Middletown transcript., 1916-06-10

I've strayed some from the home fence
an you may be SURPRISED Mis- Wayne.
to know thet they's lands where no one
amt never heerd tell On a barman an
where barmaids is some cOmmoner'n
the milkin' brand"
"YesY said Mrs. ]. 7. encourag-
ingly.
"ShO' thing" replied Kemp: "I seen
'em. won't forget the fust time be-
cause was considerable embarrassed.
| missed a steamer in Moo Yawk an
the firm was In a hurry. so they sent
me acrost to southampton, an while I
was waitin' for the Brazil boat q feIIer
| I'd picked up on boa'd showed me
around some. welt, it wu't1.tt va II { tong be be
fore be corralled me. quite willin', in
a bar. l pulled off my hat and be
says, why d'you take of yo' hatT and
l says, why don't you take off yOurn?
Don't you see they's lady heap Then
he bust out Iaughln' and everybody
that was nea' enough to hea' bust out
laughin' an the missus behind the bar
|
sound as If sh4 laughed because she
couldn't hep it."
Kemp paused to blush over the mem
ory. He did not notice that the Judge
and ]. Y. had drawn quietly nearer
and that the rest of the group of
grown-ups were intent on his words.
! "They's times" be continued, when
| It's fttin' that man should be without
| ShOOtin' irons an that was one Of 'em.
| can't rightly say what would have
happened but guessin's easy. When
he was through Iaughin' the feller that
was shown me around slapped me on
the back and seZ, That amt no lady;
| it's a barmaid.' An then they all
! laughed some mo- and the missus Just
kind O. laughed an / mought "a been
dreamin', but l thought | seen a look
In her eyes thet says she wasn't laugh
in inside at all. Ever sence then I've
been of opinion that a mlssus has no
call to handle drinks an ce'tainly
hope I'll never see one a'doin' of 1t
under the home fence"
Kemp stayed at Maple House for a
week. Before he left he was known
throughout the countryside. His Ianky
figure. dropping mustaches, domed hat
and the way he held out the reins In
front of him when he rode marked him
from the start. and when the youth
of the surrounding farms learned that
/ ne was genuine eeEhoH that had
ridden everything with four legs, they
wOrshiped from afar and gloried in
casual approaches.
Just before he went away Kemp
took it upon himself to call on Alix.
Alan led him to where she sat on the
lawn among the trees at The Firs and
left him. Alix looked up In wonder at
his tall, lank form. Kemp held his hat
In his hand and twisted it nervOusly.
Mis- lansing" he said, Il want
you should let me say few words to
ye. l seen Mister Lansing bout FIVE
weeks ago."
Alix sprang to her feet, her pale
cheeks afame. "YesT she said.
"When-when Is he cOming?" She
sank down again and buried her face
in her hands. The shame of putting
that question to a stranger over
whelmed her.
Kemp sat down near her. ''Sho. Mis-
Lansing he said. don you take 1t
hard that you're gettin' word Of Mr.
Lansing through me. Him an me an
Llebers ben most pardners."
Tenderness had crept into Kemp's
drawl. AIix looked up. "Please." she
said. tell me all about hlm-all about
these years."
Kemp hesitated before he spoke. ~
amt got the words ner the right to
tell you all about them three years.
Mis- Lansing, an 1 can't tell you all
about Mr. Lansing. cause the biggest
part o. some men don't meet the eye
it's inside on 'em. Thet's the way it
Is with Mr.. Lansing. en- tell you,
though, thet Mr. Lansing Is we'll an
strong-strong enough to swing a steer
by the tail.
That's what know. Now I'll tell
ye some O. my thoughts. Mr.. Lansing
want born to be a maverick. Right
now, I'm willin' to wager, he's headed
for home and the corral, but he amt
comm on the run-he'S browsln' and
chewin' his cud.
"When seen him FIVE weeks ago I
thought on hOg-tyin' him an bringin'
him along, cause Mr.. Wayne had tOl'
me about you an the two-year-old. But
it come to me that woman Of sperit-
one of Ourn-wOuldn't want her mau
should be brought In. She'd sooner
he'd hog-tle hisseff."
Alix' head hung In thought. Her
hands were clasped in her lap. As
Kemp's last words sank in the first
smile Of many days came to her lips
Kemp rose and said good-by. With
his hat pulled well over his brows and
his hands In his pockets, he slouched
toward the gate.
AK jumped up and followed him.
She laid her thin. light hand on his
arm. THANK you," she said. little
breathlessly. Kemp'S deep-set eyes
twinkled down on her. lie held out
his big, rough hand and Aix gripped
It.
mot good-by." she said.
| AsAsHAaS4a44@s+A&&AA
Es Kemp Is a simple soul, for all
his travels. Will AIix be able !
to worm out Of him the facts :