Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1906-10-04
CHAPTER Xxx.


TOWN WITH HIS MAN.
One day in December Peter Blnes, OF
Montana City, dropped in on the FAM
ily-came with his gaunt length of
limb, his kind, brown old face with
eyes sparkling shrewdly far back un-
der his grizzled brows, with his rough,
resoRant, musical voice, the spring OF
youth in his step, ana the fresh, con-
fident strength of the big hills in his
bearing.
He brought Billy Brue with him,
person whose exact social status some
of Percival friends were never able to
fix with any desirable certainty. Thus,
Percival had presented the old man,
the morning after his arrival, to no
less person than Herbert Delaney
Livingston, with whom he had smoked
cigar of unusual excellence in the
cafe of the Hightower hotel.
If you fancy that weed, Mr.. Bines,"
said Livingston, graciously, to the old
man, 1--WE a spare couple of hundred
I'd like to let you have. The things
were sent to me, but l find them
rather stiffish. If your mans about
/ the hotel I'll give him card to my
man, and let him fetch them.''
"My MANI" queried Uncle Peter,
and, sighting Billy Brue at that mo-
ment, why, yes, here's my man, now.
Mr.. Brue, shake hands with Mr.. Liv-
ingston. Billy, go up to the address
he gives you, and get some of these
se-gars. You'll relish 'em as much as
1 do. Now don't talk to any BtrAH-
gers, don't get run over, and don't
lose yourself"
Livingston had surrendered wav-
ering and uncertain hand to the warm,
reassuring clasp of Mr.. Brue.
HE amt much fur style, Billy
amt" Uncle Peter explained when
that person had gone upon his errand,
"he amt a mite gaudy, but he's got
friendly feelings"
The dazed scion Of the Liyingstons
had thereupon made a conscientious
tour Of his clubs in public hanson,
solely for the purpose Of relating this
curious adventure to those best quail
fed to marvel at it.
The old mans arrival had been quite
unexpected. Not only had he sent no
word of his coming, but he seemed,
indeed, not to know what his reasons
had been for doing thing so unusual.
Thought I'd Just drop in on you ali
and say 'howdy,'" had been his first
avowal, which was lucid as far as 1t
went. Later he involved himself ia
explanations that were both obscure
and conflicting. Once it was that he
had felt a sudden great longing for
the life Of gay city. Then it was
that he would have been content in
Montana City, but that he had under
taken the winter in New York out of
consideration for Billy Brue.
"Just think of it," he said to Per
cival, chat poor fellow amt ever
been east Of Denver before now. II
want good for him to be holed up
out there in them hills gil his life,
He hadn't got any chance to improve
his mind"
He'd better improve his whiskers
first thing he does" suggested Per
cival He'll be gold-brlcked IL he
wears 'em scrambled that way around
this place"
But in neither Of these explanations
did the curious old man impress Per
cival as being wholly ingenious.
Then he remarked casually one day
that he had lately met Higbee, who
was on his way to San Francisco.
II only had few minutes with hin
while they changed engines at Greer
River, but he told me all about you
folks--what fine time you was hay
In. yachts and card parties, and al
like that. Higbee said man ought
to come TO New York every now aD6
then, Jest to keep from getting rusty.
Back Of this PeFciyal imagined TO
! a time that he had discovered Uncl
/ Peters true reason for descending
, upon them. Higbee would have re
, called him with Wild tales Of the New
. York designations, and Uncle Pete
! had come promptly on to pull him up
{ PerciyaI could hear the story as Hig
] bee would word 1t, with the improvlni
: moral incident Of his own sol
t snatched as brand from the "Tender
[ lloin," to live life OF impecunious use
r fulness In far Chicago But, when b
1 tried to hold this belief, and to prov
. 1t from his observations, he was boun
: to admit its falsity. For Uncle Pete
had shown no inclination to act tn
{ part OF an evangel from the virtuou
/ west He had delivered no homille'
/ no warnings as to the fate Of peopl
!. who incontinentiy "cut loose" II
. had e4lnced not the least sign Of an
3 disposition even TO sriticiAe.
Z On ;ae contrary, indeed, he apDeare
to Joy immensely IN Percivals way Z
) lie He manifested . willingness an