Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

STE de porch whittlin’ deir names on de side of de house. But if you leaves it to de Shoofly Chu’ch, a lot of cullud angel chillun will find a happy home an’ somebody to keep 7em gwine on till dey grows up.” ‘‘ Mebbe I could make anodder will,” Ginny Babe suggested. | “You kin make one mo’,” Vinegar an- nounced. “ It’s de las’ will whut counts, an’ de third is de charm, an’ you won’t be al- lowed to make but jes’ one mo’.” So for the third time that day, Hanly, smiling to himself, prepared Ginny Babe | Chew’s last will and testament, and col- lected ten dollars from the Rev. Vinegar Atts. ing to write wills for the old woman for the rest of his life at ten dollars each. But the judge of the court had warned him several times recently about his peculiar legal methods, and Blon was afraid to carry the farce any further. So he handed the document to Vinegar Atts and said to the woman: “Don’t come back here any more, Ginny. This is the last will and testament that the law will permit me to write for you.” When the two had gone, Blon sat for a long time in deep meditation. He needed ten dollars more. He was sorry that he could not prepare one more will for Ginny. He saw no other chance to make ten dollars quickly, and he studied the: possi- bilities from every angle. Then he shook his head. ; “Those coons have more credulity than judgment,” he sighed. ‘‘ But I have discre- tion. I can’t impose on them any more.” He lighted his pipe and sat idly smoking and watching the few people and teams moving on the street. Times were certainly dull, he reflected. He had made his first money to-day for over a month of waiting. What and where he was going to eat had resolved itself nearly into the question whether he would take hot or cold water for each meal. This little money would help him out. ‘If only he could get ten dollars more! , A team of young mules were driven down the street by a giant negro. The animals became frightened at a barrel which a work- man rolled out of the doorway of a ware- Jigitized Google’ Blon would have been perfectly will- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. house, and which fell from the platform — and came bumping into the middle of the street. The team reared and plunged and tried to bolt. The giant driver raised himself quietly from hi$ séat and braced himself for action. In spite of all their efforts, at the end of_the incident those young mules were standing right where they were_-when . the barrel stopped rolling, such was the ‘strength and driving skill of Hitch Dia- mond. “Thank you, Hitchie,” Blon said, as he squinted shrewdly at the giant prize-fighter. ‘You have given me a free. entertainment -and a bright idea.” Hitch did not hear this expression, for he was several blocks down the street. Blon knocked the ashes from his pipe, reached for ‘his hat and smiled. “T’ve got one more chance of making ten dollars out of Ginny,” he announced to himself. “ Wonder where I can find the old idiot? Id like her better if she wasn’t as ugly as a skinned mule.” CHAPTER IV. SAD NEWS FOR DIXO. HREE days passed and the three in- terested men made daily inquiry about the health of their benefactor. Skeeter knew nothing of the other two wills which Ginny Babe had made. Pap knew that his document annulled the donation made to Skeeter and the Uplifters, but he knew nothing of the will Ginny had made subsequently in favor of the Shoofly Church. Vinegar’ was cfreful not to advertise it,. saving it as a great surprise when Ginny had passed away. But for %hree days Ginny’s health re- mained surpassingly good in spite of the fact that the three men had “ put a bad wish on her.” abundant life to pure feminine cussedness. The men attributed her - Disgustedly, Vinegar confessed to himself that “ Ginny is like a rainbow: ain’t got no end.” After a while the three men forgot their legal documents in their interest in other things which promised quicker returns. | 1NOO S C@