The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-03-26
CHAPTER VII.
Sweet Simplicity.

And so that's how they begun to live
the Natural Life, what Van called the
Decentralization" kind. / says
"they," but I ought to have said I'VE
for l was in 1t. l was in 1t over head
and hands from that time on. I didn't
mean to be. When l said I wouldn't
emigrate to Horsefoot Ozone and be
cook and general %roustabout for the
Heavenly Twins l was just as certain
I meant what 1 said as a body could be.
mo" says I.
"Yes," says Van.
"How can I leave the Old Home
folks?" l says.
How can you leave u.s." he says.
But you've got James"
Eyes but James hasn't got us"
But I can't afford to come" says I.
"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 n Of them
auction sales of antiques" l seemed
to be as valuable as grandmother's
busted hair cloth sofa. If I'd hung out
AOuB SuOuSu L Gal idIc IN IlCpNChihSo
would have fixed me SO I'd have begun
to feel twas a crime to die rich. l
give in first; 1 want everybody to I'M
derstand that.
"All right" says 1. "Thatll do; I'll
come. But / 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 II l
was. l was satisfied, all but my con-
science. Made me wish could swop
consciences with Scudder.
Mates conscience wasn't worrying
him any; you can bet on that. l
wan'n't around when he made the deal
Cor renting 'em the island, but, from
what / heard afterwards, the price
would have been high If he'd been sell
ing 1t to 'em by the pound to scour
knives with. He agreed to get bedding
for 'em and tin things, and a 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 1t
you'd think they'd just pulled through
one of them stock deals" Of theirs,
and come out on top.
isn't it great?" row Van, happy
as a clam at high water. We've ar
ranged it all. Everything is provided
for and will be DONE"
I could see two things that was go.
ing to be done-brown; but / didn't
say nothing.
TITS mighty good Of Scudder to &C.
commodate us this way" say Hart
ley. Hes a gem, a rough diamond"
"S%cudder,'' a y Van, lis one of Ma
lures noblemen."
or course 'twa'n't none of my funer,
al; l couldn't interfere. But I'm a
democrat myself, SO the nobility DOM
appeal to me much, and If Nate Scud
der's a diamond I'm glad l can't at
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 ant
Horsefoot Bar-Ozone island, j SHOULD
say. AS for me, / went up to the OLD
Home house right off, explained mat
ters to the manager and cleared on
for my new job. The Heavenlies moved
over to Ozone that very morning. Lore
James went with sem and the simple
naturalness commenced.
Fast as Nate would arrive in hi
dory with a cargo of damage I'd car
It up to the Berry house and dump 1
on the piazza. Lord James was flynn
around, with q face on him as sour a
a cranberry pie, opening windows an
airing rooms and sweeping out, an
the like OF that. The old shebang ha'
been shut up for a couple of year
and was as musty aud damp as a re
ceiving tomb. His lotdship looked Xix
the head mourner; this kind OF wor
Jared his dignity.
Look acre. Pratt" says he to mt
"ow long do YOU think we're going t
ztay 'efo7"