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Show PIT Fl CW UVl RHODA NOYES ' A Telegram Short Story 1 1 needed worms for early mornin' ' fishin. I was diggin' away next I the hedge when I noticed a suitcase ! wedged in there. I ysnked the thing out and darned if It wasn't Janey's! And while 1 was down on my knees I heard footsteps! I I jerked up cautious and I saw Janey land that feller comin'. Well, sir, 1 ducked down again and If the i darn suitcase didn't come unfastened unfast-ened and pop open there before my eyes! Cosh! Coiled on top of Janey's clothes like a shiny snake was a necklace! Mary's necklace! "I leaned back and right away I I knew what to do. "After I had snapped the suitcase shut 1 shoved it back, crawled to my porch and by tha time those two reached the house I was a-sittin' smokin' my corncob as peaceful as the summer night. "They said "Good eveninV and 1 said "Good evenin" back to them. "Manners' front porch is in plain sight from my side porch, but I'm alius in bed by 10 and I knew they figgered on that So there they sat, and there I sat smokin one pipeful after another to keep myself my-self awake. I heard the clock strike 11 and after what seemed a year she struck 12. Then 1 heard one strike and two. "Well. sir. ths next thing I knew the mornin' sun wss a-shimn strong in my face, and after I got off thej porch I saw the suitcase and Mary's j car were gone. . "When Trudie got up I told her. 'Janey had a hurry call last night' and asked me to tell you she'll be; bark today or tomorrow some time.'j Then I called Jake to open up the station and kept back in the house j so Trudie couldn't ask me ques-j Hons. And long about 10 o'clock didn't a telegram come sayin' Mary'd be home on the afternoon train! "I couldn't est and I couldn't work. i After Old Cap had pumped ten gallons of super-special for a huge touring car from California, wiped the windshield and ballooned a spare, he handed the driver his csrd. The motorist turned the pasteboard paste-board over, laughed heartily and sang out as he shifted the gears, "I'll do thst ona of these days." Before Old Cap reparked himself under the swinging sign. "Captain William Quacken," he threw me a speculative stare. I knew that meant a story. "Coma on. I can take It." I urged. "That tourist reminded me," he began in his leisurely manner, "of tha Manners girls that live next door to me they've lived there since they was born. Worked for Senator "Mary's tha older, a fine girl, purty and smart, too. Works for Jim Thorpe. Jim's our senator. Well, ha calls Mary his right hand since she saved his life that time in the parade down In Washington. That's when he gave her the 1 10,000 necklace. "Janey now she's purty. too. but mora headstrong. Takes after Chet Chet and Effie died five years ago from tha flu. Left Mary and Janey. And me with a deathbed promise 10 Effie to look after them. "Things went along purty well, with Trudie Goodell keeping house and Janey in one of those fancy schools to get edjucated while Mary was in Washington. Vacations they was horns here and you never saw two gals whs thought mors of each other! Used to make me feel good jest seein' them around together like that! "Then this feller Thornton Johnson John-son come to work on the Chronicle. Fell for Msry like a ton of bricks. Rushed her right off her feet! One. night I come home and there ahei was on my porch a-alarln" up at the stars, her eyes like diamonds: in tha moonlight. When I plumped down she said, dreamy-like, "Old Cap, I wanted you to be tha first to know I'm going to marry Thornton.' Thorn-ton.' "I said nothln'. But Mary never noticed. I thought, gosh! It's high time I did soms investigate' on Thornton. Left With Thornton "Then the very next mornin Msryi got a call from Jim Thorpe to cornel pronto to his summer camp. Thati left Janey here. With Thornton. Right from the start they went to- get her. Swimmin' and out in Mary's oar for picnics and golf whenever that feller could git off. Evenin g they sat -on ths porch, but I ain't so near-sighted that I rouldn't see them a-holdin hands for dear life. "It got me worryin. I didn't like the looks of it. And I didn't like I he looks of thst feller, either. And he Was tall snd dark, with the' imooth mays a nice gal falls for' rvery lime. "Ons evenin' I sneaked away from i the station. Wasn't much doin' and "Poor Mary! Everything in the world ahe thought most of gone the necklace. Thornton, Janey. "By noon I was darn near crasy when a car pulled in the driveway. And maybe those brakes wasn't ths sweetest sound I ever heard! Arms Around Him "Then my screen door slammed and Janey's arm were 'round my old neck fit to choke mi. Stop cryin' like that. Janey girl.' I scolded. scold-ed. You don't want Trudie to hear, do you?" "She checked the hysterics then and sat on my lap and explained how aha had got wise to Thornton and his high-pressure lovsmaking when she told him the necklace was missin'." "But how did she know you took the necklace t" I demanded. He leaned back and stuck nis thumbs in the top pockets of his coveralls. "Like Jsney said. "Oldj Cap. when I ssw your csrd with, ths silly rhyme I bed made up. ij woke from a bad dream. Thank: heaven it wasn't too late!" I Old Cap handed me a card. I' turned it over and read: "For Super-special Service Hurry back In your old hack To Old Cap Quack." .Copyright, 1937, for The Telegram ) ' |