The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-08-11

has his belly full. But, someday,
the lane is going to turn and Jack
will do his share of starving yet,
before these starving days are
over, He'll have a chance to hear
his own flesh and blood cry for
bread, too- Uncle Sam want pen
sion and feed him always. Well,
l hope he starves, himself, until
he suffers a hunger pang for
everyone he has caused the help
less children to suffer. if that be
possible"
"Well. what is that" calculated
John In surprise, as he stopped
and picked up an object in the
pea vines.
JIhn stlaighteled up. 1t was a
hat he had in his hand; a mans
extensive dress hat, almost new
Such a hat as high salaried edu-
eaton sometimes wears-a Dobbs
hat.
IN be damned" remarked
John, where did that hat come
from? How did it get it my pea
patch of all places. 1t looks like
a lord OF a dukes hat-for its
dudes hat, sure enuf."
Then Jim spied something else
clustering and sparkling in
/ tangle Of the pea vines. There lay
! bottle. half filled with a spark
ling red liquid. 1t looked gooo
enuf to drink. John picked the bot
tie up ard scrutinized the fancy
label. The bottle was half full Of
choice ladv's wine.
"What the duece," blurted john:
WINE !"
John noticed the condition of the
pea patch.
"Who has beer in nv pea patch
and rolled the vines all down ?"
asked John in a gruff voice.
"Well, this is a mystery!"
"a hat. a bottle of wine, and
thou" quoted John from some old
poet, he couldn't just recall who.
"Now the hat might possibly
have blown into. the pea patch"
unused John to himself. "But the
bottle didn't. it was abandoned
here right where l found it. It's
too bad they had to leave that
much good wine. The party who
lost the nat was a member of the
party that slipped the wine. Look
not upon the wine while it is red,
for it bitteth like an adder and
stingeth like a serpent'."'
John examined the per patch
The vines were rolled down, as if
a couple of wrestlers had used the
bed for a mat; or as if a pair OF
grizzly cubs for play grou~d.
John found the track of a mascu-
line foot, about number shoe
and the print of a dainty hoOf shoe
in a spiked heel clog. From ap-
pearances of the tracks, he con.
Guided the pair had sped from the
garden. The tracks were widely
separated, ard the spiked heel:
made deep impressions in the
b3ked earth.
: "There has been a trysting in
: my pea patch. 1t was flushed. II
the rush this hat ard wine wer'
i ieft," drawled John in his best
2 Sherlocko manner.
"There were some peas on tn,
4 vines. By mixing them with new
D potatoes a meal for the kids coul
e be gotten" concluded John, turn
e ing his attention again to the pur
: pose of his survey. maybe som
e kind farmer still on relief woul
bring in bite by night. as a rum
e Der had been talking they would
e so the kids would not st2rve en-
e tirely, and thus old Hlck's
plars be thwarted," John rumi
Y mated on his way to the hous
n with the hat In one hand and tn
e bottle in the other.
S "What have you in your hands
?. demanded Mrs. Boulds, when job
g came thru the back door into tn
: kitchen.
|. "What is that? asked all the chi
dren in one voice, some grabbin
r one hand and some anothe
r "Where did you get them?"
"Well this is hat" said job
Ii pulling one hand loose and holdin
:. it out; "and this is a bottle hal
n full of fine light wine that me
D who still have fat jobs buy fC
E. their lady friends" he continue
d extracting and holding out ii
other hand at arms length.
n "Where on earth did you g,
le them? and how came a mans h;
IS and a half bottle of fine lady
n wine together" snapped the wifi
found them In the pea patel
W replied John.
IS "Our pea patch?" QUESTION:
Mrs. Boulds.
eyes, our pea patch" blurte
John impatiently.
Glow in the dickens did the
get in our pea patch ?" demand,
Id Mrs. Boulds.
r That's not the mystery. He
I'd these things got into our D,
., patch is easily explained. Son
one brought them IN, hat ON hea
s. and bottle in pocket, probabl
m What those who brought thei
n came for is quite underStar dab
re But who brought them into o
ne pea patch, and just why tn
chose our pea patch of all the D
" patches in town and wildwood on
ar a little ways away, is the II
N cornered mystery" explained Jol
Mrs. Boulds ard all the childr
v examined the hat and the bot
Is carelessly, but with consideral
Oh interest. pushing one and anoth
er and chattering and calculating.
The keen chaving for fooc.
W most steady now. was forgot
=. for time, in the excitement.
On Let me see that hat again"
terruDted John eff l knew who
III hat that is maybe / could untan,