Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-01-02
CHAPTER VII.
Sweet Simplicity.

And so that's how they begun to live
the Natural Life, what Van called the
MISREPRESENTATION kind. l says
| they but I ought to have said 1--WE"
for l was in it. 1 was in it over head
and hands from that time on I didn't
mean to be. When 1 said I wouldn't
emigrate to Horsefo0t Ozone and be
cook and general roustabout for the
Heavenly Twins I was just as certain
| [ meant what l said as body could be.
NO." says l.
Yes says Van.
How can l leave the Old Home
| folks?'' 1 says.
How can you leave us?" he says.
But you've got James,
Eyes but James hasn't got u.s."
"But 1 can't afford to come says 1.
"You can't afford to do anything
else says he. And that's about what
it amounted to- couldn't afford to do
| nothing else. The wages kept jumping
like summer folks bids at one of them
auction sales of antiques" / seemed
to be as valuable as grandmother's
busted hair cloth sofa. If I'd hung out
long enough 1 callate the Heavenlies
would have fixed me so I'd have begun
to feel twas a crime to die rich.
l.
derstand that
All right" says 1. "That'll do; I'll
come. But 1 hope you'll pay me in a
dark room I'll be ashamed to look
you in the face and take that much
money
They said they was satisfied if 1
was. I was satisfied, all but my con-
science Made me wish 1 could swop
consciences with Scudder.
Mates conscience wasn't worrying
him any; you can bet on that. 1
wan'n't around when he made the deal
| for renting 'em the island, but, from
what l heard afterwards, the price
would have been high if he'd been sell
| ing it to 'em by the pound to scour
knives with. He agreed to get bedding
for 'em and tin things, and pig, and
| crockery, and hens, and groceries, and
| boards to tinker up the barn with, and
| anything else that might come in
| handy. Likewise he was to fetch and
carry for 'em between the village and
| the island: so much to fetch and twice
| that to carry. And Hubby Ann was to
do the washing.
| When the Twins told me about it
you'd think they'd just pulled through
| one of them stock deals" of theirs,
and come out ON top.
| isn't it great?" crows Van. happy
as clam at high water. We've ar
ranged it all Everything is provided
| for and will be done"
| 1 could see two things that was go
ing to be touchdown; but 1 didn't
say nothing
| Its mighty good of Scudder to ac-
commodate us this way" says Hart
| ley. He's a gem, a rough diamond"
''Scadder," says Van, lis one of Ma
lures noblemen-"
OF course 'twa'n't none of my funer-
al; couldn't interfere. But I'm a
democrat myself, so the nobility don't
appeal to me much, and if Nate Scud-
! der's diamond I'm glad can't af-
ford jewelry.
The next day was a busy one for all
hands, each in his own particular
line Nate commenced running "ac-
commodation" trains, SO to speak, be-
tween his house and the village and
Horsefoot Bar-Ozone island. should
say AS for me. went up to the Old
Home house right on. explained mat
tiers to the manager and cleared out
| for my new job The Heavenlies moved
over to Ozone that very morning. Lord
| James went with 'em and the simple
| naturalness commenced.
Fast as Nate would arrive in his
dory with cargo of dunnage I'd cart
it up to the Berry house and dump it
ON the piazza Lord James was fiving
| around, with a face on him as sour as
/ a cranberry pie, opening windows and
| airing rooms and sweeping out, and
the like of that. The old shebang had
been shut I'D for couple of years
and was as musty and damp as a re
ceiving tomb. His lordship looked like
/: the head mourner; this kind of work
| Jared his dignity.
Look -efe. Pratt says he to me.
."Ow loass CO yea think we're going to
star ere