Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-11-24
Without
Interruption
By R. H. WILKINSON
g Associated Newspapers.
WNU Service.
Johnny POWERS is wise guy.

Johnny POWERS is a wise guy.
y A good enough chap. but wise
guy. You can't tell him much, be-
cause he knows just about every
thing. You start to tell him story
when Johnny's around, and when
you're half way through he'll grin
and say, yeah, I've heard this
one" And then he'll spring the
point. Very annoying.
Johnny doesn't think much of old
Enoch Stewart. Enoch is an octo-
genarian and likes to reminisce I
enjoy hearing him, because he has
a way of telling story that grips
you.
Johnny Powers sits around twid-
ding his thumbs while old Enoch un-
folds tale in his slow way, and
suddenly he'll jump up and say,
"Ha! I get it. So and so married
so and so. Nothing clever about
that!"
You can see the hurt look and the
slow anger cleaning in old Enoch's
eyes. You feel sorry for the old
boy, and you'd like to punch John
ny in the nose. The best you can do
about it is to keep Johnny away
when old Enoch is EARNING.
We've been pretty successful
about doing this; everyone was sur
prised the night he dropped in on us
last week. But Johnny didn't seem
to notice that anything was wrong.
go on" he said to old Enoch.
go on with your yarn, old timer"
II. was just telling the boys about
an experience I had last winter.
Maybe it's the kind Of story you
wouldn't be interested in
'Uh huh," said Johnny indulgent-
ly, "uh huh. Go ahead"
"Well," said Old Enoch, cit was
kind of amusing. One of those
brisk January days, cold and invigo-
rating. I was walking along out in
the country and / come to bunch
of children who were skating, and
stopped to watch them. I tell you
it was pretty picture.
"Well, after while along comes
an old man, near as old as be,
with pair of skates over his Shout
der. He stood watching the young
sters for a while, then sat down
and put on his skates and started
out. He was good one, knew how
to skate all right. But he wanted
to show off, wanted to show them
kids how good he was and maybe
teach 'em thing or two"
Old Enoch paused to chuckle, and
Johnny, grinning said, "And I sup
pose he went sprawling first shot
out of the box?"
Enoch looked mildly surprised
and a trifle hurt. "Why, yes" he
said. Eyes. That's exactly what
happened. First thing you knew
the old boy hit a hole and tumbled
into it head over heels. 1t was fun
ny, but at the same time I felt
sorry for the old boy"
Hope he didn't drown" I said,
looking sidewise at Johnny.
"Of course he didn't" Johnny
said. He stood up. "The young
sters got rope or a log or some
thing and pulled him out and the old
man went home, sorry looking fig
ure, his dignity having suffered be-
cause he'd had to let the children
save him. Pretty good story, but
DID," Johnny laughed tolerantly.
Old Enoch tugged at his NOUS
taches. you're pretty smart, john
ny. The old boy didn't get himself
drowned. Nope. Fact is he didn't
even get wet!'
The grin vanished from Johnny's
face. He stared, and the rest of us
were silent, waiting.
"Now wait a minute" said john
ny. "Let me get this straight. The
old man was skating and he fell into
a hole, and didn't even get wet?"
"Yeah," said old Enoch, and his
eyes began to twinkle. 'That's it,
Johnny. That's right"
Johnny looked around. He saw us
watching him, and he must have
sensed the way we felt, because he
flushed little. Nov wait a min
ute," he said. "There's something
wrong here. Something screwy
about that yarn
mo such a thing" said Enoch.
cts a true story, every word. And
if you'd listened closely you'd see
what l mean"
"All right" he said. "An right.
What's the point?''
Enoch chuckled. you're smart,
Johnny. You ought to be able to
figure it. You've figured out plenty
of 'em before"
The color mounted in Johnny's
cheeks. cts set-up," he blazed
angrily. 81 tell you that yarns cock
eyed! What's the point, anyhow"
Enoch tugged at his moustaches.
For the first time saw him laugh.
Real loud and hearty. He was en-
joying this moment. It sort of paid
him back for previous humiliations.
He laughed, and Johnny grew white,
and Enoch said, "Why, Shucks,
Johnny, that's easy. Easy. The
point is that the children and the
old man were roller skating. Get
it?"