Mexico Missouri message., 1916-04-27


you"
Kemp stopped talking and downed
his drink Alan sat silent and thought
ful. Lietser was gone and made a gap
in his life that he never knew had been
filed. He wanted to know more. He
turned to Kemp. "WenY
"You remember the joa tree at Lie
ber's, Mr.. Wayne? One o. the lone
soonest trees on earth. reckon, except
when the Booganviller comes out an
then it's a happy mountain o. red and
purple that kind o. lights up the hull
desert"
Alan nodded.
"Well, then, you remember the big
bowlder of graywacke under the tree.
That's Lieber's headstone. He had a
mason up from the coast and he made
us carry him out under the tree to
watch the man work. He give him a
model cut into a boa'd to copy I'm.
I'm some reader, but them words beat
me every time. | corralled 'em on a
bit o. paper, though, an here they be-"
Kemp drew a slip of paper from the
same old wallet that housed "The
Purple City" He handed it to Alan.
"Wish you'd put me on" he said. "All
know is it amt American an it
amt Mex"
The words on the slip looked as II
they had been printed by a child with
painstaking care. Alan stared as he
saw them. "Qui de nous ma pas eu
sa terre promise, son jour d'extase, ct
sa fin en- exil?" he read slowly to him
self, and then, with his eyes far away,
translated for Kemp, "'Who of US has
not had his promised land, his day of
ecstasy and his end in exileY"
Kemp nodded and held out his hand
for the slip of papers He put 1t back
in his wallet and said, II suppose the
feller thet wrote that was thinkin'
mostly of mans mind, but when II
comes to facts them words don't fit
Lieber. He got more exile than was
comm to him; it ct up the ecstasy an
more of the promised land. But
dom know. They's lots OF folks that
needs to worry more'n Lieber over
crossin' the divide"
They sat thoughtful for some time
and then Alan remembered Red Hill.
"Where are you staying, Kemp?"
"Astor house."
Alan looked at his watch. "Come
on" he said. We've got to hustle.
We've just got time to rush down and
get your bag"
what for?" drawled Kemp.
81 was bound for our place out in
the country when | found you. We've
got just forty minutes to catch the
train. You're coming with me-"
a wary look came into Kemp's eyes.
Your folks out thore, Mr.. Wayne?"
he asked.
YES" said Alan, and then added,
Kemp, do you take me for a man that
would steer you up against a game
you don't hold cards in?"
NO" said Kemp, 81 DON'T" and
then found himself hated and hurried
into taxi before he could further pro-
test.
If Alan had any qualms about intro
ducing Kemp to Red Hill they were
soon allayed. Kemp was duly present
ed on the lawn at Maple House. To
everything in petticoats he took off his
hat and said "ma'am," but before the
men he stood hated and vouchsafed a
short "HOwdyw accompanied by a
handshake where It was invited.
Strange to Kemp must have seemed
the group of which he found himself
the center. At tea table under the
biggest maple sat Mrs. ]. Y. She called
Kemp and motioned to a chair beside
her. Kemp let his Ianky frame down
slowly on the fragile structure, took off
his domed hat and laid 1t on the grass
at his side. For an instant Mrs. ]. Y.
fixed her soft, myoplc gaze on him and
then looked away. Glen brought him
a cup of tea and biscuit. Kemp held
the cup and saucer in the hollow of
his hand and looked dublously at their
contents. would you like something
else, Mr.. Kemp?" asked Mrs. ]. Y.
softly, some other drink, l mean?"
Kemp's quick eye roVed over the
group. He saw that nobody was TAX
ing anything but tea and at the same
time he noted gratefully that nobody
was watching him. The judge and
J. 7. were talking to each other.
Nance, junior, and Cousin Tom were
kneeling before Gerry, junior, stolen
for short hour from Alix. That
dwarf MOloch, arrayed in starchy
white that stuck out like ballet skirt
above his sturdy, fat legs, was gravely
devouring sacrifice Of cake. Charlie
Sterling lay full length on the ground
while his brood, with shrill cries ut his
frequent eruptions, buried and re-
buried him with sofa pillows. Nance,
Alan and Glen slipped tea and cheered
on the children's efforts,
Kemp turned a twinkling eye on
Mrs. ]. Y. II amt sayin', ma'am, thet
this mixture is my usual bev'rage, but
a man don't expect to have his usual
handed down fm a pulpit, and like.
wise l see no call for folks turnin' their
front lnvvua inf0 n harO