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

Ing and fishing and claiming and taking
gangs of summer folks out on seasick
parties is the proper thing. hey? And
your boss and his chum want to live
simpler?
Yes, he said they wanted to live real
simple.
well" says I. "if Hubby Ann scudder
cooks for 'em that's the way they'll live.
He went on with another rigmaroie
about how the Heavenlies had lived In
New York Cutting out everything about
himself and that British lord-which was
two-thirds of the yarn-there was some
stuff about girl named Page that inter
ested me. Seems she was the real thing
in society, too. Had money and good
looks and fine clothes-all the strenuous
nuisances. And she was engaged to
Hartley once, but they had row or
something and broke 1t off. And now
she was engaged to Van Brunt.
But. see here" l says. puzzled. If
she's engaged to Van why amt he to
home counting her instead of dissipating
on baked beans and thin feather beds
over to Scudder's? Why amt he to
home in New York getting ready to be
married."
Well. the marriage, SO James said. was
to be arranged later Near as | could
find out Van and this Agnes Page had
mighty little to do with the marrying.
Twas their folks that was fixing that up.
Agnes herself had gone to Europe with
great on charity. She done settlement
work, whatever that is, and her one idea
In life was to feed ice cream to children
that hankered for fishballs and brown
bread. This want exactly the way Lord
James give it out, but twas about the
sense of it.
Yes. yes says I. But how does
Hartley like cumming around with the
Teller that's going to marry his old girl?'
1t appeared that that was all right.
T. aVf1 ~ Van, .sl,t az n
other like brothers-or better. Little thing
like a girl or two didn't count, Hartley
was kind of used up and blue and down
on his luck and suffering from the nat
ural life disease: he wanted to cut for
simplicity and nature. So Van. having a
touch of the natural himself. come along
to keep him company.
But this Page girl?" says !. "How
does she feel on the natural life ques-
tion?'
"oh, she believes in it, too" says his
lordship ''Only she's more interested in
'er charity and 'elping the poor and hedu-
eating EN-" says he.
l fetched long breath. "Well, Mr..
Opper-Hopper ] mean l says. you
can say wnat you want to, but I'll still
hang on to my first notion. l think the
whole crew is stark. raving crazy.
I'd noticed that he hadn't been pulling
at my cigar much-a good five-cent Blue
bell cigar twas, too. Now he put 1t
MY good Teller" he says. would you
mind If / tried one of me own weeds ?
Ave one yourself" says he
l took the cigar he handed me. 1t was
one OF Van Brunt's particular brand.
Hump" thinks /. your bosses may
be simpletons for the love of It. Brother
James. but not YOU. No. stree. You re
in 1t for the value OF the manifest
In another half hour or so the Heavenly
Twins showed up alongside. And then
twculd have done you good to see that
Wallets back get timber. He bowed and
scraped and shred till you couldn t
rest They spoke to him like he was II
dog, and he skipped around with his tail
between his legs like he was one-a yell
low one, at that.
When we'd passed the point out comes
that everlasting book and thef Twins got
at 1t.
Van" says Martin Hartley. setting UP
and taking notice. 1.-The natural life fer
mine. envy the lucky devils who've had
1t all their lives.
'Twa'n't none of my affairs. but l
showed my oar in here--couldn't help 1t.
You feIlers amt getting the real arti-
cle-not vet" says /. There's a hotel
over back Of the village where the board
ers get the ginuine simple life-no frills
included" l says.
They was interested right of.
Where's that, skipper says Van
Brunt whats its name?"
WELL" says 1. folks round here call
1t the poorhouse.'
Then they both laughed. Good nice fell
lers. as / said before. even If they was
crazy.
CTo be continued tomorrow