Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-11-21
CHAPTER III.
The M an.

see 'em pretty often during the
next week They used to loaf down to
the landing of morning, smoking
cigars, and with their hands in their
pockets. Crazy or not, there was a
something about 'em that kind of got
me; / own up l begun to like 'en, in
spite of their tophamper being out of
gear. AS a general run l don't banker
for the average city boarder. He runs
too much to yachting clothes and
patronizing. Neither the clothes nor
the airs set well; kind of look like
they was secondhand and made over
for him by the folks at home. When
one of that kind is out sailing with
me and begins to lord it and show off
afore the girls the Dora Bassett is
pretty apt to ship some spray over the
bow. A couple of gallons of salt
water sliced off wave top and poured
down the neck of one of them fellers
is the best reducer 1 know of; shrinks
his Importance like twas a flannel
shirt.
But Nate Scudder's private patients
want that kind. Not that they want
dressed. Land sakes! l don't s'pose
they wore the same vests two days
running. But they looked like they
they'd just been introduced and didn't
feel to home in 'em. And they didn't
patronize none to speak of; called me
Skipper" and "Sol' just as sociable
as could be. And as for the girls, they
never looked twice at any of the hotel
ones. Them two skittish females that
1 took over to Trumet used to get in
their way and beg pardon and giggle,
hosting Irritation signals, so to speak,
but Van Brunt and Hartley wouldn't
even come up into the wind; just kept
On their course like they was carrying
the mail. Twas these two females
that first named 'em 1.-THE Heavenly
Twins" twas shortened later to THE
HeaTenlies.''
Every time / took the Heavenlies On
| cruise the more certain 1 was that
they were loons-harmIess and good
| natured, of course, but looms just the
same Most generally they carried
a book along with 'em and read it out
loud to each other. They'd read a
spell and then stop and break out
with: BY Jove! that's so. He's right,
isn't he?" You'd think that book was
a human almost, the way they went on
about it I've heard minister do the.
same way over the Scriptures; but
lHlS wa II the b1Dl6, In6 name OF IL
was The Natural Life" l borrowed
once to look at, but twas all foolish
ness to me; telling about money being
cuss, and such rot I've been cussed
considerable sence / first went to sea,
but not by money-no, sir,
But Van Brunt would read three or
four fathom of rubbish out of 1.-The
Natural and then heave to and say:
odd we didn't think of that afore,
Martin 1t doesn't count for much,
does it? Well. we're through with it
now, thank God. Look at that sun
set Have a smoke. skipper"
And then he'd pass over cigar that
had cost as much as ten cusses box,
If I'm any judge of tobacco.
One night, just as we were coming
into port, Van says to me:
SOL" he says I'VE may want you
and the boat tomorrow My manl
let you know in the morning Mean
while just dodge the nautical bunch at
the hotel, will your
was good deal shook up. I'd al
most forgot that keeper
Mani" says /. "Oh, yes, yesi I see.
rs he here now?"
NO: coming tonight. believe By