Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-09-16

ldaho must have forgot, too, for he
answered moderate, without any sian
der or malignity.
Why" says he. this here seems to
be a volume by Homer K. NJ"
Homer X. NJ. what7" l asks.
why, just Homer X. NJ" says he.
You're a liar" says l, little riled
that Idaho should try to put me up a
tree mo man is going around signing
books with his initials. II it's Homer
K. NJ. Spoopendyke, or Homer K. M.
insolvency, or Homer X. M. Jones,
why don't you say SO like a man in
stead of biting OF the end Of it like a
calf chewing of the tail of shirt on
a clothesline?"
II put 1t to you straight, Sandy"
says Idaho, quiet. Its poem book, /"
says he. "by Homer X. NJ. couldn't
get color out of it at first, but there's
a vein if you follow it up. ! wouldn't
have missed this book for pair of
red blankets"
You're welcome to it, says l.
what you've got" says Idaho, sis
statistics, the lowest grade of informa-
ton that exists. They'll poison your
mind. Give me old X. Ms system of
surmises. He seems to be a kind of a
wine agent. His regular toast is
nothing doing and he seems to have
a crouch. but he keeps it so we'll lubri-
Gated with booze that his worst kicks
sound like an invitation to split a
quart. But it's poetry" says Idaho
land l have sensations Of scorn for
that truck Of yours that tries to con-
'ey sense in feet and inches"
So that's the way me and Idaho had
il. Day and night all the excitement
we got was studying our books. That
snowstorm sure.fXed us with a fine 10,
of attainments apiece.
That spring me and Idaho struck
pay ore. 1t was a habit of ours to sell
out quick and keep moving. We un-
loaded on our grubstaker for $1,000
apiece. and then we drifted down to
this little town of Rosa. on the Salmon
river, to rest up and get some human
grub and have our whiskers harvested.
Rosa was no mining camp. 1t laid
in the valley, and was as free of up
roar and pestilence as one of them
rural towns in the country. There was
a three mile trolley line champing its
bit in the environs, and me and Idaho
spent week riding on one of the cars.
dropping off of nights at the Sunset
View hotel. Being now we'll read as
we'll as travelled. we was soon pro re
nata with the best society in Rosa
and was invited out to the most dress
ed up and high toned entertainments.
ing contest in the city hall. for the ben
eft of the fire company, that me and
Idaho first met Mrs. De Ormond Samp-
son. the queen of Rosa society.
Mrs. Sampson was widow and own.
ed the only two story house in town.
1t was painted yellow. and whichever
way you looked from you could see it
as plain as egg on the chin of an
OGrady on Friday. Twenty-Five
men in Rosa besides me and Idaho was
trying to stake claim on that yellow
house
There was dance after the song
books and quail bones had been raked
out of the hall. Twenty-three Of the
bunch galloped over to Mrs. Sampson
and asked for dance. sidestepped
the twostep and asked permission to
escort her home. That's where I made
a hit.
On the way home says she:
"Ain't the stars lovely and bright
tonight, Mr. Pratt?"
For the chance they've got" says
I, they're humping themselves in
mighty creditable way That big one
you see is G6OO0, 100000 of miles dis
tant. 1t took thirty-six years for its
light to reach us. With an eighteen
foot telescope you can see 100000
Of 'em. including them of the thir.
teenth magnitude. which. if one was to
go out now. you would keep on seeing
it for 300 years"
"My!" says Mrs. Sampson. Il never
knew that before. How warm it is!
III DIS SdIl Uc lIOIu uduS4uS
so much
That's easy to account for" says l.
when you happen to know that you've
got 100000 sweat glands working
all at once. If every one Of your
perspiratory ducts. which are quar-
ter Of an inch long, was placed end
to end they would reach distance OF
seven miles"
"I.awsy" says Mrs. Sampson. 1T
sounds like an irrigation ditch you was
describing. Mr. Pratt How do you
get all this knowledge of informa.
tion?"
Prom observation. Mrs. Sampson
I tells her. II keep my eyes open
when ! 20 about the world"
"Mr. Pratt says she. Il always
did admire man of education There
are so few scholars among the sap
headed plug uglies of this town that il
is real pleasure to converse with 8
gentleman OF culture. Id be gratifet
to have you call at my house when
ever you feel so inclined