Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-05
CHAPTER IV-Continued.

We made Eastwich Port about noon
and had dinner. I cooked up a kettle of
chowder-fetched the CLAIMS along with
me from homeland 'twould have done
you good to see the Heavenlies lay into
1t. Lord James he skipped around like a
hoppergrass in a hot skillet. fetching
glasses and laying out nine or ten diff
ferent kind of forks and spoons side of
each plate. and opening wine bottles. and
don't know what all. When he hove
In sight of the wharf that morning he
was toting basket pretty nigh as big as
ne was. I asked him what it was.
why. the 'amper." says he.
The which," says I.
THE lunch 'amper. of course" he says
The 'amper for the heatables.''
Well. wondered then what in the ma
ton was in it. for twas heavier than
lead. 1 remember that the heft Of IT
made me ask him If he'd fetched along
some of the late Hannah James leftover
riz biscuit. But now I see why twas
heavy There was enough dishes and
truck for ten men and the cook in that
basket. We had my chowder and four
kinds of crackers with it. and chicken
and asparagus. and nine sorts of pickles
and canned plum pudding with sass. and
coffee and good loud healthy cheese, and
red wine and champagne When I'd
hoisted in enough of everything SO my
pulling on one Of the Twins cigars, ]
says to VAN
"Mr. Van Brunt." says I. sis this part
of what you call the natural life?"
You bet skipper!" says he. He hadn't
finished the chowder end of the layout
yet.
Well, 1 heaved a sigh. Twas kind OF
unnatural to me. having come on me all
to once: but l carlated l could get used
to 1t in time without shedding no tears
Didn't want to get used to it too quick
neither: I wanted the novelty to linger
along, as you might say.
When the dinner was over-the Heaven
lies was we'll enough acquainted with the
family to nickname it "lunch'-I started
In to help his lordship wash dishes. The
pie Of pine trees and blew smoke rings.
Hurry up there. messmate," says I to
the valet: II want to get through time
enough to run up to the fair grounds and
see that greased-pig race"
Hartley had been keeping so still l cali
lated he was dropping off to sleep. but it
seems he want. He set up. stretched.
and got to his feet.
'I'll so with you. skipper says he.
Might as well do that as anything. I've
don't have 'em on the street.
Chase nothing but lambs there.
drawls Van Brunt. lazy. and with his
eyes half Slut. Then he turned over and
looked at his chum.
Great Caesar! Martini" he says, .you
don't mean to tell me that you're going
up into that crowd of hayseeds to hang
over fence and watch some one run, do
YOU: Why any one on Gods earth
should want to run. he saws. when
they can keep still. is beyond me: and
why you. of all men. should want to
watch 'em do it--that's worse yet. Come
here and be natural and decent
But Hartley wouldn't do it. His blue
streak seemed to have struck in again
and he was kicking the sand. nervous
like. with his foot.
Come on. VAN he says. IT want the
walk
Not much' says Van "Walkings al
most as bad as running. I'll be here
when you get back" And he stretched
out on the pine needles again.
1t may be that Hartley did want that
walk, same as he said. but he didn't seem
to get much fun out of it. Went pound
ing along. his cigar tipped up to the visor
Of his cap. and his eyes staring at the
ground all the time. And he never spoke
two words till we got to the fair grounds.
There was a dickens of a crowd five or
six hundred folks, l should think and
more coming all the time. Everybody
that could come had borrowed the horses
and carryalls of them that couldn't and
had brought their wives and mothers-in-
law and their children's children unto the
third and fourth generation. There was
considerable many summer folk-not so
many as there is at the cattle show in
,August-but a good many. just the same.
I counted five automobiles. and l see the
Barry folk from Trumet riding round in
their four-horse coach and putting on
airs enough to make 'em lop-sided.
Hartley gave one look around at the
gang and his nose turned up to II O'clock.
"Gad!' says he. this. or something
like 1t, is what I've been trying to get
away from. Come on. Sol. Let's go
back to the boat.
But l hadn't seen so many shows as he
had and wanted to stay.
/ "You wait a spell. Mr.. Hartley" says
l. Lets cruise round a little first
So we went showing along through the
crowd. getting our foes tramped on and
lodging peddlers and such like every
other minute. There was the test your
strength machine and the merrygo-
round and the ''ossified man. in a tent ::
eyes on the greatest marvel of the age
all alive and solid stone only two nickels
a dime 10 cents and all the rest of it.
Pretty soon we come to where the Teller
was selling the E PIuribus Cnum candy
red, white and blue. and slab as big
as brick for a dime.
Hartley stopped and stares at it.
For heavens sake!' says he. What
do they do with that"
do with it," says I. Eat it, of
course.
No. he says. Not really?"
I "Humph.' l says. You just wait
shake.
There was little red-headed youngster
knees and 1 caught him by the shoulder
.If ApdraU JackSon"' saws I .swapt