The sun., 1900-08-19
ALTHEA, THE MODEL TOWN.
COUNTING or A WOMAN VINO Would
HAVE HER OWN WAY.

Mrs. Crswfords Dream Was 20 Have City o
Her Own OF Absolute Uniformity-Dyini
Charge OF Horatio Jacksonr Uncie and Hi
Tsmptation-The Tragedy at the finish.
You don't know anything about Althea,
said the man OF experience. questioninsV.
NO. said the young man who smokes
never heard OF her. Who Is she2
The oracle Of the offico frowned reprovinEly
you are laborins under q mistake" he said
-Althea Il not q woman She Ii a town
oh" came the response. In tones OF disap-
pointment. THAT condition necessitates q
change OF predicate. Where Is she'"
Down In Ohio was the reply. L own a
little bit Of property there. and am going down
some day 10 take look at It. That town was
the soene Of one OF the most interesting ro-
manoes Of my life. and somehow have lacked
the heart TO 70 back since the fatal termination
OF that unique episode. Althea In the queerest
ugliest town on earth. In making this state
ment do not wish to be understood a. casting
reflection on the artistic judgment OF Mrs.
Elisa Crawford. who was Althea's founder and
builder Mrs. Crawford was most estimabls
woman and to this day cannot speak OF her
without paying the tribute OF sigh to her
memory.
The first time saw Mrs. Crawford was the
day her husbands will was read. Mrs. Craw-
ford listened. with bowed head. to tho enumera-
ton Of his possessions In money and chattels.
tho bulk OF which he had beauesthed TO her.
| No sooner had the value and disposition OF her
| husbands effects been made public than the
widow was peppered with inquiries m TO what
she Intended TO do with her wealth.
That's a pretty big pile OF money you've
| got Lisa said her brother. Judson. obsedui-
ously. What use you going to mako OF it'
Mrs. Crawford had no need 10 search her
mind for an answer. I'm going 10 build
town said she. promptly.
This reply was a deal more unexpected than
the news OF the fortune, and II sapped the
strength from the roots Of her inqulsitor's
Imagination. For a moment his tongue hung
lump and lLstless. but presently his mind was
invigorated by a fresh flow Of the elixir OF curl
osity, and he resumed his fraternal catechism.
For the Lords sake. Lisa he protested.
what you g eoins 10 build atown for9
because / want 10. returned Mrs. Craw-
ford. succncuy.
That was all the satisfaction anybody could
get out Of her then; but the next day sho came
over to my ONCE and explained the details OF
her novel scheme. It's this way she said,
planting her plump pretty hands on tho table
near my writing materials and leaning toward
Inc conhdentlaly. AS understand Il, Jerome
left me something like $500 900 In money and
400 acres in land. not TO mention the horses and
cattle and farming implements and things. Is
that rightr
Perfectly right. said !.
Then want 10 talk to you about the town
and get your advice proceeded Mrs. Crawford.
Now, please, don't infer from that that I'm
about 10 ask your opinion Of the plan lalready
know quito well what that Is. You undoubted-
ly think It impractlcable and impossible, but
you may as well save yourself the trouble OF
putting the thought into words" for although
you should say It hundred times over, II
wouldn't have a feathers weight Of influence
on my determination. My mind Is made up.
and all that you or anybody else could ever say
would be powerless to change It. You see. I've
always wanted q town OF my very own, where
] can manage things as think best and rule
like an empress in my little kingdom.
-'I am going 70 call my town Althea jerome
earned his first dollar by sorting potatoes for
n woman named Althea Jones. The minute
/ heard about that decided to name my town
In her honor, leaving OF the Jones' Althea
will consist OF 23e houses. each OF which will be
an exact copy OF the other ass Here Mrs.
Crawford took pencil from my desk and began
10 sketch rapidly on large sheet OF paper.
Imagine. II you can she went on, with en-
thusiasm, that this he,irs Is a house set In
grounds three times its own dimensions. This
house is built Of brick and Is painted bright
cherry red with white trimmings. II Is two
stories high, and count twelve feet 10 eacn
story and two feet for the stone foundation
This typical Althea dwelling has no front-door
splendor and back-door squalor. The four
walls are exactly alike, each being set with one
door and nine windows. Each floor In the
house will contain originally. four rooms and
kan Lob inta AZ ~ oh
although later on tenants, II permanent may
subdlvide 20 suit their convenience. As you |
will see by this sketch. my model house Is de-
void OF all architectural superfluities, the only
attempt at ornamentaton being the lightning
rods and four red brick chmneys which deco |
rate the roof. Bay windows and verandas |
are other features Of which this sample house
Is destitute. but In the yard there win be eight
large sycamore trees. four OF which viii be |
Compatible with the laws of nature. thus soft |
enng the glare Of the sun wth grateful shadows. |
Around, the lot Q, picket fence four feet high |
IN the Ue spot SSSN Indicated p a by W these tte stars
shall build stable with four stalls and other |
ualy.. II you will multiply the architectural
forty acres of ground, which viii be be trayersed
riIcai precision, YOU viii have picture q Athea
as IL win appear, taken collectively, when com.
pleteO. NOW, What 90 you tnlnk Ol lutdl
Don't you think II will be a beautiful town.
Mrs. Crawford dropped her chin into the
hollow OF her palm and put the question second
time. Now. won't itr she said, softly;
For an instant feared that her enthusiasm
would prove contagious. but | gave strong
pull at my common sense and shook my head
dubiously. Tt may be nice enough | said.
evaslvely, but what are you going to do with
your town amer you get Il built2
III bring people TO come and live In II |
said she. There are hundreds Of families in
the city who will Jump at the chance to live in
such a town as Althea.'
Undoubtedly said l. But ! fear your
scheme ssvors too much OF Utopia. How will
they live once they are settled herep You
cannot support 2sO families indefinitely
Mrs. Crawford retorted. l shall give them
employment, My first care shall be TO start
q ishhook factory, suspender factory and
chewing gum factory. II those industries
do not AFFORD sufficient diversity Of employ
ment | shall make shoes and perhaps start a
brickyard on the outskirts OF the town
But II you establish so many factories how
can you preserve the uniformity Of your town?'
argued. Your work rooms will require a
different style OF architecture
Not at ALL said Mrs. Crawford. That Is
the chief advantage Of Althea. Three or four |
families Of my worklnRmen can seek quarters
In one house. but so far az mere external ap- |
pearances go. they will enjoy as fine a resi-
dence as that occupied by the richest person |