Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

772 “T recall the beverage with pleasure,” he admitted. ‘A white, opaque liquid, if my memory serves me—” “Mr. Saylor’s cows is in our barn,” said Mrs. Hopkins. “ He’s got a nice Holstein and a Jersey—”’ “Which, if I may ask,” interrupted Adolph politely, ‘yields the superior product?” ce Eh?” “T asked,” elucidated Adolph patiently, “which member of your bovine family gave the richest milk?” “Oh! The Jersey, of course.” “The Jersey, indeed!” said Adolph de- lightedly. ‘‘ Then suppose we introduce the Jersey into our gustatory scheme.” “Into which?” “IT said, suppose you supply me with milk from the Jersey!” suggested Adolph gently. “Sure, Mr. Baldwin, if you’d rather,” agreed Mrs. Hopkins accommodatingly. “And the chicken you spoke of,” ap- pended Adolph, growing more judicial over his third plate of cakes and bacon—“ I prefer white meat, if you please.” Mrs. Hopkins nodded cheerfully. “Well, I'll be runnin’ back home now,” she observed, and sprinkled a shovel of coal on the fire. ‘“ Don’t you go monkeyin, with that fire, will you? I got it fixed to last till noon. I got to hurry—this is my bakin’ day. Berry pies I’m makin’—berry and peach. You like berry or peach best? Or maybe you’d like some of both?” Adolph’s eyes rested upon her tenderly. ““Tt’s extraordinary!” he cried. “ Noth- ing less than extraordinary, the way you manage to read my innermost thoughts. How better could I judge the merits of either than in sampling both?” “ll bring over some of both, then,” decided Mrs. Hopkins with a grin of appreciation. She bustled toward the door, paused, and turned back. ‘“ What you aim to do while you’re here, Mr. Baldwin?” “At present,” replied Adolph, tilting back in his chair and beaming benignly upon her, “I find myself in a happy and perfectly aimless state of lethargy. Have you any suggestions—nothing arduous, mind you?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘““ Perhaps you’d like to go fishing,” Mrs. Hopkins ventured helpfully. ‘‘ There’s trout galore in the creek, and Mr. Saylor’s rods and things is in the closet there, if you ain’t got your own.” “ Fishing,” mused Adolph dubiously— ‘“‘a pleasant pastime if it weren’t for the worms. Digging worms, now—” “ But Mr. Saylor don’t use worms,” ad- vanced his advisor. ‘“ He’s got other kind of bait—imitation flies.and things. Trout, they’re real dainty eatin’, Mr. Saylor says. If you was to catch any, I could cook ’em up for your supper.” Adolph rose swiftly and purposefully. “Your arguments are irresistible,” he said. “ Trout for supper! Provided, of course, the creek is not too far away.” Five minutes later, having supplied her protégé with necessary directions for locat- ing the creek, Mrs. Hopkins hurried away toward the dimly visible farmhouse. Adolph loped to the window and hung himself over the sill to watch her departure. ‘“‘ Adieu, my angel of mercy!” he cried yearningly. ‘‘ We shall meet again.” IV. Apo.PH fished that morning, fished in a stream that cut a devious silver path through verdant ferns and moss and har- bored frolicsome schools of speckled brook trout and perch. He returned to his bor- rowed domain at noon with a trio of glis- tening trout in his basket, which was not so much a tribute to Adolph’s skill as a fish- erman as a reflection on the credulity of the fish. Adolph was doubtless as sur- prised at his catch as his victims. He had never made so little physical effort with so satisfactory a result. As he tramped lazily back to the house, visions of fried chicken and blueberry pie companioned him, and savory whiffs of these delicacies greeted his nostrils as he stepped inside. That afternoon, stretched in the ham- mock that Mrs. Hopkins had unearthed for him and slung on the porch, the erst- while poet indulged in a philosophic rev- erie. He had never found life so sweet nor so effortless. He had never felt so relaxed —c€omicbooks.¢o . te peo * : 3 2 rs Mp ee — — ~ — = . ~ _~ — a — 2 * te See —< = a eo ee oi” SS ae aie toe 34 oD CC ee OE ia