Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

696 I, stiff-and formal. “ Fact is, you would have to step some to do it right now. The old man ain’t never been knocked out yet. ) He stood looking down at me sfore a min- ute and then he kind of half laughed. “ You're a case, Mr. Tom Hill,” he says. “Tl ‘get that shoe fixed on my way to supper, ” says I, easing back in my chair. Jimmie leaned down to me and said in a - whisper:: - “What do you think my—S—-er—she meant by saying that abe was entertaining to- night?” “ Why,” says I, “I think she meant that she was entertaining.” . “ Indeed?” says Jimmie, straightening up. ‘“‘ What’s more,” says I, calm, “I think, judgin’ from the quantity and the quality of the groceries she ordered,-that this is going to be a deserted village to-night ex- ceptin’ at your house. I think your house will look like a mass meeting will be held.” He heaved a long and bitter sigh.- ‘‘ For me,” he says, “‘ turn down an empty glass.” “ Why,” I says, shocked, “there won’t be no drinkin’.” ~ “'T sneak in figures, Tom, ” he says, dole- ful. “ Figures seem to be in order, judgin’ from the adding up you had to do on Sa- die’s grocery list,” says I. — ' “ She can have the whole stock for all I care,” Jimmie declares. ~The phone tang. Jimmie answered and said the call was for me. Sadie was on the other end of the wire. She give me a bid to her party. “Why, ma’am,” says I, polte, “Tl think it over.” . “You can bring your friend with you if you like,” she says. What friend?” . “ Why, the sole proprietor.” She hung up, and I broke the news to Jimmie about the both of us. “How sweet of her,” Jimmie snaps. * But vou go, Mr. Tom Hill. you go.” I knowed he would be wanting a report, so I said I’d go. I was in the thing up to ~ the door. I insist that ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. my neck, and I figured I might as well go ‘@ little. farther even if I should have to tilt my chin to breathe through my nose. CHAPTER VIII. SADIE ENTERTAINS, TOTHING much puts a stop to me N when I get going good. I expect I should have been kind of timid about going to Sadie’s party, considering what an old hulk I am and what a lot of. young folks would be there. But, shucks, I’ve knowed every young person in our town from the time they was kids. I’ve seen ’em grow up from pigtailed girls or dirty faced boys to what they are now. I don’t think there is any call for me to let a. bunch of them youngsters put my eye out. Besides, I had a navy blue suit that I had been planning .to wear on the first special occasion that popped up. I have to have my clothes made to order on ac- count of my size, and Bob Saxton had put @ white fringe around: the vest of this here- suit. I had a new blue tie, too, and a pearl stickpin that was give to me by a lot of my admirers one. election day when there was a move to beat me as marshal and I got about all the votes that was cast. My hair is gray, of course, but there is still plenty of it, and I had Tom Singleton, our barber, trim it up and give me a close shave with a few hot towels. I got out the gold headed cane that my dad used to carry, and as I stepped. down from my front porch I didn’t reckon that any of the --gents at the party would have anything on Mr. Tom Hill in what Bob ‘Saxton cals sartorial effect. I was some early at che party, it being only a bit after seven when I got there, and I rung the bell, and Sadie come to Golly, she was looking fine. She had picked up a little tan durin’ her stay vat the beach and her eyes must have gath- ered some of the sunshine in them, they was that bright. She told me to step in, but I said I would take my ease on the , porch, and she come through the screen door é and give me a shake of the hand. I had | taken off my hat, and I was standing with comicbooks.comn