The Newtown bee., 1899-12-01

SUNDAY REPUBLICAN,
With his advent into that little northern
town Willard Newberry found himself
In new world. There was nothing In
spring about this world, except It's brac-
ing air, fresh from the great expanSe Of
water, and which had been recommended
to Newberry as the best tonic he could
have IN his present over worked condition.
1t was a shlftless, good natured world.
where everything seemed going easily to
wreck and ruin, and he soon had an op-
portunitY OF learning what was the blight
which was none too slowly eating out the
life of the people and the place.
Stunning the hotel, Newberry had es-
tabhshed himself for the summer in a
pleasant house on the broad main street,
where his airy room opened out on vine
covered balcony which was all his own.
The eccentric custo m-house officer who
had scraped acquaintance with the young
physician Immediately after his arrival,
had warned him that he would find 1t
dull In q house "where there were NO
girls" And Winter had treasured up
Newberry's answer, ST have come up
here for rest, don't want even to look
at GIRL" and quoted it against him sf-
terward with fine effect.
Newberry sat smoking out on his quiet
balcony an evening or two after his ar
rival, when Winter called up to him from
ho1o,u G{Our VshSrfaow oIuh vonakn 30
night and the fellows have sent me to
ask you to come round"
He had no desire to leave his pleasant
solitude, but at Winters protest that
"the fellows would resent it If ne D ida't
come, >" he acquiesced with the best grace
he could muster and accompanied his
strange new friend to the club-room over
one of the empty stores in the pretentious
new frame block.
AS it's dOOr-wonderfully decorated
with skull and crossbones and other
cabalistic signs-yielded to Winter 9
pressure, the rush of steamy air Eningla I'D
with the fumes of liquor and clouds OF
tobacco smoke was almost everpewerinR.
1t was early yet, but evidently the mem
bers had been already INDUCING freely,
and NeWberry shrewdly guessed that
hard drinking, sub rosa, was the chief
amusement of these inert and shiftless
citizens Of this so-called prohibition town.
On table in the midst Of the group,
perched in high arm chair, was a gro
teaQue, dwarfish figure with quaint,
shrewd face. The little man had evident
ly just reached the climax of some story
and had paused with his long arms ex-
tended and his head uplifted to note It's
effect upon the audience, who had receiv-
ed it with an outburst of wild laughter
and applause.
"Demoulinville, our president, last of
the old French family,-he keeps US in q
roar" whispered Winter with a nudge.
''His wit Is as sharp as his chin"
At this moment their eyes met and
Newberry was at loss to account for
the look of dislike which passed like a
sudden shadow over the dwarf's strange
face.
A round of introductions followed, a
pipe and bottle were set before the new
conner, and then the noisy wit flowed on.
Newberry endured it for awhile, but
the heat was sitting and at last, after q
few graceful words of acknowle dgment
to his host, he had risen to take his leave
when the door opened and a young girl
entered and looked anxiously around the
room.
"You did not hear me knock" she
said. els father hereS Father, old Mrs
Fourier Is i'll and they want you to 90
to her ct once"
All eyes were turned to the fair young
speaker who acknowledged their familiar
greetings with faint little smile and
friendly nod.
Demoulinville saw Newberry's ewes
rest on her face, and for moment the
dwarf looked as though he would like to
annihilAte the tall and slender man.
Winter, too, saw the lingering glance
and chuckled as he muttered to himself,
"He doeG not want to even look at girl,
oh mol"
"It'G humbug, Claire, and l won't 20 ~
the doctor cried impatiently. ''She's al
ways sending at unreasonable hours
and for nothing at all. Why didn't you
say was out?'
But, father, she is really i'll, they are
alarmed about her. You will go?" she
urged.
He seemed loath to leave his boon
companions and rose grumbling. Then,
Iovertaking Newberry on the stairs, he
carelessly introduced him to his daugh-
ter and the three walked on together.
Newberry's lodging was opposite the
doctors house, and after the young man
had regained his pleasant solitude he
saw the doctor come out again. And as he
watched the lantern, the doctor carried,
wagering like a will-o'-wisp along the
road, he felt thrill Of pity for the wait
Ing sufferer and also for the sweet-1aced
daughter Claire, who surely would be
the old mans better angel IL he would
but listen to her.
Newberry's interest In his pretty
neighbor deepened day by day. He liz
ed to watch her from his veeanda' % she
worked among her flowers or sat sewing
by her window, or aa she waited III the
little wagon for her father to come out
Of his dingy Office, for she often accom-
panied him on his irregular rounds and
managed the gay young horse with per.
feet skill. $751;. s.r4s .tse
he sometimes met her ct the possoHice
while waiting for the mail, and when he
found that she was fond OF reading and
that books were unattainable in the
shiftless town he lent her many on his