The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-11-26

anu MS snug, warm, comfortable nest.
she wasn't used to keepin' house by
herself. neither. Would she remem.
Der to wind the clock on Thursday,
and feed the canary, and water the
abutilon and begonias reg'lar3
Grimly Samuel took up offense No.
.. Abraham had further told the men
that he had been brought over here
TOT a hardening process; but he was
willing to bet that II Samuel could
keep up with him. he could keep up
with Samuel.
Then followed offense on orense.
Was Samuel to be outdone on his own
one.timo field OF action by an old
ladies' darling' No!
When Abe sat for a half.hour in the
lookout. up In the freezing, cold Gu.
pola, and did duty lest to be smart"
Samuel sat there on top OF his own
feet, too.
When Abe helped drag out the ap.
pnratus cart over the heavy sands for
the drill, Samuel helped, too. And
how Juggling at that rope brought back
his lumbagol
When Abe rode In the breechee.
buoy, Samuel insisted on playing the
sole survivor OF a shipwreck, too. aud
went climbing stinly and lumberingly
up the practise mast.
Abraham refused TO take n nap after
dinner; so did Samuel. Abe went
down to the outdoor carpenter shop la
the grove and planed a board just for
the love OF eXertion. Samuel planeG
two boards and drove n nail.
We've got " schoolboys with
u.s." said the keeper and the crew.
"Ef I'd a.knowed that yew had more
lives n my Maltese cat" Samuel was
muttcring over Abe by this time.
I'd"
Count, count went Captain Darhy's
fingers. lie heard the keeper rafting
papers In the Office just across the
threshold. heard him say he was about
to turn In. and guessed Samuel had
better do likewise; but Samuel kept
on counting.
Count, count, went the a%rraigning
fingers. Gradually he grew drowsy,
but still he went over and over poor
Abe's %offenses, counting on until OF a
sudden he realized that he was no
longer numbering the sins OF his com.
p%anlon; he was measuring In minutes
the time he must spend away from
Blossy and Twin Cores. and the be-
gOnias and the canary and the cat.
What would Blossy say II she could
feel the temperature OF the room in
which he was supposed To sleep?
What would Blossy say II she knew
how his back ached? Whatever would
Blossy do to Abe Rose II she could sus.
pect how he had tuckered on, her old
mani"
lies u regular hoss,' brooded Sam,
uel. "Oh. my feet" grabbing at his
right boot. I'm bet yer all | got It's
them air chilblains. That's what" he
added. unconsciously speaking aloud
Abe's lids slowly lifted. He rubbed
his eyes and yawned. He turned his
head on his hard, blue ginghan.cov
cred pillow. and stared sleepily at the
other.
"Yew been noddin'. Saml? Ain't
gittin' sleepy Already, are yer?" lie
glanced AT the clock. Why. it's only
half.past nine. Say. what's the matter
with me an yew goin' west ter meet
No. 5? Leetle breath o. fresh aIrI
make us sleep splendid"
lie started up from the couch, but
dropped back, too heavy with weari
ness to carry OF his brayado. Samuel
however, not noticing the discrcpancy
between speech and action. was al
ready ut the door leading upstairs,
"icw don't drag mo out q this sta
ton tcrnight. Abe Rose. Yew're q
reg'lar boss; that's what ycw be. A
reg'lar boss, \ reglar-u reRlar-'
He flung open the door and went
trudgiug as fast rs his smarting feet
could carry him up the steep aud mar
row steps. wherein the passing o.
other feet for many years had worn
little hollows on either side.
Abraham limped from the couch tC
the door himself, and called after him
SAINT, don't yew want tew sleey
By the tire? Yew seem a leetle softer
than | be. Let me come upstairs
There was no answer beyond the
vicious slamming OF Samuel's boot,
upon the floor above.
Abe raised his voice again, and nov
came In answer n q "A OF wrath iron
the cot next To Samuel's.
60 to bed" shouted No. s, n burly
red-headed lrishman. Go to bed vic
ye! Tn young folks do be nadin' 4
little s%chlape,",