The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-06-03
PdrdnGrS
By
ELLSWORTH KELLEY.
Copyright by $. s. Mcclure Company

- ing in Junel
~ Two old men sat under the
shade of the maple trees in
the front yard while the church bells
tangled and Jared and doomed over
the housetops and out across the val
ley.
Pears to me like church bells SCUM
purtfes' when you's away off from
'em, two or three miles, say" volun-
teered the old man with the billygoat
beard, he whom the boys affectionately
called "Uncle joe"
Same way with q brass band" OBJ
served Uncle Billy, he of the smooth
shaven face you git up close an 1t
sort o. rasps your nerves an breshes
your fur all the wrong way. But git
away off, say bout half mile of
still eyenfn', an 1 kin shet my eyes
an imagine | hear the heavenly hosts
a-twangin' on their harps an poundin'
their cymbals."
Yes, I've noticed the same thing,
Bill. Say, do you remember when we
was little dodgers, when we first begin
to go pardners, an heerd church bell
the fust time? We imagined 1t said,
Come, oh come jest as plain as
speakin'?"
"Shorely, shorely An that reminds
me! It's gittin' mighty near church
time, an l must be pokin' along. Joe,
l wisht-old as you air, tool visit
you'd go to church-oftener"
Old Uncle Joe nodded.
Il s'pose you do, Bill, s'pose you do.
I'd like to, real well, but not today
I can't go today. Fact is, Bill, don't
want you to do anything ag'in your
conscience, but I've laid off to take a
walk today, little walk out in the
country. AS l said, l don't want you
to do anything ag'in your conscience,
but I'd kind O. set my mind on havin
you go with me-"
Much obleeged, Joseph, much |
obleegedl But l couldn't think of it.
haven't missed church for nigh on
twenty years. An'-do you think it is
right to go a-wanderin' off that way
on Sunday? Do you, now?"
"Rightl ShuclSsl OF course it isl I
Look here, Bill Fer the sake of argy-
ment, say we take walk. We go out
along the green hedgerows. We see
the wild roses bloomin an the CROWN
corn. We hear the moclxin' birds
a-singin' fit to kill. We take great, big,
full breaths of country air-same as
we used to when we were pardners
Don't you remember how we used to
see who could make his chist swell
the biggest? Healthy, wasn't it? All
them things is innocent, an all them
things Is good. Who made 'em? God
What fer did he make 'em? Fer you
an me to enjoy. How can we enjoy
EN- here in town? We jest can't.
Which is worst, now? You go to
church, an you sit there on a hard
seat, an by an by, Std O. listenin' to
he preacher the fust thing you know
you feel the soft air stealth through
he winder, an then bird song floats
u on the air, an it makes you feel
,ood all over. An then the fust thing
,ou know you don't know blessed
hing the preacher is sayin'. Amt that
o, now, William? Amt that sol"
II don't know but that 1t is-some-
INES" feebly admitted Uncle Billy.
"Of course It's SOP triumphantly ex- ,
laimed Uncle Joe. Now, let me tell
GU what, Bill You go with me today. ,
.ets take a walk. Let's take our din 8
er along. Let's go out fer an old fash
,ned, good day Of enJoyin' ourselves, :
n when we git back-an' I'll leave 1t !
} you, Blll-if you say we haven't had :
good time-a rale old fashioned en-
oyable time, like we used to have =
hen we was boys-an pardners-w'y :
II go to meetin' with you regular ev-
~ Sunday fer six months" Uncle i,
lily paused, hesitated, and the man
tho hesltates-you know the rest Of =
lie proverb Uncle Joe was once again :
lie dominant power in the partnership
lat had begun when they were boys :,
ears and years and years ago. :,
While the second bell was calling, &,
Come OH comew two bent forms :
ept stealthily out through the sub O.
ban orchard, climbed the fence very =,
refully and stole down the inside of -
e hedgerow along turning row" 3
ward the river. @
Joseph (when Uncle Billy SAID