Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-01-28

FORK that I sell cranberrieu 30. He
said . couple Of friends Of his wanted
TO come N q place in the country
where twas quiet. Did know OF such
a place round here? Well, course /
wrote back that twas nice and quiet
right at our house. There want no
lie in that. was there. sol?"
mo" says. Il should say
wouldn't be shaving the truth too
close IL you'd said there was more
quietness than anything else down on
the Neck road"
Well" he goes on, not noticing the
sarcasm, II wrote and never got q
word back. Me and Hubby had given
up hearing. And then, yesterday
morning, they come-both of 'em.
Nice lookin' young fellers as ever you
see. they are; dressed Just like tho
chaps In the clothes advertisements in
the back Of the magazines. The big.
gest one-they're both half as tall as
that mast, seems soho took up his
hat and says. kind Of lazy and grand.
like a steamboat captn:
"'Mr. Scudder?' he says.
That's my name says I. was
kind OF suspicious: there's been so
many sewing.machlne agents and such
round town this spring. And yet I'd
ought to have known he want no sew
ing.machIne agent
"'Ah!' he says. You've been OK.
pecting us. then. Has the luggage
Gomez
What In time did know about his
luggage, as he called It?
NO says l. "Taint.'
"'Oh. well. never mind, he says, Just
as II ton or two OF baggage didn't
count anyway. Can you give us two
sleeping rooms, two baths, a setting
room. and a room for my mann
Two baths?' says /. Can't you
take bath by yourself? You seem
to be having lots OF funny jokes with
me- Would you mind saying what your
name Is and what you want?'
He looked me over sort OF odd.
Beg pardon he said. I thought you
were expecting US. Here's my card
81 looked at It, and there was the
name Edward Van Brunt, printed on
IL. Then l begun to get my bearings,
as you might say.
OH says. I see.'
$50 glad, I'm sure. he says Now
can you Eiv0 us the slesplns ROOFS.
the baths, and the room for my man p
Hump says l, lookin' back at the
house behind me; II me and Hubby
bunked In the henhouse and the chore
boy In the cellar, maybe we could &C.
commodate you, that is. all but the
baths. You'd have to take turns with
the washtub for them says.
He laughed. He was so everlasting
cool about things that 1t sort Of riled
me up.
Perhaps you'd like to hire the
whole shebang?' says l, sarcastic,
pointing to the house.
He looked at 1t. It looked sort OF
cheerful. with the syringa over the
door and the morning glories hiding
where the whitewash was of.
"'Good ideal he says. I would
well. that was too many for me!
went into the house and fetched out
Hubby Ann-she's my wife. There
amt many women in this town can
beat her when It comes to managing
and business. II do say It.
"'How long would you want the
house for? says Hubby, when told
her what was going on.
IA month says Van Brunt, turn
ing 10 the other city Teller. Hey. Mar
TIM T'other chap nodded
"'All right says Van Brunt How
much?'
Thinks /. I'll scare you, my fine fel
ler.' And so says, "A month? Well
don't know. Maybe, to accommo
date. might let you have It for two
hundred sort OF edged of then
thinking sure he'd be mad; but he
wa'n't-not him. Two hundred II
Is he says, and fished out a little
blank book and one OF them pocket
pens.
Names ScudderT he asks.
YES says !. Nathan Scudder
One T In Nathan
And l don't know as you'll believe
It, SOL" says Nate, finishing up, but
that Teller made out check for two
hundred and passed It over to me like
twas a postage stamp. What do you
think of that?"
l didn't know what to think OF II
On general principles I'd say that q
man who wanted 10 board with Nate
and Hubby Ann Scudder was crazy
anyhow; but OF course these fslleri
didn't know.
1T beats me, Nate" says. "what
do you think?"
blessed II knowl" says Soudder
with another OF them long breaths
"All I'm sure OF Is that they're al
home. with the parlor blinds open anC
the carpet fading, and me and Huldy'i
living in the barn. She's doing thu
cookin' for 'em till this man Of their
comes. Land knows what kind Of |
man he is. too. And that check wal
on q New York bank, and I've jus