The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-24
A CALIFORNIA COUNrENANcE

1t was yesterday that met a man with
the broadest. most beaming face that
stantly said to him, by the expression Of
your countenance you appear to have no
grudge against the world
Yes, said the man. this Is what call
my California countenance. ! used to
live in Kansas and there wore Kansas
faee s LEFT IA Kansas he added because anss
lived In
THE character of the house?" I asked
with surprise.
Yes said he "houses. like individuals
take on character; some houses are sub.
stantial and reliable. but that house. of
mine was different. inconstant. irresponsi-
BILE, shifty. One day was out in the corn
patch; the corn had silked out and there
were weeds in the hills. There I was hour
after hour wedding out the corn while the
Kansas zephyrs whipped the tops about at
a lively rate. was so much accustomed TO
ton to them Getting very tired went to
the house to rest. and as went In my wife
turned on me and said, 'Reub stickfast, II
your You u great dirty boots FL hunt up man
who will. Well l backed out as politely
as I could: wondering how it was that l
had come in from the outside through the
front door. when my habit always was to
enter from the back.
ical eye. saw that while had been weed
ing the corn whirlwind had lifte3 the
house and swung it exactly half round.s
end for end, the kitchen TO the road and the
parlor end in the back yard amongst the
ducks and chickens. 'Raldy. says |. call
ing to my wife. come quick. When she
surprised as j was. You see size had been
sewing on a long seam and hadn't looked
up from her work to notice the change To
fix matters l moved the Kitchen things to
the parlor and the parlor things to the
kitchen. and sorted things shipshape in
the center as best was able"
That was measly trick the wind Serv-
ed you, wasn't it,"
Yes was the, mans reply, but it
didn't begin with the next one"
"How was that?" I asked.
Eve had a wood lot some two miles across
country towaA> the city. and one morning
when we WOKE up we found that incon-
slant house of ours planted at the edge of
that wood lot.
THAT morning I had to go two miles
milk. and when ] got back breakfast was
over and the children gone to school. My
wife said if l couldn't get around to break
fastI could put up with cold snack. and
cold snack ii was. sure enough. said
that II was all on account OF the weather
Yes she replied true e enc and here
you could just as well move to Southern
California where they have decent wealth.
err. | was six days getting timbers and
fixing the house in shape TO snake back to
the vicinity of the barn. when on Saturday
night at dusk another zephyr came along.
picked us up as if we were feather and
carried us into the city, dropping us onto
a vacant lot between a saloon and the
Methodist church. There was a throng of
throng of folks going into the church: re-
Vival services. or something like, ~ each
OF the places. neither closing down until
midnight.
Next morning while some folks were
going to the church they saw me through
the open door. One of them said to me.
THAT is the man who is constantly on the
move. taking his house with him as the
snail does 1t made me so mad that came
very near not going to church, though.
finally. with my two little girls. my boy
and my wife. | did go. The sermon was
from the text, BE not forgetful to enter
tain strangers and it made me feel SO
good that | dropped a silver dollar in the
hat as ii went around When the service
was over the preacher came down the
aisle. shook hands with wife and l. kissed
the children. and then urged us so strong
TO hitch on with them in their work that
we said yes. The next morning when I
was out on the street squirting first one
way and then another to get mby bearings,
the saloon-keeper came out and invited me
in to take some thing for my stomach's
sake. like Timothy. When l said no. said
he It's in the Bible Yes said l. but
when I am treated I prefer being WELL
treated That instant there was flutter
of coat-tails in the air and the utter van
ishment of saloonkeeper indoors. That
was Monday and before night the city
clapped two street assessments onto me-
and the man who owned the lot where NV
house was dropped brought suit against