The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-06-06
"THE UNDRESSED KID"


CUP, nad Deem playing some prank 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 aet
dusty between "whalings." when the In
fant had been OF yet more tender years.
bestowed upon his tormentor the sobri-
Quet 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.v He had evidently mingled
with men for several years, but the asso-
citation 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, addressed the Kid by any one
Of his numerous diminutives.
One could not help liking the Kid. In
spite OF his pranks, for he was always SO
good nstured 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 fed the corn with a string and
stick attachment, and laugh himself al
most to death at their frantic efforts to
kick themselves loose. But IL one OF those
same chickens happened to be hurt or Ill.
he would nurse 1t just as woman might.
On the occasion when he stuck shoe
makers wax on Hank Barr's saddle, and
Hank came in tosupper without the base
ment OF his jeans and made sarcastic re-
marks, the Kid felt himself a born humor-
ist, and one would have thought that
capers OF this sort were his highest aim
In life; but 1t was he who. after q cold,
hard days work, rode twenty miles on
stormy night to get surgeon to set the
leg Hank had broken In the evening. But
pranks are pranks, and the prankee sell
dom takes the same view OF them as does
the prankist: and thus 1t came to pass
that the Kids light mindedness. together
with his everlasting jokishness, brought
upon him the scorn OF his fellow 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 un-
comfortable duty TO perform. In fact.
they paid very little attention to him.
Briefly, he acted like fifteen-year
and was so treated.
The next spring Miss Mary Brooke ap-
peared 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. espe-
ciaily young and pretty ones. and. to our
unaccustomed eyes. Venus and the Three
Graces and all the rest weren't In II with
Mary Brooke. anc We bowed down and
Mnrshiped Like n Lot OF half nedged idiots.
We were all serious. too. It was re-
markable how many business transactions
Boss Fleming had to talk over with the
colonel all Of sudden. and how ], the
Scribe. took such fancy to reading and
discussing Browning with Mrs. Eanford,
who was slightly deaf, and therefore not
easy to converse with. It was not long,
however, before Boss Fleming and l had
the running all TO ourselves. Fleming, as
q near neighbor, big ranch owner and a
wealthy man. had strong hold on the
colonel, and ]. the Scribe. having stuck to
my desk In early youth. and being there
fore, able to talk little on such subjects
as Interested Mrs. Hnnford, had quite
captivated her. and the boys. perceiving
this state Of affairs, discreetly withdrew
and spent their evenings as OF yore.
All but the Undressed Kid. He, being
from Boston-Miss Brookes 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 attention to him, except to
consider him much In the same light as
one might nuisance Ia kits. He was In
the way, Of course, but be didn't cause US
any worry.
To be sure, we wondered how it was
that Miss Brooke could tolerate his nom
sense and chatter, for she was, somewhat
staid In her ways, and person whom
one would hardly suspect Of q lik-
ing for levity. The boss and were both
LA sb
would make Miss Brooke tired and we
two could fight 1t out solely between our
selves.
But somehow this state OF things didn't
come to pass. The Kid managed 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 made Fleming and myself
very weary to hear her laughing at his
time worn Jokes until the tears rolled
down her cheeks.
That the Infant had serious intentions
never entered our heads. OF course It
Was undeniable that Miss Brooke liked
him; but that. We assured ourselves, was
In spirit OF mere good natured tolerance.
Besides, who ever knew OF the Kid having
sweetly solemn thought2
Providence came to our aid about the
stating that the Kids wealthy father,
with whom he had not been on very good
terms-that is, no terms at all-had gone
the way OF all humanity, and that the Kid
must come home at once, to look after
affairs.
We we're at the Hanfords', Fleming and
], that evening. when the Kid. who had
proceeded us by an hour or so, took leave
of Miss Brooke. He was not going back
to the ranch. having had his things sent
to town, In order to start early In the
morning. and he left shortly after we ar
rived.
Even II we had expected otherwise,
there was nothing touching in the Kids
leave taking. While not quite so light in
his speech as usual, he could hardly have
been accused ofseriousness, and he shook
hands with Miss Brooke In the same
hearty way as with the rest OF us.
Well, the KID was Off not for good,
FOR several weeks. at least. and the boss
and we're alone 10 the field, aud both re-
eoived to make hay while there were no