Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-20

you was?" says !, breaking the ice.
"a vally, Mr.. Edwards vally."
"Vally. hcy?" says I. "Vally! Hum!
I want to know"
guess ne see was out Of sound
ings, 80 he condcscends to do some
spelling for me
wallet" says ne. "Vally."
oh" says l. "A Wallet. Yes, yes;
see"
about EN- In the papere-but this fell
ler's calling It "vally" put me of the
course, He was nothing but a for
eigner, though, so l made allowances.
give him q cigar that bought at
the grocery store on the way down,
and we III up. Then he commenced to
tell about himself and how he used TO
work for lord once over in England.
According TO his tell England was
next door TO Paradise and the United
States little worse than the other
place. "Gawd forsaken" was the best
word he had for YnDkeeland.
II suppose you'll quit when the
keeper comes" says /.
Keeper" says he. wat Keeper"
why. the fellcr from the asylum.
How tong has your boss and his ness
mate been crazy?" asks
"Crozy?" he says. Crazy? wat
do you mean?"
"Lcok here" says I. You tell me
straight. Amt Van Rrunt and Hartley
out Of their heads?"
"Out Of their eads? 'Eavcns, no."
He was so upset that he couldn't hard
~ speak for minute. Then he COM
menced to tell about the Heavenlies,
and 'twa'n't long atore begun to SEQ
that twas Nate Scudder and me that
needed a keeper. We was the biggest
looms In the crowd
Seems that the Twins was rich
New YOrkrrs--the richest and high
toncdest kind. Both Of an had money
by the bucket and more being left 70
ON while you wait They lived on
some avenue with number to It, and
they done business in the Street"
meaning that they dickered in bonds
and such things, gathered. Also
gathered they didn't have to work
overtime.
But, II they amt crazy what made
EN- como down here to live" says
l, at Nate Scudder's?"
We'll, that was a kind Of poser, even
for Mr.. James Opper Hopper Know-it-
ALL He commenced 10 tell about so.
ciety and pink teas-I guess twas
pink; might have been sky-blue
though-and races and opera parties
and stocks. and Strenuous life" and
the land knows what II seemed to
simmer down finally 10 that book The
Natural Life Seems there was a
kind OF craze around New York and
the cities, stirred up by that book, 70
get clear Of luxury and comfort and
good times and so on, and get to
| living like poor folks. Living the
Natural Life" the valet called It.
"So?" says I. thinking Of how
had to scratch to keep body and soul
together. i've been right in style all
my days and didn't know 1t. Hum |!
going cranberrying and fishing and
clamming and taking gangs OF summer
folks out on seasick parties Is the
yseper thing, hey? And your boss and
hts chum want to live simple"
Yes, he said they wanted to live
real simple.
We'll" says I, ~ Hubby Ann scud.
der cocks for en- that's the way
they'll live"
He went on with another rig1narole
| about how the Heavenlies had lived in
New York. Cutting out everything
about himself and that British lord
which YVES twoth,rds of the yarn
there was some stuff about a girl
named Page that interested me. Seems
she was the real taing 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 il of And now she was en-
gagged TO Van Brunt.
But, see here" I says. puzzled. III
she's engaged 10 Van why amt he 10
home counting her instead Of disslpat-
Ing 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 her ma. When
she was to home she was great on
charity. She done settlement work
wha lever that is. and her one idea In
life was TO feed ice cream TO children
that hankered for flshballs and brown
bread. This want exactly the way
Lord James give 1t out, but twas
about the sense OF ii.
Yes. yes" says |. But how does
Hartley like cumming around with
the Teller that's going to marry his old
girl?"
II appeared that that was all right
Hartley and Van was chuns; loved
each other like brothers-or better
Little thing like girl or two didn't
count. Hartley was kind Of used up
and blue and down on his lncll and
suffering from the Natural Life dis
ease; he wanted 10 cut for simplicity
and Nature. So Van, havin touch
OF the Natural himself, come along TO
keep him company,
"Dut this Page g!rlo" says I, How
does she feel on the Natural Life ques'