Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-04-21


Once more. therefore. they crept
away by stealth. leaving the useless
boxes to testify sadly to the credulity
OF human nature In the form OF land
ladies', and to the ~wickedness OF man
kind as exemplified in the professor.
Meeting on a road by moonlight out
side the own of Southampton. and
setting their faces toward the north.
the three unlucky people, with all
England before them, as the professor
once said, started out with a very
| childlike faith to see what could be
got out of il.
This is the kind Of thing, my love,
that | was born for" said the profess
sor, waggling his great head about
and staring all round him, as though
in search of a bird or beast anxious
TO be stuffed on the spot. mo more
will We be trammelled by streets, and
by bricks and mortar: the weather is
fine and we will make the most of ii.
We will set forth in quest of adven.
lures, and with an ardent desire to
provide successfully for Absalom's
future"
But what will II be like in bad
weather." asked Mrs. Tapney, ner-
vously.
MY lear Diana, why ask me such
a foolish question as that?" asked the
professor. zone step at a time, my
love; sufficient for the day-and so
on. At the present moment we are
on good. firm. solid earth; whereas we
might have been tossing on the deep,
with dangers from shipwreck, and
sharks. and things like that. More
over, there Is a fine moor above us,
which is infinitely cheaper than lamps
or gas, and much cleaner at the price.
Let us. therefore, press forward, and.
when we are tired, seek repose in
Natures lap"
Not for me, thank you, Daine.,"
said Mrs. Tapney, emphatically. ma
lures lap is apt to be crawley, and
I'd rather be excused"
"Ah, my dear. you have not got the
true spirit Of the thing in you yet"
said the professor, p~ityingly. How
ever, as we have still a little money,
we will take our ease at an inn until
that money Is exhausted. Never have
| felt so light-hearted, or so free from
care, as at the present moment"
The professors light-heartedness-
began to vanish a little al time went
on. 1t being necessary that they
should live very economically, the
professor thought it best to regard
hiS email marty in tho liuht re nnrSnpS
shipwrecked; and therefore, whimsi-
cally enough, portioned out the money
he had left with much exactitude, in
order that it might last as long as pos
sible. The appetite of Absalom being
a large one, and that of Mrs. Tapney
not falling far short of 1t, the profess
sor found himself, by the second day.
existing. sc to speak, solely upon his
reputation for brain, which, in the
opinion of Mrs. Tapney. did not re-
quire feeding. And by the end of this
second day the professor found him
self with just sufficient to pay for bed
md breakfast for the three of them at
a wayside public house of a modest
| character, and with still nothing done
and nothing in prospect.
In the clean parlor Of the little pub
lie house, with its sanded floor, were
two other wayfarers like themselves
an old man, tall and gaunt, and a
young woman, strikingly handsome.
The professor gathered his small par
ty at one end Of the room, then con-
suited Mrs. Tapney as to the cheap
est supper that might be purchased
ultimately deciding upon bread and
cheese
BE consistent, my love-always be
consistent" said the professor, as he
gave the order In the lordly fashion
he might have done had he been or
dering a banquet. I'VE have gone to
| Nature: let us use natural products
especially If they're cheap. / shall eat
my cheese with a relish. because I
shall see fair and blooming dairy
maids making 1t and singing over
their work; bread also will have been
kneaded by stout, lusty. laughing men,
cracking the innocent jest with each
| other-men who have in all proba-
| bility assisted to garner the harvest
| from which the -four Is made"