Part 23 (2/2)
Smith and me your friends, have us run you down to Susan. Instead of having hit Toole by printing the thing sooner than he wanted, as you did, print more, and do him a favor. Make him a favorite of Miss Sally's. So do, if you want to. Or--have me go to Miss Susan and say you will not relent but that there is one chance--that she shall plead with you herself.”
He stepped back and looked at the hesitating Jones.
”Jones,” he said, ”the way you are acting, the way you hesitate, would tell anybody that you have not a copy of Jarby's Encyclopedia of Knowledge and Compendium of Literature, Science and Art, in your office.
No man who has read that book would lack wisdom, that work containing under one cover all the wisdom I the world, price five dollars, two dollars off to the press. Buy a copy and be sensible.”
Jones looked far down the street toward his office as if the matter he had there standing in the galley was begging him not to desert it.
”Courts.h.i.+p--How to Make Love--How to Win the Affections--How to Hold them When Won,” said Eliph'. ”See Jarby's giving advice to those in love, those wis.h.i.+ng to win the affections, et cetery. 'If the object of the affections can be placed in a position where she will be compelled to ask a favor, the granting of it, however slight, will advance the cause of the eager suitor.”
”I don't care!” said T. J. Jones suddenly. ”I'd lose Skinner's ad if I printed that article, and he pays cash.”
”Mine too,” said Eliph', ”and I was just thinking of doubling it.
Jarby's deserves----”
”That's all right,” said the editor, with a sigh of relief. ”You needn't have Miss Susan come begging me. Just tell her I gave up printing the article because you said she wouldn't like it.”
”Don't throw away a chance,” urged Eliph' putting a hand on the young man's arm. ”Be wise. Do as Jarby's says. Be urged. I followed Jarby's advice.”
”Why are you--are you, too?” asked T. J., beaming upon him.
Eliph' coughed behind his hand.
”Yes,” he said, ”Miss Briggs. I followed Jarby's advice--and won.”
”Congratulations!” said the editor. ”Have it your own way then. I'll be at Miss Sally's after supper, if Sue wants to coax.”
They parted, and as Eliph' walked happily toward his boarding house he did not realize that he had not won, nor that his appeal had been rejected by Miss Sally, for he had regained his faith in Jarby's and if he had not yet won, he felt that he would, and that was the same thing.
After his supper Eliph' felt that the time had come to arrange things with Miss Sally. There was no longer any cause for delay. He had arranged the matter of the fire-extinguishers; he had settled the matter of the TIMES, and he felt that Skinner and the Colonel must have hurt by their actions their causes with Miss Sally. They had, indeed, far more than Eliph' guessed. He repaired to his room and brushed his whiskers carefully. Never had he appeared smarter than when he went out of the gateless opening in Doc Weaver's fence, and turned his face toward Miss Sally's home.
His way led him pas the mayor's little car, where St.i.tz was on his platform smoking and evening pipe. The mayor halted him with a motion of his pipe stem.
”Mister Hewlitt,” he said, ”you know too that joke, yes? About those lung-testers was not fire-extinguishers?”
”That's all right,” said Eliph', seeking to pa.s.s on, ”It is all fixed up now. They ARE fire-extinguishers.”
”Such a fool business on Skinner,” said the mayor with enjoyment. ”And on St.i.tz, too. I thinks me I am the boss grafter, and I ain't!”
He chuckled.
”No-o!” he said cheerfully. ”But next times I makes no more such fool mistakes; I make me a real boss grafter. I am now only a boss-fool, but boss grafter. So says Attorney Toole. Money is grafts, and houses and lots is grafts, and horses is grafts, and buggies, but,” and he paused impressively, ”apples isn't, and potatoes isn't, and peas isn't, and chickens isn't. Nothing to eat is grafts. If it is to eat it is not grafts. So says Attorney Toole. Things to eat is no more grafts as lung-tester is fire-extingables. So says Toole. So n.o.body won't prosecute me. I stick me to the mayor business yet a while. Klops on the head is nothings much; all big men gets them. So says Attorney Toole.”
Skinner was locking his shop when Eliph' pa.s.sed, and the stopped Eliph'
too.
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