Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-01-01

anu Wcr0 eviuentty pieaSeo Win my
humble airs and graces-
like to study human nature and now
saw much of it at home and of its
guard. This delighted me- Two rules
observed which made me respected
and popular; first, never entered q
house unless | was invited; second, /
never insisted that people should buy
what they did not want. But always
had an excellent assortment of things,
and any little novelty might have took
pains should be seen at q glance, that
it might recommend itself.
am passionately fond Of outdoor air
and scenery. l used to enjoy fast horses.
but l have my dreamy side, and I
hardly know ANYTHING more exquisite
than to jog leisurely along the country
roads at six o'clock ON May morning.
when the buds are all bursting and the
birds all singing. or to return quietly
home in the late june twilight. Just as
the stars are coming out like TO be
out in soft summer rain. too. There
is enough to see and enjoy in the crisp
autumn weather to reconcile me TO the
unwieldy cart ride in. Even on run
ners it is not to be despised. believe
like all the winds and weathers. Then
used to give myself holidays. often in
winter. when Florence and the children
and had no end of fun. Of course we
helped Florence do the homework
first. and then had the day for pleasure
From May to October hardly ever
went alone on my journey. Every
pleasant day Florence. or one of the
children. or all the family, went with
me on my rounds. How exciting ii was,
and how happy we were, We took our
dinner with US sometimes, and played
we were gypsies, and csmped out in the
most enticing places in the beautiful.
woods.
If 1 had to 90 along, I often took 8
book; sometimes l learned a poem,
sometimes / even composed one, and,
strange to say, the magazines which
had disdained my contributions in the
days when desperately needed money,
now often accepted my efusions with
compliments.
In the evenings Florence and l sang
duets, and popped corn, and read nov
els As we had no social dignity to
keep up, we felt at liberty to enjoy our
selves even better than in the law days,
which is saying great deal. for we al
ways had such good time then
Then my business kept improving. so
Florence could have a servant. Then
we had more time for .'larks than
ever. We got acquainted with our
neighbors. There was not person OF
any literary pretension in town except
the minister and doctor. This state OF
things had its advantages as well rs its
disadvantages. because it is pleasant to
be Cesar even in country village. Flor
ence and wrote . comedy for the Sonso
Temperance, and performed in il with
great applause. lsuppose Shakespeare
went to his grave without such recogni
ton rs we received. Florence sang IN
the choir so swee;ly that several people
who had hardly been to church twice
year before began to 90 regularly. We
formed reading club OF all the young
people who showed a spark OF promise.
and they had delightful time, and
thought they were literary, and we had
delightful time, and the modest con-
seriousness that we were great bene-
factors of our race.
Once q year we put on our best
clothes and went to the city for week.
and went to the theaier. opera, con-
certs. and art galleries, and came home
tired and happy. and convinced that tip
peddling was q far healthier and happier
life than it was possible 10 lead IN the
midst of such effefe civilizations.
Let me be clearly understood. did
not continue the business when l had
laid aside enough money to live upon
without it. Meantime can truly say
enjoyed it thousand times better than
ever did the law, and to me at least II
was a hundred times more lucrative.
and 1 bless the day when my clever