Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-06-24

9Ou
Kemp stopped talking and downed
his drink. Alan sat silent and thought
fu1 l-ieber was gone and made gap
In his life that he never knew had been
hlled. He wanted to know more. He
turned to Kemp. "Neli?"
you remember the ioa tree at Lie
ber's, Mr. Wayne? One O. the lone
soonest trees on earth. l 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.
We'll, 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 10
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.
"N ish you'd put me on" he said. "All
know is it amt American an it
amt Mex"
The words on the slip looked as IL
they had been printed by a child with
painstaklng care. Alan stared as he
saw them. "Qui de nous ma pas Gu
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 paper. He put it back
in his wallet and said. II suppose the
Teller tibet wrote that was thinkin'
mostly Of a mans mind. but when il
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 |
don know. They's lots of folks that
needs to worry moren Lieber over
crosSin' the divide"
They sat thoughtful for some time
and then Alan remembered Red Hill.
where are you staying, Kemp2"
"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 there. Mr.. Wayue ct"
he asked.
Yes" said Alan, and then added,
Kemp do you take me for man that
would steer you up against a game
you don't hold cards in?"
mo- said Kemp. Il DON'T and
then found himself hated and hurried
into a taxi before he could further pro-
test.
If Alan had any qualms about intro
ducing Kemp to Red Hill they were
soon aIlayed. Kemp was duly present
ed on the lawn at Maple House To
everything in pettlcoats he took off his
hat and said "maam," but before the
men he stood hated and vouchsafed a
short "Howdyr accompanied by
handshake where it was invited
Strange to Kemp must have seemed
the group of which he found himself
the center. At n tea table under the
biggest maple sat Mrs. J. Y. She called
Kemp ana motiOned to chair beside
her, Kemp let his lanby frame down
slowly on the fragile structure, took off
his domed hat and laid it on the grass
at his side. For an instant Mrs. j. Y.
fixed her soft. myopic gaze on him and
then looked away. Glenn brought him
q 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 J. Y.
softly some other drink. | mcanY
Kemp's quick eye royed over the
group. lie saw that nobody was TAX
Ing anything but tea ard at the same
time he noted gratefully that nobody
was watching him. The Judge and
J. Y. were talking TO each other.
Nance. Junior and Cousin Tom were
kneeling before Gerry Junior. stolen
for a short hour from Allx. That
dwarf Moloch, arrayed in starchy
white that stuck out Ike a ballet skirt
above his sturdy. fat legs. was grayely
devourirS sacrifice Of cake Charlie
Ster'iag lay full length on the ground
while his brood. with shrili cries at his
frequent eruptious, buried ANA re-
buried him with sofa pillows. Nance,
Alan and Glenn slipped tea and cheered
on the chiidren's efforts
Kemp turned a twinking eve on
Mrs. j !. Il amt sayin', ma'am. thet
this mixture is my usual beverage. but
a man don't expect to have his usual
handed down I'm pulpit, and Ike. /
wise l see no call for folks turnin' their .
front lawns into a bar"
Kemp could feel a scene: his sfra Ige I
nature was moved at uudlng itself ,
rubbing elbows with gurn a prduu /