The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-10-18

| bareheaded and barefOOted, clad in a
! striped calico shirt and homespun
/ trousers held by a one gallus sus-
| pender, and went pattering about the
place looking after this and that.
! 1t was a warm "mushy" morning i'll
! late summer, with clammy mist fall
! ing, through which the smoke curled
! slowly upward from the chimney Oh
the kitchen, where Bills wife was oak-
| ing soda biscuits and frying white
meat. It was a "saft" morning, as
: Meg Dods. in SCOTS Saint Roman <
! Well" described it to the Indian ma
! bob in the office OF Squire Bindloose.
AS Bill stood meditatively scratch
! ing with his toe the sde of razor
! back hog lying against the pig-pen, he
saw man come trudging up the road,
; CARRYING a black, shiny valise, the sort
, of grip-sack that has mouth like an
alligator's, can hold a barn full and
never has anything in it. AS he came
nearer Sears recognized Tom Jones,
| farmer of about his heft, living two
or three miles down the road, and
hailed him:
Hello. Tom! whar you off ter, this
arly in the day?'
"Off to Texas, Tom" said the new
conner, as he slouched up to the little
| gate, and rested the valise on the top
rail Of the fence.
ITO Texas? The land sakes!
Eyes; I'd starve to death here. "A
fellow can't have no show. My crop
won't pan out enough to run seed ticl:
through the winter
well, you're more'n half right, Tom
I have a gOOder mind to go along with
! you My corn amt knee high to a
| duck; and, blame my hide, if it didn't
commence a-tasseling before it was
good outen the ground WharabOuts
in Texas do you aim to pull up, Tom?
| Along about FL Paso?"
| 'T think it more'n likely I'll land
about thar, Bill.
"Well, I've got brother somewhere
about there They say he's doing
well. and's got money If you see him
I wish you'd tell him 7 say that I
wish for the Lords sake, he'd send me
a little help, to keep me from petering
plumb out. But Tom, I've got jug
! Of corn liquor in thar under the bed.
| Let's go in and drink to your trip"
! Seated on the side of the bed, eacn
| tilted up the jug and took long, long
/ swig.
$50 you're g-go-going to Texas?
spluttered Bill. coughing, and his eyes
running water with the fiery liquor.
Eyes, I reckon 1 better go. But,
tell you Bill, there's come out in my
crop vet
so there is in mine. AS tole you,
my corn's ruther small; but, Lord.
with good seasons, it'll head up, and
make snifty corn. I wonder jest where
that brother of mine is. If knew I'd
write to him. Maybe he's a-sufferin'
right now, and I'd give him a lift.
Let's take another drink
Lord, Tom, said Bill, smacking his
lips after his dram, and lying back
luxuriously on the bed, you wouldn't
have no call to go to Texas if you was
fixed like me. jest believe that when
my potatoes is dug they can't nat
urally lay on the ground; they'll spill
over the top rails of the fence"
I'm in jest as good a fix as you ever
dared to be, Bill You jist orter see
my chufas. Hang me if don't believe
there's bushel of 'em to the hill.
Lets take another drink" said Bill
Strengthening up, and reaching for
the jug. The pessimistic drawl, the
calamity whine, were gone; their
voices rang with don 't-care, exultant
optimism. while the ruddy glow Of
the corn whiskey had knocked the tai
low out Of their lantern jaws.
| when you git to Texas" Bill went
on, putting the jug slowly down.
Damn Texas" broke in Tom.
What does a man like me want with
Texas? Why, l kin lay in bed. and
hear my corn fairly a-crackin', and the
ipea-vines is reaching out for somethin'
solid to hold onter while they grow!"
We'll, you know, Tom, we was a.
talk1n about Texas; and | was JlSt
going to say that when you git to
Texas. if you see my brother tell him
to go to Jericho, poor devil. If he
wants anything let him draw on me
for the whole amount; and, if he
wants it bad, and wants it quick, let
him wire, and I'll telegraph it, by
gum! Let's take anotheri"
mild. cloudless morning is the
type of beauty in nature to the poet,
climbing the breezy heights of fancy.
like
Mercury, new-lighted on a heaven
kissing HILL
and to the dreamer stroling along for
| est arcaGes and bending his head un-