Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-03-11

cCuuuof hoibNou- W. w. gNhob
like looms.
Up through the bunch Of scrub pines
we tore, still hollering. And then,
from away on ahead somewheres.
come the answer. was so tickled
could have stood on my head.
In n minute here comes Lord James
TO meet US. His iordship looked vel.
low and faded. like q wilted sunfiower.
and his whiskera seemed to be run.
ming TO seed. But his dignity was on
deck all right.
"Mr. 'Artley." says he. touching
what was left Of his hat; "'ope you're
well, sir"
where's vanT" asked Hartley.
brisk.
Mr.. Van Brunt, sir' Up at the
'ouse, waiting for you. sir"
THE house7" says Hartley.
THE housed" says I. Then I TO
membeTed.
There Is a house on Horsefoot Bar.
Il was built by old man Marcellus
Berry, and in Marcellus' day they
built houses. didn't stick 'em together
with wall paper and a mortgage, like
they do now. Consequence is that,
though the winter weather on Horse
foot made Marcellus lay down a con.
siderable spell ago, his house still
stands, as pert and sassy An old gable
ended Jail as ever was The house
was there. and Scudder 5Tned t.
Likewise he owned the sheds and
barn in the back, and the sickly bunch
of scrub pines, and the beach plum
bushes. and the beach grass and the
poverty grass and the world.without.
end OF sand that all these things was
stuck up in. AS for the live stock, that
was seven thousand hop.toads, twenty
million sand fleas, and green-heads and
mosquitoes for ever and ever. amen.
We fell into the Wallets wake and
waded through the sand hummocks up
TO the house. And there on the piazza
| sitting In busted cane-seat chair with
his feet cooked up on the railing and
the regulation cigar in his mouth. was
Van Brunt, kind OF damp and wrinkled
so far as clothes went, but otherwise
as serene and clipper a Robinson
Crusoe as the average man is likely
to strike in one life time.
Want we glad to see him! And he
was Just as glad to see US.
Hello, skipper" says he. reaching
out his hand. 80 you got ashore all
right. Good enough. was a bit fear.
full for you after you left US last
night"
After / left him! liked that. And
he was fearful for me.
"Humph!" says I. Il had a notion
that twas you that did the leaving.
Talk about dropping an acquaintance!
never was dropped like that afore,
Look here. Mr.. Van Brunt, afore you
and me go to sea together again we'll
have little lesson In running rigging.
/ want to learn you what a main.
sheet is"
oh" he says, careless like, II guess
l found II. after a while. At any rate
II It's a rope | cut It. cut all the
ropes in sight"
You did?" says l. with my mouth
open.
Yes. That's an acrobatic boat OF
yours III seemed TO want to turn som.
ersets. judged that that sail made
II top.heavy so told James to take the
sail down. He didn't know how but we
decided that the ropes must have
something to do with H. SO l cut
EN-, one after the other, and the sail
came down"
SUDDEN" says I.
We'll, fairly so. Some OF II was in
the water and the rest OF 1t on James.
resurrected him finally and we pulled
most OF II into the boat. It went bet.
ter then"
did, hey?" says /. was learning
seamanship fast.
Yes" says he. "If were you
wouldn't have any sail on that boat.
She does much better without one.
Then II began to rain and got some
OF the dry sail over me. I believe
went to sleep then--or soon after"
Nate Scudder's eyes was big as pre-
serve dishes. guess mine was bigger
still.
Good Lord" says I. did his-dId
James go TO sleep too?"
NO" says Van. Il think not. be
lieye James was holding some sort of
religious service. How about II.
James?"
His lordship looked sheepish. We'll.
sir" he says. II don't know, sir. !
may ave been q bit nervous; I'm not
used to a boat. sir"
Il shouldn't mind your praying.
James," Van says, sober as a deacon;
III you didn't yell so. However. we
got here on this island about 1--WE
o'clock. believe. Rather. the boat
came here herself: We didn't have
anything 70 do with t."
l never in my lifei They say the
Almighty looks out for the lame and
the lazy. Van Brunt want lame,
but
well" saws I s'I'I helieve in ana.