The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-08-10


looked twice at any OF the hotel
ones. Two skittish females used
to get in their way and beg par
don and giggle, hosting filtration
signals, so to speak, but Van
Brunt and Hartley would just
keep on their course like they
was carrying the mail.
Twas these two females that
first named e m"The Heavenly
Twins; twas shortened later to
THE Heavenlies."
Every time | took the Heaven
lies on a cruise the more certain
was that they were looms. Most
generally they carried a boob
along with 'em and read it out
loud to each other.
You'd think that book was a
human almost, the way they
went on about it. The name of 1t
was THE Natural Life" / bor-
rowed il once to look at, but twas
all foolishness to me; telling
about money being a cuss, and
such rot.
One night, Just as we were
coming into port, Van says to
me:
you and the boat tomorrow. My
man'll let you know in the morn
ing"
l was a good deal shook up.
I'd almost forgot that keeper.
MAN." says |. "Oh, yes, yesl
I see. Is he here now?"
No; coming tonight. I be-
Iieve."
O. .ha nav. A., oh.,,. ho1f nae.
nine, when I'D just about decided
to let some of the boarders have
the Dora Bassett, | looked up from
my fish lines and here was a fell
Ter coming down the wharf.
'Ello," says he.
Hello, yourself" says I.
"Mr. Edward as ordered the
boat for 'alf past eleven" he
says.
Il want to know" says I.
How'll he have it-friend?"
He looked back toward the
hotel and then at me again. l had
notion he was going to sing out
for help.
I'm Mr.. Edward Van Brunt's
man." says he.
And then l begun to understand
or thought l did. Twas the
keeper. Well, in some ways he
looked his job.
"O-oh!" says I. "AIl right.
Yes, yes. I heard you was COM
ing, Mr.-Mr.-"
'opper,' says he; James
'opper."
PROUD to know you. Mr.. OPP
per-" says |, which was a lie. I'm
afraid
Not Hopper" he says. Top
per-"
Sure! opper's what 1 said,"I
says |.
He got red in the face. Top
per-" he says. "Haitch-o-p-p-e-r."
"Oh. Hopperi' / says.
"Of course, 'Opper," he says.
I'm Mr.. Edward Van Brunt's
vally-'is man-servant."
Well, I'D made a mistake, III
judged. If he was a servant he
couldn't be the keeper.
II suppose you'll quit when the
keeper comes" says I.
Keeper" says he. Wat
keeper"
why, the Teller from the asy-
lum. How long has your boss and
his messmate been crazy?" asks.
"Crazy?" he says. Cray?
Wat do you mean?"
Look here" says I, 'ain't Van
Brunt and Hartley oft of their
heads?"
"out of their 'eads? 'Eavens,
no! Then he commenced 20 tell
about the Heavenlies, and 'twa'n't
long before I begun to see that
twas Nate Scudder and me that
needed a keeper: we was the big-I
gest looms in the crowd.
Seems that the Twins was rich |
New Yorkers-the richest and |
high-tonedest kind. Both OF 'em
had money by the bucket and
more being left to 'em while you
wait.
But, ~ they amt crazy what
made 'em come down here to
live7" says l, at Nate Scud-
der's?"
Well. that was a kind of poser.
even for Mr.. James Opper Hop-l
per. II seemed to simmer down
finally to that book The Natural
Life" Seems there was a kind Of
craze around New York and the
cities stirred mp by that book. to
get clear of luxury and comfort |
and good times and so on, and
get to living like poor folks. Liv-
ing the Natural Life" the valet
called t.