The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-02-16
BILL
CONTINUED from Page One)

they did hear at this store. It was
the only place :hey went, AMI
they wonld begin coming back
home nights and telling their fam
lilies to cut down the grocery bills,
aid do with fewer clothes, for
there wouldn't he anything to eat
soon.
Just before Christmas Bristol
lene Brinn came in the store one
morning and he began getting
some prices from Mr.. Combs a.
bout building material. 1t looked
like a mighty big oroer was shap~
ing up. 81 am thinking about
building ME a house after Christ
mas" he said, "and / am going
to find out just what it will cost
before / start"
can right Bris old boy, old boy,"
Mr.. Combs said, 81 want you to
give me a whack at the business
when you get ready. l can sell you
cheap as anybody"
"That's all want to know"
said Bristolene, "When / build, l
feel sure you are closest home,
and you'll get the lions share"
Now the prospect of selling a.
bout $4,000 worth of materials in
one order looked pretty good to
Mr.. Combs, and he was in better
spirits that night and set up a
few of the boys to some cheroots,
it being just before Christmas,
and when they asked about bust
ness, he said:
"Looks to me the slump is about
over and I think things will open
up next year." he said. There had
been a little squirt of Christmas
buying and that mellowed him up
some. What he said had an effect
on the men, and made them feel
a little less discouraged, so they
went home, and most of them gave
their wives a few extra dollars of
the money they were saving for
spring nets, and told the family
to go down to the store and
splurge a little for Christmas.
So Mr.. Combs mellow mood
paid him off little in the increas-
ed trade he got these few days
before Christmas, and the news
of it spread, Hexapod Hooper
went in the store Christmas eve
and found him again on speaking
terms.
"Hex, Old Boy, can you pay me
a few dollars on your bill ?" Mr..
Combs asked.
"Now Mr.. Combs you know l
amt made a dollar this whole fall,
but I'll guarantee to pay you ev-
cry cent I owe you inside of the
next ninety days, and / want you
to take interest on the money"
Mr.. Combs was glad to hear
what he heard but he had his
doubts. 81 don't know how in the
world you can get it in 80 days,
but 1 won't charge you a penny
interest,"" he said.
"Well," said Hexapod, '1 guess
it's no secret. Bristolene Brinn
wants me to build a house for
him, and 1 promised to do it when
he got ready, provided" here
Mr.. Hooper hesitated a moment.
81 told him if l could make ar
engagements; you know I owe you
a lot of money, and have got to
have a lot of new tools, and leave
the old lady some money to live
on while l am gone, and the chill
dren have got to have some shoes
when they start back to school,
and / owe 500 1 borrowed of Car
tilage Crank to fish with him this
spring, and l can't go until can
raise the money to pay him back.
/ don't. want to lose a chance to
build that house cause / will get |
at least $4,000 for building it."
"You take that job, Hexie, Old
boy, "I'll let you have what you
need" said Mr.. Combs who was
turning over in his mind how
much he would really get out of |
the job first and last. what with |
selling materials, and collecting |
his old bill. He felt pretty sure
he could get Bristolene Brinn to
help him collect the bill.
1t wound up with Mr.. Combs
letting Hex have 500 in cash, $50 |
in groceries, $120 worth of car
penter tools, $50 worth of shoes,
and he promised to let Mrs. Hoop
er have what groceries she need !
ed to run her each week.
1t also wound IN bv Mr.. Hoop-
er owing Mr.. Combs $3.50 instead
of $4OO. Hooper kept the cash
in his pocket, saying it was no use
to pay it to Mr.. Crank until he
started to work on the house for
Mr.. Brinn at Gar Creek.
Mr.. Combs good humor and
pleasure with business didn't last
long. The day after Christmas it
was duller than ever. He had no
trade at all, and was doing a lot !
of complaining. New Years night |
a lot of Gar Creekers stopped in |
awhile, and Mr.. Combs was in
fine form talking about hard times |