Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16

Yum-Yum Yarn of the Cow Country
How the KidBless His eart-Wins Virginia Heiress.
By

but got out, have three sisters, one lame, an
I'm hankern' to trot double"
Thorpe whistled and looked hard at the Kid
did you git it, Dude?" the latter asked innocently
Thorpe turned to his work and wrote busiy for
several minutes. Then he lifted his head and yawned
Did we tell er l want so internal pore-lookin' in
tn features. Dude?"
Told er YOU angel, kd-kind-h earteder'n
a she-goat," said Thorpe
Nav" The Kids eyes gowcd in glad surprise
That night Hamilton Thorpe sat up late pcnning an
other letter that to Westhampton, Virginia. H
had resolved husband his little any rate
TO inaugurate bit Of detective work before making any
serious fractures in the Kids hopes With this end
in view he quietly but scientifically sorted the Kids
trousers when that gentleman in the distant land
OF Nod Thorpe's disappointment was keen as he sur
veyed the total of his discosures-a grmy copy of
newspaper But not an ordinary newspaper either
he looked at crit;cayit the strangest-appear-
ing paper Thorpe had seen.
"Hm--Lonely Heart" he read as he examined the
title
Then, at glance he say the solution of the mystery
1t was plain as day. 1t read like this
I7o77.-Sweet and lovabe brunette, aged 20. Only
daughter of wealthy parents Western men pre-
erred Address Box 441, Northampton. Virginia.
marked Thorpe, as he carefully adjusted the paper and
crowded back to its place. He then crept off to
his bunk and fell asleep with broad smile upon his
bronzed features
Three weeks drifted BY with rnonotonous regularity
and heat. Incidence characterized the existence of
the Tripe-O ranch at this season-there was nothing
to build, nothing to tear down. nothing to repair The
punchers sole duty to eat drink and be as niser-
able as heat dust and idleness can make human
And then two letters arrived
Kid Hoon and Dude Thorpe, the lucky recipients
ran the gauntlet Of green-eyed envy that fairly bazed
IN the eyes Of their mates, and retired the sacred
and quiet precincts of the lower corral There they
broke the carefully sealed envelopes
Thorpe consumed unusually long time in the
perusa OF his letter Bess had plenty. to tell and she
told it with girsh abandon and voluminosity. But
when he had finished and leaned back to think it over
he became aware that the Kid was still delving
heroicaly into the mystfyng contents Of Miss Gentrvs
letter Observing Thorpes attitude the Kid hastily
ended his efforts and thrust the letter into his friends
hand
Read 'er out Dude. 1--we got something in nv
eye" he said. weakly
Thorpe ignored the delicate prevarication and took
the letter.
1t was read-but the reading was done in SPOT. a
hundred feet apart owing the unparalleled curiosity Of
the boys who were found glued cracks in the corral
"Whew Amt that great Dude? Nice gal III
bet my hoss!" exclaimed Holton, at the close.
you bet she is, Kid-er-I sort of know err"
Thorpe blurted out lamely
Holton stared at his friend an nstant-then turned
a dusky red beneath his coat of bronze
"Haw! Haw! Haw! Say, Dude that's good one.
eh: That's sure sassyperlly Of joke, amt it !?
Haw Haw! Haww
The Kid slapped his thigh nightly and bent nearly
double. Thorpe, after his first feeling of hesitation
stfened up and looked at Eolton sternly
'1t's gospel truth. Kid! l was raised with Mabe
Gentry-stole apples from her dads orchard-went to
sngin' school with Mabe herself-heped 'er squeeze
through an algebra exam. regular once year-and-
Oh, lot more things know Mabe all right, son r.
Hoton began kicking at the sod with his boot Pres
emily he took long look at the horizon then turned
and faced Thorpe resignedly.
well, darn me- Dude Of course that cuts tn deal
off shorter'n Hank Wlkinson's pups tail lest write
er' so, will ye' Well. hang me for pig-thefw
What? Cuts TIL deal off? Why so, Kid"
why sof Oh now, say, Dude, You don't really
reckon us feliers is plain idiots do ye, Don't We sup
pose we're you little-after ben' with Won for
five years? We know pretty near what class Won troted
in before you give il up to take this cow-punchn' p,n
shment-sure do An Kid Hoton amt no fit
human to be sidn MP alongside any critter that has
been travelin in your bunch-no, sir"
Hamilton Thorpe Redeemed rihe II was his first
mixing that the Triple-O boys supposed him to be
otherwise than plain, hard-working His
past he had thought successfully buried.
Now, look here, Kidr Hamilton said placing two
fingers forciby into the palm of his left hand in an
authoritative fashion tive bunked an grbbed with YOU
close onto five years. you say, an in that time have
| ever passed out any hints that | didn't like your
style! What am or have been cuts no figure Kid
It's what know you are-and that is fiat footed
open-and-shu reliable friend and by ginger. old man
that girl is yours il Dude Thorpe can make the rifle
flolton looked into Thorpe's eyes in open mouthed
wonder
NO USE Dude-no use. Algebry you said? Git
away, Dude! Imagine me, an old e.lfbrander witt,
saddle both knees loomin' 10 on tn same dsy
with-um-with HER-t'd look fine wouldn't it
huh?"
"You bet it would! An you needn't feel 50 EXCLUSIVE