Evening star., 1931-12-27

this Summer and happened to men
ton old ByJocks Billings He
dead and old Mrs Pfaffer
Aunt Emma said.
And she died saying, Business is business
suppose
No said Aunt Emma. NO, she seemed
to forget that before she died She forgot
most everything, poor creature, and was just
happy and contented. Well so she always
was, come to that
At that time old By-Jocks Billings Art
was running the grocery and general store.
He was fine hearty man of about so and
had come to Pinnerville from the farm, starting
the grocery with the money he got when he
sold the farm. Old By-Jocks Arts father
too easy Sy-gong and far-away minded to make
. good farmer or anything else
He was at his best doing just what he did
after Art started running the storo-eveIy
bodys friend, living with Art and Arts wife,
doing the conversation for the store and
caSionally waiting customers.
By-Jocks got his name, as you have guessed,
from his favorite exclamation. 1t came out
about every fifth word and was mark of the
endless enthusiasm of the old man for anything
in which he Interested and he was inter-
eSted in everything
He was little old man with a billy goat
beard, and ne stopped considerably and walked
with cane. He wore old slouch hat that
was menace to the health of the community,
but under it his eyes twinkled
A noon Art sometimes left the store in By
Jocks care. In Summer By-Jocks sat out
the noon hour in chair at the door-just out
side-and in Winter his chair was by the big
red-rusted barrel stove
This was one of the hot corn n-growing DAYS
when the thel momoter loafS sleepily around 90
all day and then slides higher all night to
best part of the noon hour in his chair at the
door, and he was awakened by some one re-
peating Mr.. By-Jocks! Mr.. By-Jocks!" and as
he awakened he saw it Mrs. Pfaffer
by jocks yes, yes!" By-Jocks exclaimed
getting himself to his feet and feeling for his
cane. BE right with you, Mrs. Pfaffer' and
he followed her into the store. He went behind
the counter and felt in his pocket for his spec
tacles and put them on.
What can I do for you hey?" he asked.
Il want can of that same corn l got off
Of Art last week" Mrs. Pfaffer said That was
real good corn, and want another can of it."
Hum! Corn!" said By-Jocks. moving his
finger along as he pointed up at the shelves
-peaches-tomatoes BY jocks, I'm
sorry but we're out of corn. Yes. by jocks!
We're plumb out of it,
"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Mrs. Pfaffer, and she
moved toward the door, but Art came back
from dinner just then and breezed into the
store.
Get what you wanted, Mrs. Pfaffer?" he
asked. and she said she hadn't.
Il wanted another can Of that good corn
you sold me last week, Art" she said, but Mr.
ByJocks says you're plumb out of corn"
mo such thing!" declared Art. We've got
whole stack of it."
Art walked behind the counter and reached
up and took can from the shelf so close to
By-Jocks that the old man had to move his
head to one side. He picked up the when
Art thumped it down on the counter and looked
at it. 1t did say corn" on the label but the
corn the Owl Brand and the picture was
that of an owl
by jocks!" the old man chuckled. "Dumbed
If didn't always think that was canned owl,
by jocks"
Mrs Pfaffer always carried market bag on
her left arm, for that arm not much use
to her being withered, and she dropped the
can of corn in the bag and hurried out. Art
went to make the change and By-Jocks picked
up his cane and started for home, his dinner
waiting for him there
| lE went off chuckling over his foolishness
in thinking anybody would want to eat
owl, let alone canned owl He was going to
have good time telling Allie, Arts wife, about
that. She enjoyed jokes; she loved to laugh
By-Jocks was just finishing dinner and Allie
had begun to clear the table where Art had
eaten, when Bob Tenney, running by toward
his home, thought to dash in to Allies kitchen
door with the news he was taking home to his
mother. He was all excitement; so excited he
could hardly talk.
"Say-say-say!" he cried. "Now-now-
Mrs Pfaffer. she's murdered Silly Sammy
killed her with a-with a-he killed her with
something. He hit her on the head. I got to
tell mai"
Murdered by jocks!' By-Jocks exclaimed
He got his cane, left his coat hanging on the
back of his chair and his hat on the bench by
the door, and started for Mrs. Pfaffers as fast
as his legs could carry him.
BY the time he reached Mrs. Pfaffer's cottage
most of the town was already there. Art came
out of the cottage, wanting to get back from
the store, which he had left with only one of
he clerkS in clno