Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-04-14
e.. .....R
! AN ideal SHATTERED :
d j.
Pining For Country Comforts, Mich
:. olson Tried Them. He Came
Back to the City Diff >
/: Fl ferent Man.

l
V'....V'.... ......V'....V '....t5
| Nicholson took his feet down from
the radiator, threw away the butt of
his cigar and said to his partner:
II think I'll take run over to Mich
igan tomorrow, Smith. l haven't Wis
tied the old folk in winter for ten
! years, and I've been thinking of them
all day. Strange this beastly cold
weather always turns my thoughts to
the old fireside, where on such day as
this we all used to ,snuggle around the
| big coal stove in the sitting room and
eat apples, drink cider, spin yarns,
yawn, loll around as we pleased and
go to bed before 10 o'clock.
:. "Ah, Smith, we haven't anything like
| that old freside in this big, artificial
city. Here everything is done for you.
You get your fiat ready heated, tall the
hot water you need, groceries deliver
ed by speaking tube, sidewalks shovel
ed by the janitor and yourself carried
down almost to your office door by a
street car. Artiiciality everywhere.
It is a life that tends to make us lazy,
to relax our muscles, to breed dyspep-
STA and liver complaint. Give me the
good old days when we had to8hustle
to be comfortable. That was when we
enjoyed our little luxuries, because we
knew we had earned them! Now, as
stove, 1 have an overweening desire to
step in and share it's comforts with
them, if only for a day. l guess you
can get along without me?"
Certainly" said Smith. "Stay Ion
ger, If you wish. should say that
such a prospect would make you long
to spend at least week at home. |
can get along for that time. And |
may say envy you the pleasure you
are to have. Alas, have always lived
in this city, and l know nothing but
the artificial comforts of a steam heat
81 fiat. l wish l were going with you.
Take a week, old man, and tell me all
about it when you get back"
Thanks, old fellow" said Nichol-
son, rising briskly. eff you can stand
it, guess I'll stay away for week
from Sunday. See, this is Saturday. l
can catch an afternoon train, get to the
'old home early this evening and sur
prise the old folk while mother is set
ting up her batter cakes for tomor
rows breakfast. Ever eat any of those
homemade batter cakes? Haven't!
Well, my dear fellow, you haven't liv-
ed more than three-eighths Of your life,
Now I'm off. See you in week. You
know my address should be wanted
sooner" ....-
Sunday the thermometer dropped
away below zero, and Smith found no
trouble in following his inclination to
remain in his cozy, heated fiat, read
ing, smoking, doing and playing with
the children. He had nothing else to
do. for the janitor kept the steam at
proper pressure There was no ;cGal to
carry in, no kindiing to split, no early
fires to build-nothing, in short, ito do
but rest, or. rather. as he called h, iloaf.
He pictured Nicholson in fancy, and
the picture actually made him enVious.
A dozen times during the day he wish
small country village so he could shave
enjoyed the old d1eside. the roaring
logs in the CRATE, the cider and ;apples
and the strenuous life which all this
implied. To have everything done for!
ones comfort, and by some zone else. /
was not in keeping with his ideas of
proper enjoyment. NicholsoHss graphic,
picture had made Aim q tride 'diseon-j
tented.
bt Sunday night the mercury took "a /
drop a few degrees lower, hut there
was no snow. and the jan1tar did his l
duty nobly. Monday morning was col J;
loquial!y termed a '.corker," but as
Smith had only a block to go ITO his,
train he suffered NO Inconvenience and
reached his office with but q vague i'm Il
preston that it was a cold day.
At o'clock that afternoon Nicholsona
walked in, dropped his grip in "a cor
ner. kicked the cat over the transom.
lighted>a small gas heater and sat omit. i
Smith was SO surprised at first he i
could do nothing but stare at his part
ner. Then gradually he found his i
tongue. whats the matter. Nick? i
Didn't find anything wrong with the i
old folks, did you? Cider run out?
Old .freside covered with icicies?
Look here, Smith'-and there was "a j
world of pathos in Nieholson's voice /
81 wouldn't tell you word about THAT /
trip il was not convinced it is my du- |
ty. may have set your fancy going !
with nay description Of the time was /
to have. i may have made you diseon-
tented with your hard and barren lot in /
this city. lwant to be square and hon |
est even at my>own expense. am the |
originator of that expression I'D rath- |
ar be right than be president | want |
you to listen to me while l relieve my
mind and incidentally rend one of the
biggest myths on earth"
A'"Then you didA't find things as you
taRcied them?" began Smith. but Mich
bison waved him to silence.
AfYou just listen to ny plain, unvar