Mexico Missouri message., 1909-04-22

thing by Jerks. like as II che was hung
on wires and worked with a string.
Now she strai Ehtened up out OF her
chair SO sudden you almost expected
to hear her snap.
"a week2" she sings out. "Ohi"
Then she looked at me.
"oh, it's so. II he says so," says /,
resigned like.
Land sakesl A week. never
but II amt no use. What would be-
come Of pa and the children7"
Couldn't you come over for the
days, at leastf" asks Martin. you
might 20 home nights. you know"
And that's the way II ended. finally.
The Twins had made up their minds,
and when that happened. heaven and
earth wouldn't change 'em. At last
Eureka said she'd talk II over with
her folks and Van Brunt said we
would come over TO her house next
day and get the decision.
"Therel" says he. when the Sparrow
girl had gone. skipper. the cook
question is settled"
Maybe 'tis," says l. Looks TO me
as II you'd settled II the way the feller
settled the coffee. by upsetting II. For
chaps that pinned for rest and quiet you
two do queer things. Do you realize
what getting mixed up with that Spar,
row gang Is likely to mean?"
IF the whole flock Is like the specI.
men bird we've SEEN" he says, it'll
mean Joy. IL there was one thing
needed to make Ozone island q de-
light. a gem OF purest ray serene. that
original would be the thing. She's a
circus in herself. l shall dream to-
night of pa and the doctor. Ho. no!
By the way. what's her Christian
name?"
| told the name-the whole OF II.
How them Heavenlies did laugh
"Eureka!" says Hartley. "Splen.
did,"
"Eureka!" says Van. I'VE have
found It! Sol. let's have lunch"
! got 'em something to eat and then
the three of us put in the afternoon
chasing the wild animals. The chick.
ems was fairly easy to get hold of; laid
trail OF corn up to the door Of the hen.
yard and trapped the most OF 'em that
way. But the pig was holy terror.
He'd had his experience with Ozone
islanders that morning and he didn't
want any more. Up and down that
blessed sand bar We chased him, get.
ing upset and firing ourselves out. The
pig race over to Eastwich want In It.
did most Of the chasing; the Heaven.
lies superintendent. as usual, and gave
orders and laughed. They pretty nigh
laughed themselves sick. Finally the
critter boited into the woodshed and
locked the door on him. II was six
o'clock when l dumped him into the
sty. OF all the Natural Life days I'd
had yet this one was the liveliest and
most wearing. A week like II and my
natural place would have been the
burylng ground. l callate lost three
pound that afternoon. was getting
so thin that when fell down my legs
made grooves in the sand.
The next forenoon me and Hartley
went over to close the cook trade.
Van wouldn't go. He said the garden.
ing and the shipwreck and the steeple.
chase-meaning the pig hunt-had
given him sensations enough for q
week or so; he had some OF EN- with
him yet. So Martin said he'd go. for
my sake. ! borrowed a couple OF spare
oars from Scudder. when he arrived
with the mornings dose Of skim.
milk and cream and butter, and. as
took care to row the skin this time. we
made the passage all right Then
We walked up to the Sparrow's. nest.
Twas a pretty shabby.loolling shack.
now ! tell you. Shingles dropping on.
and fence falling down, and a general
shortage Of mans work everywhere.
But there was a bed of bachelor but.
tons and old maids pinks under the
front window, and the windows them.
selves was clean and bright. Eureka
had done her best to make the place
honey; you could see that.
She let us in when we knocked at
the kitchen door. Her sleeves was
rolled up and there was q big basket
OF clothes by the steaming washtub.
Editha. the 12.year.old, was grinding
at the wringer and Dewey. the baby,
was setting on the floor playing with
rag doll. The rest Of the tribe
except Lycurgus, who had gone ped.
ding elams--was on playing.
Eureka, she apologlEed for things
being SO upset. but there want any
need for apologies. The house was
plain and poor-you could see that II
took mighty lot Of stretching to
make both ends come In sight OF each
other. let alone meet; but twas clean
as a whistle. Even the baby was
clean. all except his face and hands
and no healthy young one ought TO
have them clean.
Good morning" says Hartley,
Have you decided to cook for usG''
She bobbed her head over the wash.
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