Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-11-11
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.
He looked up, and saw an open buggy
with a woman and a boy On the seat,
and some bundles and ported plants
on the back. The buggy came to
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 boy was not
Oliver Dodge, but tramp with a
bundle, seemed to astonish her.
'1t's just as well 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, Bertrand"
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 smil-
ing eyes and friendly look.
'We'Ye been to the Centre" the
woman said, driving on. 81 had
some errands; and then l saw those
geraniums and had to get 'em."
''She's got a yardful now," said
Bertram. 81 tell her she'll have to
60 some other road than the florists
IL she wants to have any money left"
"Bertram says So" said the wo-
man, laughing. II can take you a
mile. How much farther are you 60
ing?"
''To Moxley" 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. "I've
been working for Mr. Hogan SINCE
last year." ,.
"Joseph Hogan?" said the woman.
'tHis is 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
him q mean man." said Nathan,
holly. SWELL l II tell you just how
twas!
81 didn't like the way he treated
me. I'm willing to work, but I want
to be treated fairly. just had the
brunt of everything, always. L had
to work like slave. Up at four al
ways, and l 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 1 never had a day of.
SWELL he's done other things no
body would have stood as long as [
have, and 1 got tired of it I've
earned more than he's paid me; I've
known that and this morning
asked him to give me more, and told
him / was doing a mans work for
boys wages
'tHe said he'd give what he'd bar
gained to; and we had some words.
/ told him [ wasn't bound to him.
anyhow, and If he couldn't deal fairly
I'd leave, and did.
~ 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, and I'm
going to tramp it"
whoa" said the woman.
Bertram was getting out of the
buggy. With a parting smile he took
one of the bundles and went in at the
gate of farmhouse.
II thought that was your boy" he
said.
s.No," the woman answered.
'That's BeEtram Taylor. I feel some
times as though he was my boy. /
think the world Of Bertram; there
never was a better boy"
''Wnat does ne QO!" Nathan said,
heedlesslY, and feeling that his own
hard case had been sighted.
''He does the best he knows how"
said the woman, earnestly. sHe
makes the best Of pretty hard circum-
stances. LII his father had lived, he
would have had some chance. But
he has a stepfather. George Hubert
isn't the worst man in the world if
he isn't the best and l suppose he
thinks he's doing well by Bertram to
give him u home
"Bertram isn't sixteen yet, but he
does as much on that place as Hull
bert does-more, believe. Now,
before he's sixteen, he's doing mans
work every day OF his life. II has taken