Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1888-12-22

1t was OlIPu SdlQ lIldG W tebNIi "ON'lU
be found starved or frozen to death some
| time. So every winter there was talk of
| looking after him." by those in author
itv, but it ended in talk, as he was rot
exactly the kind of man to dictate 10.
In the vernacular of Simpsons grocery,
he was "a hard one to tackle.
In the beginning of the hermlts last
winter on the mountain some hunters,
| driven by cold to his cabin, entered and
! found him moaning on his rude couch.
| They spread the news in Milford, and
1.-The authorities" conferred together and
| decided that it was time to act. But
| what should they do with him? Nobody
could go up to his lodge on the mountain
to take care of him; his wretched dwell
! ing contained no comforts. And nobody
wanted to take him into his home.
| There was the county house, where all
paupers were sent, but that was near
| the county seat, seven miles away.
They who were most OutspOken in the
matter of having him ''looked after and
/ who owned the largest and most COM
/ Portable houses, "hemmed and hawed"
/ when it came to a question of taking
| him in. Some one, in moment of hui
name feeling, suggested that the seven
/ miles Journey to the poOrhOuse might
| prove dangerous to the sick man, and
! might even throw serious blame on those
4 who became responsible for it.
| However, after much thought and
nsore talk had been put upon the subject,
! the pOOrhouse faction prevailed, and the
/ fiat went forth that Old Weaver must be
! taken charge OF by the county, willing or
unwilling.
The expedition set forth the next
| morning. 1t was principally composed
! of ''the authorities otherwise hard
headed and dictatorial personages, with
/ that degree Of heartlessness peculiar to
! the class known as prominent citizens. !"
A heavy snow lay upon the ground, and
! the mountain roads were unbrOken. A
big sled, generously supplied with straw
/ and lunch baskets, was made ready.
The departure of this hermit capturing
/ expedition was an event. The pOstOffice
| loafers gazed upon the imposing specta-
| Gle with envy in their hearts, though
/ they Cheered the noble philanthropists
store were ali outside waving their hats
and making other demonstrations Of
good will and interest The yarn
| spinners at Simpsons grocery held
| their tobacco firmly between their teeth
and their hands in their trousers pockets
as the sled went by. This was their
manner of expressing very warm in
| terest. Women watched from doors,
windows ani porches, as women always
! do, and a swarm of enthusiastic small
/ boys hung on to the sled until driven
/ back when half Il mile out of town.
/ The philanthropists reached Viewers
! cabin late in the day, after digging their
way through great snowdrifts. All this
/ heroic exertion made them feel more
dominant in spirit than ever. The very
first rap on the hermit's door had the
sound of authority in it, delivered as it
was by the formidable fist of the town
marshal, backed by the appreciation of
! the other prominent citizens who accom-
panied him.
There was no response.
The expression of decision on the mar
shal's face deepened as he began to beat
upon the door with both fists and kick
it with the thick soles Of his tremendous
boots.
Still there was no answer.
While they were parleying about
whether it was time to use the AK OF
not the closed shutter Of the hermit's
haggard face, in which blazed a pair Of
ewes whose wrathful lightning fairly an
inhibited the prominent citizens.
what do you WANT" he asked, after
a moment of discomtiting silence, as
they stood, wordless, under the spell Of
his unspoken anger.
1--WE heard you were SICK" said the
marshal
"Wcll?"
eve knew you would need help" said
the justice of the peace, land SO came
to try to do something for you"
You have put yourselves to unneces-
sary trouble. l want nothing"
But our duty as citizens will not
allow us to let a fellow being suffer,
said Deacon White.
Your first duty is to mind your own
business" said the hermit.
Here is DR.. Horsefy, who will help
you right off, if you will let us in" SAID
Mr.. Smollett, also a prominent citizen.
The doctor stood silent. medicine case in
hand, the rigidity of the regulars code
preventing his doing any truupetlng on
/ his own account.
"When | am weary of life shall send
! for DR.. Horsehy. Until then he must
excuse me-" returned the hermit, with
something like merriment dancing in his
wild eyes.
The doctor colored under this deadly
| insult, feeling it the more because the
earth was yet fresh over his two last
patients. This offensive defiance of their
authority was the tacitly understood
! signal for a concerted rally of the reScu-
ers. Instinctively they drew nearer to-
gethgr, and one said:
! - rSSS&