Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-02-18
CHAPTER III.-contlnusd.

And while we're giving you the
story OF our lives. skipper" says Hart
ley, with one 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 now.
Were 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 our front walk a sort
of promenade. Martin and / are natur.
ally shy: We pine for solitude"
There was more of this. but man.
aged to find out that what they wanted
was q quieter place than Scudder's. A
place on by itself. where they could
be as natural as a picked chicken.
agreed to try and help 'em find such
a place. And said. too. that I'd think
about the cooking idea. Money didn't
seem to be no object-I could have my
wages by the hod or barrelful-just as
1 see At.
We'll" says I. getting up to so.
'T'll see. Let me sleep on Il for a
spell, same's you fellers have done on
Mates pinfeather beds. But l Amt
so sure about your staying all sum.
mer. How about that 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 liz.
tic round bottom on top. Then you'd
have to pack up and cut your cable"
Van, he looked hard at me for
minute. / thought first he was mad
at me for putting my oar in where II
want supposed TO be. Then he
laughed. SOL" says he, that young
lady and are kindred spirits. For
year I'm natural and happy, and she
can nurse her Hooligans and go on
charity sprees. ,Then--weli, then we
fall back on our respected parents and
wOdded-Or-bllss. 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 q house
and lot where them Heavenly lunatics
could be natural. 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
q states prison In a desert, I judged.
For week or ten days we kept the
hunt up. but didn't have no luck.
Whenever I'd think I'd uncovered
promising outfit the Heavenlies would
turn to and dump In a cargo OF objec.
lions and bury II again. After Ave OF
six funerals of this kind got sort OF
tired and quit. II got to be July and
their month at Mates was most over.
i was up there the evening Of the third
and I happened TO ask 'em II they
wanted me and the sloop for the next
day. There was to be Fourth of July
/ celebration over to Eastwich and some
OF the boarders wanted to go and see
che balloon and the races and the
creased pig chase. and such like. II
the Twins didn't care I'd take the Job.
I said. But they took notion 20 so
themselves. Van said 'twould be an
excuse for me 70 give 'em 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. II I'd known-and yst
out Of It come--But theEel let me tell
you about It.