Part 34 (1/2)

”Return it,” said Billy ”'Maw' just loaned it to e elevated his eyebrows a trifle He had been mistaken, after all

At the farreeted the her pail--which, if the truth were known, she had not expected to see again--and gave theolden-brown cookies, the tops of which were encrusted with sugar

As they walked away Bridge sighed ”Nothing on earth like a good woman,”

he said

”'Maw,' or 'Penelope'?” asked Billy

”Either, or both,” replied Bridge ”I have no Penelope, but I did have aof the slovenly, blear-eyed woht him into the world The memory was far froe,'” he said, quite suddenly, and apropos of nothing, in an effort to change the subject ”That's an odd nae before”

”Just a nae

”I used to use a feords he'd never heard before, so he calledThe fellows shortened it to 'Bridge'

and it stuck It has always stuck, and now I haven't any other I even think of reed Billy, and that was the end of it He never thought of asking his coe would have questioned him as to his, or of his past The ethics of the roadside fire and the empty tomato tin do not countenance such impertinences

For several days the two continued their leisurely way toward Kansas City Once they rode a few ht train, but for thethe dusty highways Billy continued to ”rustle grub,” while Bridge relieved the monotony by an occasional burst of poetry

”You know soby their ca, ”that I'd think you'd be able to e; ”but there always seeet under your belt--the divine afflatus is not there I ht, but I always end up where I didn't expect to go, and where nobody wants to be”

”'Member any of it?” asked Billy

”There was one I wrote about a lake where I cae, reminiscently; ”but I can only recall one stanza”

”Let's have it,” urged Billy ”I bet it has Knibbs hangin' to the ropes”

Bridge cleared his throat, and recited:

Silver are the ripples, Solemn are the dunes, Happy are the fishes, For they are full of prunes

He looked up at Billy, a s at the corners of his mouth

”How's that?” he asked

Billy scratched his head

”It's all right but the last line,” said Billy, candidly ”There is soe, ”there is”