The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-02-26
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
Mr.. Solomon Pratt began comicai mar
ration of story, introducing well-to-do
Nathan 6cudder of his town, and Edward
Van Brunt and Martin Hartley, two rich
New Workers. seeking rest. Because Of
latter pairs lavish expenditure of money,
Pratt's first impression was connected
with lunatics The arrival of James
Hopper, Van Brunt's valet, gave Pratt
the desired information about the New
Workers. They wished to live what they
termed 1.-THE Natural Life.' Van Brunt,
1t was learned, was the successful sutton
for the hand of Miss Agnes Page, who
gave Hartley up. 1.-THE Heavenlies" hear
q long story of the domestic woes of
Mrs. Hannah Jane Purvis, their cook and
maid of oil work. Decide to let her go
and engage Sol. Pratt as chef.
CHAPTER discontinued.
"And while we're giving you the
story of our lives, skipper" says Hart
ley, with n of his half smiles, II
want to say right here that our pres
ent surroundings aren't all that fancy
painted 'em. They're too much In the
lime light" This was just one of his
crazy ways Of saying things; l was
getting used to 'em a little by nov.
We're too prominent" he says. "The
populace are too friendly and inter
'ested."
Also" says Van, the select bunch
OF feminines from the hotel have
taken to making front walk a sort
of promenade. Martin and l are natur-
ally shy; we pine for solitude"
There vas more of this, but l man
aged to find out that what they wanted
was a Quieter place than Scudder's. A
place off by itself, where they could
be as natural as a picked chicken. l
agreed to try and help 'em find such
a place. And I'said, too, that I'd think
about the cooking idea. Money didn't
seem to be no Object could have my
wages by the hod or barrelful-just as
] see fit.
WELL" says l, getting up to go.
TIL see. Let me sleep on it for. a
spell, same's you fellers have done on
Mates pin-feather beds. But | amt
so sure about your staying all sum-
mer. How about hat young lady
friend of yours, Mr.. Van Brunt? She
may take a notion to send for you to
introduce her to the king of Chiny
or the grand panjandrum with the lit
ale round bottom on top. Then you'd
have to pack up and cut your cable"
Van. he looked hard at me for a
minute. l thought first he was mad
at me for putting my oar in where it
want supposed to be. Then he
laughed. SOL" says he, that young
lady and l are kindred spirits. For a
year I'm natural and happy, and she
a nurse her Hooligans and go on
charity sprees. Then-well, then we
fall back on our respected parents and
wedded-er-bliss. Hey, Martini"
Hartley, In the shadow of the vines,
lit another cigar and nodded. But he
didn't say nothing.
For the next three or four days l
chased around trying to find a house
and lot where them Heavenly ~lunatics
could be natural. l located a couple of
bully summer places, all trees and
windmills and posy beds and hot and
cold water and land knows what. But
they wouldn't do; they "smelled Of
coupons" Van said. What they really
wanted, or thought they wanted, was
a states prison in a desert, l judged.
For a week or ten days we kept the
hunt up, but didn't have no luck.
Whenever I'd think I'd uncovered a
promising outfit the Heavenlies would
turn to and dump in a cargo of objec-
lions and bury it again. After five or
six funerals Of this kind I got sort Of
tired and quit. 1t got to be July and
their month at Mates was most over.
i was up there the evening of'the third
and / happened to ask EN- If they
wanted me and the sloop for the next
day. There was to be a Fourth of July
celebration over to Eastwich and some
OF the boarders wanted to go and see
the balloon and the races and the
creased pig chase. and such like. If
the Twins didn't care I'd take the job,
I said. But they took a notion to go
themselves. Van said 'twould be an
excus for me to give EN- another
chowder. II nothing more. So, on the
morning of the Fourth we started, me
and Van Brunt and Hartley and Lord
James, in the Dora Bassett. Talk
about cruises. If I'd known-and yet
out of 1t come-Bht there! let me tell
you about 1t.
CHAPTER W.