"Anything new?" he asked.
"Mrs. Dorman is putting new awnings on the rear windows of her store—did you get that?" asked McHurdie.
The young man made a note of the fact.
"Yes," added Dolan, "and you may just say that Hon. Jacob Dolan, former sheriff of Garrison County, and a member of 'C' Company, well known in this community, who has been custodian of public buildings and grounds in and for Garrison County, state of Kansas, ss., is contemplating resigning his position and removing to the National Soldiers' Home at Leavenworth for the future."
Young Ward smiled, but did not take the item down in his note-book.
"It isn't time yet," he said.
"Why not?" asked Dolan.
"Only two months and a half since I printed that the last time. It can't go oftener than four times a year, and it's been in twice this year. Late in December will time it about right."
"What's the news with you, boy?" asked Dolan.
"Well," said the young man, pausing carefully as if to make a selection from a large and tempting assortment, but really swinging his arms for a long jump into the heart of the matter in his mind, "have you heard that John Barclay has given the town his pipe organ?"