Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1913 — ARTFUL BILL DROP’S IN. [ARTICLE]

ARTFUL BILL DROP’S IN.

Calls to Bee His Friend Tom About a - •mall Money Matter. ’ Bystanders saw the derby-hatted, bushy-eyebrowed little man enter the •fltoe of his friend with the air of ene Who has something on his mind. -Wen, w«UI If there ain't Old B1HI" exclaimed the man sitting at his desk, "Whet's on your mind, anyhow?” “Oh, just dropped in, Tom," rented BUL “Found myself on your door and just thought Fd sss how everything was with you/* “Glad you did. Well, how’re you maltin’ out?" “First rate. Howls things with you?", "Oh, I cant complain at aH. How are aH ths folks?" “Fine. Everything's coming all right with you, is it?" Now, after the conversation had run along in that strain tor a little while, the bystanders in the office decided that the caller had dropped in to make a touch. BUI shifted from one foot to the other uneasily. He seemed to lack tor a word. Evidently it was oomtag. “Oh, by the way, Tom!’* spoke up Bill suddenly, with much show of spontaneity, "I was just on my way down to pay my rent and it just struck me that I haven’t quite enough on me. Could you lot me have that tenspot I lent you down at the dub last night?" There. He’d said IL The worst was over. And it wasn't a touch after all, but a man trying to collect a debt In an inoffensive way, which is thrice as embarrassing. Tom looked at his visitor. “Didn’t I over give that back to you?" he asked. “Huh! Why didn't yon speak of it before?" "Oh, I haven’t needed it—wouldn't have thought of it now, in foot, if I hadn't been standing here and just happened to think about—not having enough to hand to the landlord." “Sorry you had to ask for it," apologised Tom. "Oh, that’s aU right, I guess 1 know you well enough to feel free to abk Cor what I want, hey? No need of formdtty or anything between us. Of course I wouldn't have mentioned it at that if I hadn’t just been here and happened to think" —and so on. And having collected a debt that had been on his mind tot months, while he wondered how to get it without giving offense, Bill went Ms way in a high state of inward glee.