The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-11
MR.. PICKLEY AND THE NACHERL
fRy Truman Roberts Andrews.


(By Truman Roberts Andrews.)
Beats all how folks is tes' a-goin'
crazy over these Eben Holden-David
Haruu kind O. novels" remarked Mr..
pckly, laying down his paper for
moment. and proceeding to polish his
specta cles on a corner Of the table cover.
Folks is jes like horned critters,
run in a bunch"
NO" objected the philosopher; Il
don't guess it's ezaclzly that. think
it's the natcherlism O. them kind o tales.
They're so PERFECTLY natcherl tes Ike
what we've all saw an heard, that they
slip right down easy"
..Jes' like sugar-coated pills., again
suggested Mrs. pickly: o..oz
"Ezackly," replied Mr.. PicSly, pleased
to find his "pardner' In an anaenable
mood; "exackly. You don't halter go to
work to imagine strange times, an
strange country, an strange people, an
.Sakermints,' an GadzoolSses;' but
you're jes' right to home, an you KNOW
TIL folks what's dom tn things, an
sayin' tn things, they're yer neighnors,
an you understand why they do en-
,rEey don't go to cuttin' an slashin' each
other with swords on tn count o some
kinder idee Of honor t us folks don't
understand; but they wrastle some purity
hard tussels on tn count o good, Oh
Fashioned honesty. Yes. It's tn match
eriis1n does it.
P;ckly. you amt SO took up with their
Gle, es an their funny looks, an tn fun
nv things they do, that you feel 1es' IKE
YOU was to d show or a dime musee
.That's it percisely." agreed Mr.. Pick
ly. enthusiastically; that's natcherlism.
Now thes man Twin up tn street
ways: I've met him goin' down town
almos' ev'ry mornin fer tn las 1hfee
months, an yet, at this minute,
couldn't swear fer certain eff he had q
moustache or not; that's natcheriism.
Now, spose I should meet him to-mor-
| row mornin' with his moustache painted
blue Ut might be purity an artlstic
| an all that but it's unnatcherl, ain =
| usto it; it's strikin' unreal; its TN
| moustache that tnt'rests me an nor Tn,
man. That's q histor cal novel. linen
| spose l met him with one side OF his
| 1noustache turned up an + other side
| turned down, indicatin' t. he's troubled
with idees o. some sort only can't guess
what in tunket he's drivin' at; that's a
| ARCHAEOLOGICAL novel, like tn one you
| was a-tryin' to founder through other
| day; that Holy Well business"
| .'I,wan't tn Holy Well" corrected
| Mrs. Piclly, twas TIL Sacred Fount."
/ wal, what's thu difference? It might
1 "a ben a Sinful Waterin' Thought fer al
| you could git out OF it But that's IL,
| it's natcherliSIn.
| fecllly natcherl t. I don't know whether
| he's got any whiskers er not, eff I'm In
/ t'resteG in him at all, I'm interested II
| tn man. an not his clo'es or Eoustache-
! Now, it's tn same, take it, with this
! we're OF Eb I'm ntreSted in his moss
/ sense an his burned big heart, an don
| halter pay much attention to tn rest lie
| talks modern United States talk, an
| stead O. wearin' a swoard he carries
/ iack-knife like me, ah l know him Why
1 wasn't l horned and brung up in OF
1 Vermont Why I could jes take some
| O. my OF days an put 'en down on paper
| an ,twould be jes' as good as Dave Har-
| nm or Eb Holden, er Quincy Sawyer, 81
| any on en-"
4 .sNow YER a-beginnin' to soar again.
/ warned Mrs Pickly. you better keei
| nigh to tn ground; it's safter. 'Yol
might git yer wings bruk
/ But don't you understand. Mrs. PICK
| "? it's as easy as roliln omen . .os
/ It's only bein' PERFECTLY natcherl. Any
body can be psrfecky natcherl. can
they?"
oval, mebbe; but it's PERFECTLY match
crI fer you to be goose; SO when yol
go to tryin' to be PERFECTLY natcherl that!
1 its what you gently be Is goose
Mrs. Pickly,'' remarked the Philoso
4 p',ti, SoiSiiipiSs =tiiSS iAe w. 2 49,
pirin' genius had such onhelptu
pardner to content agin as Henery zeb
ulom Pickly, never-less twas Socertes
But Tn a-goin' right ahead: deeds speak.
i louder than words: an / shall spill zret
hot ashes on your head by dedicatin' m!
4 book to my lopin' pardner through Life
i thorny voyage. Marian Pickly.''
Drawing the table with writing ma
4 terials to one OF the windows, Mr.. Pick.
i piled off his coat, got#on a pair Q
i slippers and squared himself to his WORT