Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-03-04
'THE UNDRESSED KID"


and that Young Cub had been
playing some pranks on the grizzled
and testy Mr. Barr, and Hank, by way
OF delicate reference to the palpable
fact that the parental bed -slat or
trunk-strap had been allowed to get
dusty between 'whalings." when the
Infant had been OF yet more tender
years. bestowed upon his tormentor
the sobriquet by which he was ever
after known.
1t was not that the Kids years were
so few--he was twenty-two-but he
was. oh! such kid. " He had evil
IDENTIFY mingled with men for years.
but tho association did not seem to
have rubbed of any OF the marks OF
extreme youth. at least in his behavior.
and no one ever thought OF smiling.
even when Shorty Fleming, the boss
youngest brother, aged eighteen. ad-
dressed the Kid by any OF his numer-
Gus diminutives
One could not help liking the Kid,
in spite OF his FRANKS for he was al =
ways so good natured and obliging.
II he was ready to cut up hair brush
and scatter the bristles in some tired
fellows bunk about bedtime. he was
Just as ready to do double duty in case
his victim happened TO be ill.
There were few chickens at the
ranch, and one OF the Undressed' s
chiefest joys was to feed them corn
with string attachment, and laugh
himself almost to death at their fran
tic efforts to kick themselves loose.
But If one OF those same chickens
happened to be hurt or i'll he would
nurse 1t just as woman might
On the occasion when he stuck SHOE
makers wax on Hank Bars saddle.
and Hank came into supper without
the basement OF his jeans and made
sarcastic remarks. the Kid felt him
self born humorist and one would
have thought that capers OF this sort
were the highest aim in life; but it
was he who after a cold, hard days
work. rode twenty miles on a stormy
night to get a surgeon to set the leg
Hank had broken in the evening. But
FRANKS are FRANKS and the prankee
seldom takes the same view of them
as does the prankist; and thus IL came
to pass that the Kids light minded
ness. together with his everlasting
Iokishness, brought upon him the
scorn OF his -laborers at the
'HX." They all liked him we'll
enough, but that was all. They never
considered him or included him in
their plans. except when there was
some uncomfortable duty to perform.
In fact they paid very little attention
to him. Briefly, he acted like fif-
teen-year-old. and was so treated.
The next spring Miss Mary Brooke
appeared on the scene as visitor to
Colonel Hanford's, six miles south Of
us. She came. she saw-and the rest
OF it. Women were very scarce In
our vicinity especially young and
pretty ones, and to our unaccustomed
eyes. Venus and the three graces and
all the rest weren't in it with Mary
Brooke. and we bowed down and wor
shipped like lot Of half fledged
idiots.
We were all serious, too. 1t was
remarkable how many business trans
actions Bo-s Fleming had to talk over
with the colonel all OF sudden.
and how l. the Scribe. took such a
fancy to reading and discussing Brown
ing with Mrs. Hanford, who was
slightly dea', and, therefore, not easy
to converse with. 1t was not long,
however before Boss Fleming and
had the running all to ourselves.
Fleming, as a near neighbour. big
ranche-owner and wealthy man, had
strong hold on the colonel, and |.
the Scribe. having stuck to my desk
in early youth. and being, therefore,
able to talk little on such subjects as
Interested Mrs Hanford, had quite
captivated her. and the boys per
ceiving this state OF affairs, discreetly
withdrew and spent their evenings as
OF yore.
All but the Undressed Kid. He
boing from Boston-Miss Brookse
home-also came in for share of her
smiles and conversation; but as he
showed no signs OF change in his
youthful ways, we didn't pay much at
tention to him. except to consider him
much in the same light as one might a
nuisance in kits. He was in tho way
of course. but that didn't cause us any
worry.
To be sure. We wondered how it was
that Miss Brooke could tolerate his
nonsense and chatter. for she was
somewhat staid in her ways and a
person whom one would hardly sus-
pect of liking for levity. The boss
and were both sure that the Kids
constance presence would begin to pail
very briefly. he would make
Miss Brooke tired. and we two could
fight it out solely between ourselves.
But somehow. this state OF things
didn't come TO pass. The Kid man
aged to get in as many calls as did
the boss and !. and. what was worse,
usually had Miss Brooke pretty much
to himself. worse luck to the old folks;
and 1t made Fleming and myself very
weary to hear her laughing at his
time worn jokes. until the tears rolled
down her checks.
That the infant had serious inten-
tions never entered our heads OF
course, it was undeniable that Miss
Brooke liked him but that we as
sured ourselves, was in a spirit of
mere good-natured tolerance. Besides
who ever knew of the Kid ever hav-
ing a sweetly solemn thought?
Providence came to our aid. about
the middle OF July In the shape of a
telegram stating that the Kids
wealthy father with whom he had
not been on very good terms-that is