The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-07-09

helIO, WaSny, 1 says. BOWB Tue
stomach and lungs these days."
He groaned. Pratt" says he, I'm
dying on my feet"
Well" / says, looking down at his
cowhides. you'd ought to have plent.
Of room to do It In. What are you
dying of-dropsy? You're Ave pounds
heavier than when I see you last"
He shook his head. Tell Reky In
doing my best to forgive her." he
says. when I'm gone maybe she'll
think how she treated me. Say! how
soon's she coming home? Lycurgus
can't cook fit to eat"
| told him Eureka d be home that
night. 1t seemed to give him a little
more hopes.
when you see Miss Page" says he,
"just tell her | want to talk to her,
won't you? Tell her I'm most through
with this world and / want to speak to
her about providing for the children.
Ask her to come over and see me-"
Just then the foreman yelled to him
to stop casing and hustle that wheel.
barrow along. He done II, surprising
prompt, too, l thought. asked the
foreman about It.
"Oh!" he says, "Mr. Browns give
me the receipt for him. Every time
he groans or coughs / set him to lug.
ging stones; the louder the groans
the bigger the rocks. He's getting we'll
fast"
took Mates dory and went across
to the island. Eureka was UP to her
elbows in work.
"Sakes alive!" says she. who's
been letting this house get this way?
The tea kettle bottoms burnt out and
somebody's been trying to eat the
ak. And the beds are so wet that the
feathers are beginning to grow"
That's the Natural Life" l told her.
"The Heavenlies lived it for a whole
day."
II thought they lived it afore I come
here at ALL" she says. Things was
bad enough then, but nothing like
this"
Twas me that was the Natural
then" says I. This last attack hit
the Twins"
do you know who / think ought to
live the Natural Life?" she asks.
l said / didn't.
Nobody but natural born idiots,
that's who"
Il guess that who's been living II"
says /.
Next morning I went over to see
Hartley. He was feeling like a e
man. Dr.. Jordan had been there
ahead of me and set the arm. Redny
was pretty nigh we'll. Jordan had the
right cure for green-apple appendicitis
and 1t worked tip-top.
/ drove up to the depot in the Old
Home wagon and met Van Brunt. He
was in fine spirits. The Tea Lead
deal had been closed up-the Street
pirates having decided not to pass the
dividsnd-and the Heavenly Twins
had made money by the keg, I Judged.
How'd New York look to your !
asked him.
Hush" says he. Don't speak
lightly of sacred things"
When he heard about what had hap.
PSANd "hAiO Nv va away hO "oo IA
most surprised man In the county.
Skipper" he says. grabbing my
hand, you're a star Of the first magni-
tude. You and Eureka are the redeem
ing features of this Natural expert
ment. You pay the freight and a large
rebate over. And Martin! bully old
boy. l want to see him."
IJ;~. - L. 1l,,z. -,o oA,4 49,. 80
gether for a good half hour. When
Van come down to the porch he beck
oned to me.
SOL" he says. there's another
question l want to ask you. OF course
l know that Martin liked the boy and
all that, but that reason won't quite
do. What's the real one?"
Twas a ticklish place for me. But
I couldn't see but one way clear; that
it, but one way which was best in the
long run for all hands. So I spanked
up and answered.
"Mr. Van Brunt," says l, II hate Il
say it, but of course you know tina
your partner and Miss Agnes set con
siderable store by each other at o
time. And you can't break off feel
ings like that same as you'd bust {
piece Of string. +"
He nodded. "All right" he says
I'm not altogether a blockhead
Thatll do. I've been sure of it, my
self, for some time"
II understand" I went on, that thu
reason she give him the mitten was OF
account of his being too g~rasping afte,
money. If she'd seer him. like l have
Just throwing it away as IL 'twa'
} sh~avings, l guess likely She
He interrupted and looked at M
queer.
) How did you know that was thu
I reason?" he asks.
i. I'd put my foot in 1t away over thu
I shoe laces.