Page:The Country Boy.djvu/187

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THE COUNTRY BOY
179

ment one way or the other. He just carried the carpet-bag and kept a sad expression on his face. But Silverton came out to a man. The blacksmiths with their aprons on as they lined up in front of the

shop looked like sculptors. The clerks in the stores looked as good as the proprietors themselves, and Ai Coolidge and Jake McClaine looked like the coast range mountains. Some of them made father’s chin quiver a little when in their good advice they yelled, as they shook hands:

“Well, Homer, be a good boy and stick to it; don’t ever come back!”

When we got through the heart of the town into the residence portion between houses, father looked me straight in the eyes and said:

“They meant well, but it sounded a little hard for us, didn’t it?”

And no answer was necessary.