Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-04-10

Il III = !l i''A e. '''li-. " H. S4I' ''''i'
softly.
som T." hc as*cntcl heartily
whats the sense in being old. any
how? I'm as timber and good for
myself as ever was in spite OF my
forty years"
You're not forty years Old eX-
claimed Miss Matte. You're joking"
Mary jal;e-f,r.y round trips from
flying snow To roses since hit land.
Matte why. you were only little
girl when left here don't you re-
member? You ard your folks came to
see Us the week before left. l got
thrashing for taking you and Joe to
the millpond and helping you to get
good and wet. The thrashing was one
Of the things that gave me banker
ing for the west. Very liberal man
with the hickory, father. Spare the
clothes and spoil the skin was his
motto. He used to make ME strip to
the waist-phee-hew! Even light
breeze rested heavy on my back when
dad got through with me. Say, Matte.
perhaps l oughtnt to say so. now that
he's gone. but I don't think that's the
proper way TO use boy, do your"
"No, I don't" said Miss Matte.
"Your father meant well. but his way
was useless and cruel"
1--WE forgiven him the whole
sweep" said Red. But, d-n me,
If had boy I wouldn't club the life
out Of him; Id try to reason with him
first. anyhow. Makes n boy as ugly
as anybody else to get the hide whaled
of his back for nothing-once in
awhile he needs 1t. Boy that's got any
life In him gets to be too much &C.
casiOnally, and then warming Is
healthful and nsurishing Lord, you'd
, think I was the father Of my country
to hear me talk. wouldn't you? II
sOmebody'd write a book, What Red
Saunders Don't Know About Raising
Children 1t would be full Of valuable
Information. How's that breakfast
coming On?"
"All ready-sit right down, WILL"
go your cried Red, and incautious-
ly flung himself upon one of the kitch-
On chairs. which collapsed instantly
and dropped him to the floor.
| mercy on us! Are you hurt?" cried
Miss Matte. rushing forward.
"IIurt!' said Red. TRY II! Just
jump up In the air and sit on the floor
where you are now, and see IL you get
hurt! Oh, no! I'm not hurt. but I'm
astOnished beyond measure, like the
man that tickled the mule. I'll take
my breakfast right here-shOuldn't
wonder bit II the floor went back
sir! l won't get up! Hand ME the
supplies. I know when I'm we'll of.
| II you want to eat breakfast with me.
come sit on the floor. I'm not going to
have my spine pushed through the top
Of my head twice In the same day"
Twill, you are the most ridiculous
| person ever did sec" said Miss Mat
tie. and she laughed till she cried In
sheer lightheartedness. But there's q
chair you can trust. Come OH now"
well. II You'll take your solemn
oath that this one has no mustache to
! deceive me-" said Red doubtfully. 1t
looks husky. Well. I'll try 1t. HOoray!
She didn't give IN inch! This kind Of
reminds me Of the time Jimmy Hen
bricks came back from town and
| walked OF the edge Of the bluff in the
dark. 1t just happened that Old Scot
| ty Ferguson's cabin was underneath
him. Jim took most Of the roof of
with him as he went in. He sat
awhile to figure out what was trumps,
having come $50 feet too fast to do
much thinking. Then. 'Hcllov he yells.
Old ScOtty was sleeper from way
back. but this woke him up.
Hello" says he. 'Was'er matterr
| Jim saw he wasn't more than half
awake yet, 80 he says. why. was
up on the bluff there, Scotty, and, See
ing 1t was such a short distance. I
thought I'd drop I'M
Jaw RI grunted Scotty. Make
y'self t. home and with that he rolls
over.
Jim couldn't wait for morning, and.
though his leg was pretty badly
sprained. he made the trip all the way
round the trail and woke us up to tell
us how he'd gone through Ferguson's
roof and the old man asked him to
make himself ut home. Next morning
there was ScOtty out In front Of his
cabin, his thumbs in his vest holes.
looking up.
Whats the matter. ScottyY says l.
"'Well. wisht you'd tell ME what
In the name Of God went through that
roofT says he.
Il swallered a laugh crOssways and
put on a serious face. Must have been
q rock says 1.
crock nothin'r says he. III it had
been rock 'twOuld have stayed In the
cabin. wouldn't 1t? Well. there amt
the first blasted thing Of any shape nor
description in there but the hole. You
can so In and look for yourself
1T cost Scotty one case Of rye to
make US forget those circumstances"
II should have thought the man
would be killed, striking on the roof
that way" said Miss Matte.
"Oh. no! Roof was made Of quaking
asp saplings. just about strong enough
to break his fall. ScOtty was the
sleeper. though! 1t wasn't hardly nat
ural the way that man could pound bis
ear through thick and thin. He had
quite surprising time of 1t once He'd
been prospecting round the Ruby re-
fractOry ore district and he came out
Mt Hank Cutters sawmill just ut sun
down. Hanks place was full of gold
rushers, so Old Scotty thought he'd
sleep outdoors In peace and quiet He
discovered some big boxes that Hank
was making for ore bins for the new
mill. and as the ground was kind of
damp from a thunder shower they had
that day he spreads his blanket inside
the box and goes to sleep Ore bins
have to be smooth and dust tight, SO
1t wasn't bad shanty.
swell. there came a jar and walked
him up. The box was rolling a little
and going along. going along forty