Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-06-18

vi
What would have been the result
upon my fortunes had the asylum
seeker failed to be satisfied with the
/ retreat selected is question over hich
/ have since wasted much time. Oh Tire
v hole, It is probable that I Should have
seen little more Of him, the chances be-
| ing that in a day or two he would have
disappeared, leaving, perhaps, q sum OF
money sufficient III his eyes to conn ea-
safe me for services rendered to that
date. It is good evidence OF the recl,-
lessness which then possessed me that,
though contingency Of this sort had
been in my mind from the first, the
thought Of il had no deterring influence.
/ As it was, however. he seemed to be
content with the choice made for him
/ and ready to carry out our contract
The task of settling him in his new
abode proved to be unexpectedly easy.
The owner of the old house was glad to
dispose of it for a song, throwing in u
patch of marshland along with the lit
| tie hill on which the building stood
| Though it was in need of repairs, and
] though wind and weather had left
many mark upon it, it was still a
stout structure, with stanch beams and
| firm foundation, capable, apparently,
OF withstanding the gales of a score Of
winters. 1t was built on the summit of
| the hummock, which rose about 40 feet
above the sea-level a rocky spur
pushed up into the light and air from
some stratum buried under the low
lands of the coast. Upon the rocks was
a scanty covering of soil, barely sufii-
! cient to give support to the fringe OF
| dwarfed evergreens which surrounded
| the dwelling. Halfway down the slope
/ on the west or laHdward side was a
/ spring about which was d atch OF turf,
the only bit of green on the premises,
I TO- the soil under the trees was dull
brown in hue, and the seward ter
races Were too steep and stony to give
root TO even the hardest Of grasses. To
| the east, directly between the knoll and
the beach, was a marsh, which also
curved about the rocks to border their
southern side. On the north & tidal
stream flowed so close to the base Of the
slope that one could step from a boat to
the lowest Of the rocky leGges To the
west the land was level, but not marshy.
/ and the line OF a long abandoned svaeon-
track could be traced straight across to
the hill from which Lamar had gained
| his first view of his refuge. Rodney
town was considerably more than
mile distant. but about halfway be-
tween the village and the knoll were
three or four farmhouses. Their occu-
pants would BE Iamar's nearest neigh
hogs at least on the land side. To the
south, pefched on another rock point
about quarter Of a mile away, was the
hut of q family at fishermen. who we're
not likely 10 be intrusive
As has been said, fhe business Of tax
ing possession was asimple natter and
the night after our arrival we passed
III the house by the bay Lamar showed
amazing energy IN ma ng the place
habtahlc, and within a week wonders
were accomplished. a wagou-load OF
furniture and fitting was secured from
the village; | turned glazier TO replace
the broken window -panes. whose alb
sence had served at least to save the
place fron the rcproaeh Of r7usti-
ness; and my employer develope,i!
no mean ability as carpenter. 10
be sure. il was a mere box OF
a house. making our labor so
much the lighter but | felt a
good deal of pride in the results. On
the ground-iioor was a living room,
with a kitchen behind it. and a small
room opening from the Kitchen. Above
we're two rooms of fair size, both of
which. Lamar told me, he should re-
quire for his own use II had been
agreed, soon offer our arrival. that
should find quarters in one Of the farm
houses between the refuge and the VII
/ lage--an arrangement entirely To my
hkingfor the pcctofdwelling under
the same roof with Lamar was not nj.
Turing. He was as unSympathetie as
IN iceberg. hardly more log~aeious.
and the mystery he maintained was
not Of the fascinating sort. In the
Rveek Ne passed torc her game - dis
4ke him exceedingly Sometimes. when
i day's 'abors were ended he would sit
for hours putting away AZ his cigar,
watching the ,vreatbs Of smoke, but
S. sakin@ st d word, ana hardly honor
ibg I'VE .gh j. glance What his re-
i Fiction uiHht ae was aevond my
/ power III con lecture, Yet managed
with considerable satisfaction, to con-
vince myself that lie had committed
same crime Of particular atroeity, and
that he WAS no common political exile
Never, however. did he giye me cause
/ to suppose him d he d sufferer from
/ remorse. Whatever his reasons for
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