is gospel
sharp. See?"
"A what?"
''Gospel-sharp. Parson."
"Oh Why did you not say SO be-
fore? I am a clergyman--a parson"
Now you talk! You see my blind
and straddle it like a man. Put il
misunderstanding brawny paw. which
closed over the minister's small hand
and gave it shake indicative of
fraternal sympathy and fervent graft
fication.
Now we're all right, pard. Let's start
fresh. Don't you mind my snuffling a
little-becuz we're III power of trouble
You see, one Of the boys has gone up
the f1ume--'
Gone Where?"
Cup the flune-tfrowed up the
! sponge, you understand"
"Throwed up the sponge?"
"Yes-kicked the bucket"
"Ah! Has departed to that mystic
rious country from whose bourne nc
traveller returns"
Return! I racken not. Why, pard
he's deadr'
Yes. I understand"
"Oh, you do? Well thought maybG
you might be getting tangled some more
I wish I'd never seen this day. I don
want no better friend than Buck Gan
shaw. But it's all up, you know, it's al
up. 1t amt no use. They've scoopet
him"
''Scooped hin?"
'Yes-death has. Now if We can ge
you to help plant him."
Preach the funeral discourse? Assis
at the obsequies?"
"Obs'quies is good. Yes. That's it
that's our little game. We are going Il
get the thing up regardless, you know
He was always nifty himself and so yo'
bet his funeral amt going to be n
SLOUGH"
Had deceased any religious convic
koas2 That Is To says dla be {eel