Mexico Missouri message., 1909-02-04

- - ANaN3 AtNAaALA y
Wen. that was a kind Of poser. even
for Mr.. James Upper Hopper Know-it
All. He commenced TO tell about 80
ciety and pink teaS--I guess 'twaI
pink; might have been sly:blue
though-and races and opera parties
and stocks, and strenuous life" and
the land knows what. II seemed TO
simmer down finally to that book The
Natural Life" Seems there was n
kind Of craze around New York and
the cities, stirred up by that book, to
get clear Of luxury and comfort and
good times and 30 on, and get to
living like poor folks. Living the
Natural Life," the valet called II.
1907" says !, 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 II Hunt
going cranberrying and fishing and
claiming and taking gangs Of summer
folks out on seasick parties II the
proper thing, hey3 And your boss and
his chum want TO live simpler"
Yes, he said they wanted TO live
real simple.
Well" says I. III Hubby Ann scud.
der cooks for 'em that's the way
they'll live"
He went on with another Tigmarole
about how the Heavenlies had lived In
New York. Cutting out everything
about himself and that British lord
which was twothlrds Of the yarn
there was some stun about girl
named Page that interested me. Seems
she was the real thing 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 a row or something and
broke It on. And now she was en-.
| gagged TO Van Brunt.
But, see here" ! says. puzzled. IF
she's engaged to Van why amt he to
home counting her instead of dissipat'
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
| ENkG lulu ~ W. WANA sAN
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.
whatever 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 II out, but twas
about the sense OF It.
Eyes. yes" says l. 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 chumS; loved
each other like brothers-or better.
Little thing like a girl or two didn't
count. Hartley was kind of used up
and blue and down on his luck and
suffering from the Natural Life dis
ease; he wanted to cut for simplicity
and Nature. So Van, havin' a touch
OF the Natural himself. come along to
keep him company.
But this Page girl?" says ]. How
does she feel on the Natural Life CUES
TOM"
"oh, she believes in II too" says
his lordship. only she's more inter
ested in 'er charity and 'elping the
poor and heducating EN-" says he.
fetched long breath. We'll, Mr.
Opper-Hopper. / mean" says
you can say what you want TO. but III
stin hang on to my frst notion.
think the whole crew is stark. ravinI
crazy"
I'd noticed that he hadn't been pull
ing at my cigar much-a good hve
cant Bluebell cigar twas, too. Now h
put It down, kind Of like twas loaded
my good feller," he says. ''Woult
you mind II tried one Of me owl
weeds? Ave one yourself" says he.
I took the cigar he handed me. /
/ was one Of Van Brunts particula
brand.
"Humphl" thinks I. your bose
may be simpletone for the love Of II
Brother James. but not you. No, stree
You're In It for the value Of the mar
ifest."
In another half hour or 10 IN
+ Heavenly Twins showed up alongside
= And then 'twould have done you goo
U to see that Wallets back get lmbel
l. He bowed and scraped and Stirred
o till you couldn't rest. They spoke {
o him like he was a dog and he skippe
J. around with his tail between his leg
8 like he was one-a yellow one. 9
u that.
y When we'd passed the point OF
81 comes that everlasting book and th
Twins got at Il.
70 "van," says Martin Hartley, settin
up and taking notice; the Naturl
}" Life for mine. envy the lucky devil
n. who've had Il all their lives"
9. 'Twa'n't none Of my AFFAIRS, but
showed my oar in here-couldn
AZ help It
"You fellers Amt getting the re-
.