ise.

"You don't mean to tell me that's Hermes?" says I.

"I dun'no 'bout any Hermes," says he; "but this is my sister's boy Jake,
the only nephew I got, and, bein' as how Miss Mildred asked so special,
I brought him along."

Course, there's no accountin' for tastes, specially in a romantic young
lady like her; but, if this was her idea of livin' Greek statuary, she
sure was easy pleased. Why, of all the rough necked Rubes! He's one of
these loose jawed, open mouthed, lop sided youths that walks like he was
afraid of steppin' on his own feet, and looks about as much alive as a
tin rabbit that can wiggle its ears when you pull a string. His hair and
complexion was accordin' to specifications, I admit, and his eyes were
as blue as a new set of lunch counter crockery; and if he was all Uncle
Jerry could show in the nephew line, then he must be it.

"All right," says I. "It ain't me that's pickin' him. Now fall in line
right behind me, and we'll work out where he won't get run down by
baggage trucks or be mistaken by excursionists for a spray of autumn
leaves."

"Young lady didn't come down to the train, hey?" says Uncle Jerry.

"No, it makes her kind of nervous to see the cars come in," says I.
"You're due to meet her this evenin', Uncle, you and Hermes."

You see, accordin' to the plan, I was to stow the pair to some hotel,
see that they was fed, keep 'em busy durin' the early part of the
evenin', and round 'em up at a big society crush where Marjorie knew
the folks well enough so she could ask favors. If Mildred had 'em come
where she was visitin', there'd be no end of questions asked; but if she
sort of ran across 'em by accident at a place where there was a crowd,
and could have a few words with Hermes in some quiet corner, nobody
would be the wiser.

It was this last part of the programme I had in mind as I was sizin' up
Jake's travelin' costume. And, say, how is it up there in the opodeldoc
zone that they can get these high-water pant legs to fit so much like
lengths of stovepipe? They was kind of a bilious brown and cut gen'rous
in the seat; but, as far as real comic relief went, they wa'n't in it
with the cute little short tailed cutaway that he sported above 'em.
Honest, that coat was enough to make an eccentric song and dance artist
green in the eyes! And you can believe me when I say I didn't lose any
time in scootin' 'em down Fourth-ave. to a dollar a day house patronized
by some of our swellest Texas