Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-05

outside, 1t was neat, though uncoInmoniy
bare. fnside-the furniture had been going
out piecemeal for the necessaries of life
since Hates mans death. we found cut aft
erward.
But the neatest thing In or within forty
miles of that shanty was Kate McCSlons
herself For Kate was a staving beauty
from the far south of ireland-a smashing,
handsome woman OF buxom sinuosities that
were discernabie even arrayed as she was
In her poor calico dress.
Chuck took ono look at Kate McGion5
when she came to the door In response to
our knock Then he acted like he was
going to sit down on the rfckety steps and
take rest for himself There was no
manner OF doubt whatever that Chuck was
all In. all right. so powerful was the ini-
mediate impression created upon him by
the looks of Kate McGlone. Chuck could
not much moro than wobble I'm when she
invited US into her poor little old stripped
outfit. and, when he thought Kate wasn't
looking. Chuck gave me a kick on tho leg
that / can almost feel yet For her part,
hate cast quite number of side-long
chances at Chuck when he seemed to be
not paying any attention Chuck was
something good to look at, an arrow
straight ombrey. two inches above the six
foot mark, broad as door at the Shout
ders. and with as good head and coun-
tenance as you'd ever see on a cow-thumpcr
II you looked from the Columbia to the Rio
Grande. I'd seen many a smart woman IN
Kansas City wheel in her tracks to take
another view of Chuck after he'd got by
although Chuck himself didn't know that
there was much difference between his
looks and jack-rabbitts, not being any
whatever stuck on Himself. so to speak.
Kate Liked the Proposition.
Yes, Kate would take the ranch Job, she
said, after Chuck had nudged mo to tho
center and made mo tell her all about II.
There was nothing TO keep her In Kansas
Slty' now that-weil, she didn't say what,
out we understood all right, and coughed
a-pienty go to get her or that Shed like
to get within reasonable distance of her
prother IN New Mexico, and she had no
children to hobble her movements we
had come at an opportune time.
ChucIs didn't say thirty words while
hate McGlone was telling me that she
SouIu oo All OF the things a ranch-serving.
woman would be called upon to do hui
when she got to that Chuck crossed and
recrossed his legs four or FIVE times and
wired MS sombrero around on his thumb
and cleared his throat several times and
sieii ne asked her. in a hoarse, embarrassed
Kind OF way:
McGlone?' '
/ Kate smiled confidently at that. and re-
Piled that she regretted that she had no
means OF proving it to him by laying a
meal before him. her larder not being ex-
actiy overlooking.
" "A sure-enough hungry csp,n +bts 1,o-.
X. c.. said Chuck then. Amt never been
SO hungry nowheres as am yere Could
SCI away with a coyote. petit and all, right
suggest.
tnaeiione, that maybe you wouldn't mind.
posin Ia hike around and rummage fr a
aiiliul o the eats on the hoof-maybe YOU
%o9idh mind pansizzlin' the same fr me
ana my podner yere, SOS We wouldn't have
nike none these onnery grub plants
'nal all Jugs and nothin' t eat on
rate McGlone's smile of acuuiescenca
When Chuck got off that delicate sueoaa-
no tion was worth seeing. OF course she would
pe slad to cook anything for US. She mated
~ ~ PC 80 situated as TO have folks bring In
thelr own stuff to be cooked but
Vel, Chuck was already out OF the door
ana sailing for the nearest market house
az a pony lope. That left me behind with
nate rate M. McGlone; and put in the time plug
IN her lap and looked a-plenty Interested
whIie talked of Chuck's good points.
III ABOUT twenty minutes Chuck stag
selea III under load OF eatables big
enough Tor juniper-country hired mans
Iless-apout seven pounds OF rich thick
cut lamb chops, sack of new spuds four
cans OF the most expensive French peas
ne could nail, four boxes OF strawberries
box OF new tomatoes. and a raft OF other
truck, as much of 1t as he could carry.
ana Chuck was a powerful strong carrier,
at that Kate conducted Chuck TO the
kitchen, where he set down the basket for
her to go through and do as she liked
with, and then Chuck and l sat out on tho
ittle front porch and smoked our corn
GODS and inhaled the fetching aromas that
presently began 10 float out from the kitch-
en- Chuck was pretty taciturn during that
smoke He seemed to have a lot on his
mind. The only remark he made was
when a particularly appealing whiff OF
those broiling lamb chops slip out through
the front door on to the porch and past
ashes out of his pipe and pulled his hat
over his eyes and, looking at me solemnIy,
observed:
Chucl, Sat in Brown Study.
'Jes' because their names happen t. be
McGlone and such like, they don't all
have t be kitchen mechanics. podner. I've
k1 owed heap o range bosses L be disap-
p'inted some in little matters sence 1 been
pun chin cattle, and no mistake with
which mysterious utterance Chuck again re-
lapsed into silence. until Mrs Mcdilone ap-
pear ed at the front door and summoned
US to the feed.
I'm not going to try to describe that
feed or how good IL tasted. But. just to
give line on how good Kate McGIone was
In fixing up little impromptu things of that
kind I'll remark that those Southdown
lamb chops were pan-broiled by Kate, and
she served EN- each on little triangular
piece of toast to sop up the good juices of
the meat, with little sprig of parsley
from her backyard patch, garnishing each
chop. And that strawberry shortcake was
one of those things that you could Just take
a bite out of and then throw your head
back and listen to the music. And the rest
of II was to match. We just ate and ate for
half an hour or so without a recess. and
then Chuck pushed his chair back a little
to give himself some breathing space.
(which I'm bound TO remark said
Chuck then. looking square at Mrs. Nc
Clone, that they's other Jobs, sides that
o. which me and my podner spoke, out yon-
der on the old TriangleT, a-waitin' FIR
lady what knows so much about heavin' tn
eats { the center you all do, Mrs Nc
Cine Better jobs, too, In way. One OF
'em in parttc'lar is a hull heap better, the
on'y drawback t the same bein' that IL
involves Twin alongside o one o. the mean
est satamountest, onneryest, no-'countest
oulbreys this eide O. Yuma or that other
warm piace-the same ondesarvin' tndivid-
jool bein' ombrey by the name o Al Gong
fr Chuck OMallon, which is here present
t take whatever punishment Is a-comln
t him.
Kate McGlone blushed very red at that.
AS for me, always knew when 10 duck,
I bolted what remained Of my last hunk or
strawberry shortcake and then grabbed
my hat and told Chuck that I'd meet MIN
at our hotel later along in the evening
passed a hasty thank-you TO Mrs. McGlone
for the feed and then 1 made my getaway.
"'You all want to keep sure sober, pod
ner' Chuck called after me as mixed out,
because II I'm as lucky as I'm beginnin
Z feel I'll be needin pal as witness t
some doin's in these yere parts drecuH
sure hope So
-Four hours later Chuck turned up at the
hotel with a face on him like q full moon.
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