Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-11-08
That Summer
Home

Of property regard you reproacnfully
as spring comes on. At inopportune
times they thrust al You remarks Ike
these Well. ] suppose you'll be leav-
Ing soon for YOUR place-lucky crea-
ture, If We only felt that We too.
could idle in the country all summer
You feel horribly Apologize You
know that your envious friends could
buy a hundred places such as yours
and dump them into the lake Just 10
hear the splash and never miss the
money. so it Is a surprise to find your
self regarded as a wretched plutocrat
when the Overwhelming reason that
led you 70 fee from town was that the
bill collector doesn't come around so
often in the woods.
Two days before I am taking the
boat for Michigan I always get invita-
tions to the opening dinner al the
country club. an automobile ride and
theater party. all to take place the
week after ] am gone. As ! wad It's
sue paper into the sleeves Of the new
gown I am packing and which ] won't
have a chance 10 wear again all sum
mer ! remember what II cost and
seethe with anguish.
1T IS dark when the boat pulls
away from Chicago and II it doesn't
rain soggily when I start ! rest as
sured that Il VIII be raining when
arrive in Michigan II has TO rain al
one OF the other of these times. be
cause am wearing my best flower
trimmed hat that is too huge to pack
and ] have Just had my suit pressed
There seem to be acres Of my luggage
on the Michigan dock the next MORN
ing-trunks. new porch rugs. a sew
ing machine and q kitchen stove-and
besides ! have TO wade around town
in the sand. buying groceries and nails
and mops and matches, before plung'
ing into the calm country ten miles
from anywhere
The boatman who comes for me
does not seem exactly overwhelmed
with the joy I rather expected him 70
show on seeing me again 'Huh,' he
groans. Have you got lead il these
here trunks?
Some time I an going TO make an
exhaustive study Of the psychological
causes leading baggagemen invariably
TO be overcome with surprise because
packed trunks cannot be waited about
on one finger They always are so
righteously annoyed al This discovery!
IT is raining as usual when J am
shunted of at my own dock with my
luggage. This is particularly good for
the ironwork on sewing machines and
stoves and IS fine for the contents Of
trunks. The cottage seems oddly
yelled and investigation shows the
yelling 10 consist Of unbroken spider
webs and sbeddings from the beech
trees. Il does not seem possible that
there are so many spiders in the
world
'.The sfrongarmed soUbwoman who
was 10 meet me is beautifully absent
but the full tragedy Of this grows
slowly as 7 raise window shades and
see the thick dust on every inch OF
everything There are more cobwebs
inside than outside and At the sight Of
the pantry I shed tears Spiders rush
from everything / touch. In sort o.
desperation 7 open the box couch e
find q work dress. whereupon q rattle
Of beech nuts and cherry pits follows
the hauling forth Of the top layer
Then something furry and agitated
darts out and I sit down on The floor
and shrek. II wac q chipmunk routed
from his winter lodgings and he now
darts nervously and Indignantly IN.
der a bookcase. I would Just as soon
live in the same house with a man
eating tiger as with a chipmunk,
No said the men who brought
UP ny soaked belongings from the
pier. Mary Won't be here. She moved
away. No. there amt nobody else
You can get TO scrub No. We don't
know any man you can get 70 clean
the yard and * the pump-every-
body's busy planting the crops. Nc.
there amt no one IN town who wants
a Job. No. you can't get no lettuce
nor berries nor garden truck-they
amt ripe vet don't you know THAR
This when people back in Chicago
are TtbtlUE IL Ac tAAAN 81 q
berries and head lettuce and cneun-
bers,
~Ther nnay be hundreds OF birds
outside amid the lovely greenery OF
June. but don't know It. for am
wrestling with unaccustomed back
breaking tasks inside the house BY
7 o'clock that night I eat some store
bread and butter and cheese and a
banana and tumble into bed more dead
than alive There is dust n the air
and It is pitch dark and outside the
tree frogs are doiorously singing
Back in Chicago my brutal friends
WHO euvied me are dining on Injuries
and just starting ouf for pr evenings
spin down lilac-scented bouleyards I
through the parks.
Something drops kerplunk on the
and know il Is q large
FAT spider. There is a mouse snawing
bnsily scnexhere en- the room. Thenl
/ pun the sheet up over ny head and
aervously shudder myself TO sisen,
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