Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-15
BERTRAM.

Nathan threw himself down under
a tree at the seaside, and looked up
at the shifting pattern of leaves and
sky. His comely, boyish face relaxed.
He was tramp, he supposed; but he
was no longer behOlden to anyone;
he was tree! He felt an adventure.
some satisfaction, but was impatient
because his satisfaction was not COM
plete.
He began to blink. He had walked
six miles since noon. and the drowsy
insect sounds made him sleepy. He
ceased to think, and then ceased to
know.
Something reused him suddenly.
lie looked up, and saw an open buggy
with a woman and boy ON the seat.
and some bundles and potted plants
on the back. The buggy came to a
stop.
We've walked you up" the woman
said, as if apologizing. 1--WE thought
at first we knew you; we thought you
were Oliver Dodge"
That the good looking hoy was not
Oliver Dodge, but tramp with a
bundle, seemed to aStonish her.
''Its Just as we'll you woke me up, ~
said Nathan, getting up.
Are you going my wayP might
give you lift" said the woman 81
guess we can make room, Bertram?'
YES. said Bertram. He climbed
over the back of the seat very
PROMPTLY and sat down among the
pots and packages He was Younger
than Nathan, who noticed his sluil-
ing eyes and friendly look.
We've been to the Centre" the
woman said. driving on. Il had
some errands; and then l saw those
geraniums and had to get EN-"
''Shes got yardful now" said
Bertram. II tell her she'll have to
go some other road than the florists
If she wants to have any money left. T"
''Bertram says So" said the wo.
man, laughing. II can take you a
mile How much farther are you 60
ing?"
TO Monkey" Nathan answered,
warming to the friendly pair. That's
my home. I've come from Torring-
ton to-day" he added. boyishly will
ing to tell his chief concern. "Tve
been working for Mr. Hogan since
last year"
Joseph Hogan?" said the woman.
ellis is a big farm. isn't it?''
Sixty acres, and he thinks one
man ought to do the whole work and
not get mans wages either. call
hin, Not
holly. "Well, i II tell you just how
twas,
Il didn't like the way he treated
me. I'm willing to work, but want
to be treated fairly. ! just had the
b,unt of everything, always. | had
to work like slave. Up at four al
ways, and was lucky if | got to bed
by ten, busy times We plowed till
half-past ten, once; he was bound to
have it done that day. I've been so
tired sometimes l couldn't get to
sleep. never had day off.
"Well, he's done other things no.
body would have stood as long as |
have, and l got tired of it. I've
earned more than he's pad me; pve
known that, and this morning /
asked him to give me more, and told
him ! was dong mans work for
boys wages.
Ale said he'd give what he'd bar
gained to; and we had some words.
/ told him I wasn't bound to him.
anyhow, and if he couldn't deal fairly
"a leave. and did.
Il ate my dinner and fixed up my
bundle and started. I'd sent my last
months wages home, and didn't have
enough for the railroad fare, aud Pm
going to tramp it."
whoa" said the woman.
Bertram was getting out Of the
buggy. With Il parting smile he took
one of the bundles and went in at the
gate of farmhouse.
Il thought that was your boy" he
said.
mo" the woman answered.
"That's Bertram Taylor l feel some
times as though he was my boy. l
think the world of Bertram; there
never was better boy"
"What does he do?" Nathan saio.
heedlcssly, and feeling that his own
hard case had been sighted.
"He does the best he knows how"
said the woman, earnestly. "He
makes the best of pretty hard circum-
stances. Ii his father had lived, he
would have had some chance. But
he has stepfather. George Hubert
isn't the worst man in the world il
he isn't the BEST and l suppose he
thinks he's doing we'll by Bertram to
give him u home.
''Bertram isn't sixteen yet, but he
does as much on that place as HUI
bert does-nIore, l believe. Now,
before he's sixteen. he's doing a mans
work every day Of his life. It has taken