Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-10

Something over forty years ago
Gaius Eaton and / became students
of a popular school in the State of
New York, which he had long wished
to attend, although up to within a
month of our entrance we might, it
seemed, as reasonably have wished for
seats in Congress. But unexpected
circumstances made it possible for
my father to send not only me but
Gaius, whose widowed mother was
fathers beloved sister.
In the unfamiliar city we We're COM
fortably established near the top OF
a large, square-built house standing
on high ground. Our room overlooked
a long stretch of the river which
flows past the town, and a wide tract
of open country beyond. This view
across the river was broken by certain
tain buildings scattered on high
ground on our side of the river, and by
corresponding bluff-like eminence
on the other shore, perhaps a mile
and a half away.
We prepared our own meals, and
patronized convenient little variety
store, owned and managed by an in
quisitive old gentleman named Mason,
where we purchased bakers goods,
milk. fruits, and so forth.
His only helper was a young man
of twenty or thereabouts, who had
sleeping rooms on the floor above, but
boarded with a private family,-dis-
tant relatives, he said,- with whom
he frequently stayed overnight when
taking an evening off"
They We're both friendly to us-Air.
Mason especially so, after learning
that we had come from his native
county. He was well preserved
physically, except that he was very
deaf, which did not prevent him
being an attractive, CHEEKY old gentle
man. OF course his infirmity obliged
him to rely much upon his clerk,
George Dow-a bright, wide-awake
young man who had been in his en-
ploy upward of two years.
Dow's cordial, pleasant ways at
tracted Gaius, with whom he was
soon on intimate terms. AS for my
self, / liked him in a general way, as
one likes all agreeable people, and no
more. Gaius, noticing what he chose
to call my Indifference" inquired
what l had against Dow. / replied,
Il can't think of anything / have
against him"
Still, an indefinable feeling-not e2-
actly suspicion of him, but rather a
sense of inability to estimate him
tirfn %, ,;tL
me when in his presence.
Months of our school-days passed
uneventfully, nothing varying the mo,
notony but street arrest ora runaway
Yet we frequently heard of the doings
of what was supposed to be an or
ganized gang of local roughs, the
daily lengthening story of whose petty
villainies caused much curbstone dis
cussion and unsparing criticism of the
police.
These novel experiences did not dis
tract our attention from study, and
we advanced satisfactorily, although
we sometimes had to burn the mid
night oil in order to keep up with our
classes.
served across the river a light-mere
ly lamp in somebody's window, ap-
parently-which continued to shine
brilliantly after the neighboring lights
were extinguished. This persisteno.
attracted our attention at the outset,
and after while we curiously looked
for the light when darkness came.
Sometimes it was missing.
How many lights can you see over
there in that vicinity? asked Gaius
one evening.
Eight" said l. counting.
Il counted eight last evening"" he
replied, but good many times / can
make only seven"
"Oh, WELL" said l, ~ don't suppose
the people living there are setting up
lamps for us to count"
mo; but most likely they put their
lights, as we and others do, in certain
places every night, and so we ought
He left his remark unfinished and
hastily resumed his book, while | be-
took myself to Mason's store on my
customary trip for our next days
bread.
! found Mr.. Mason, George Dow and
two women customers in some excite
ment, for the store had been robbed
the night before-George's night off.
Mr.. Mason's story was interrupted
and rendered nearly unntelligible by
his snervous additions and corrections
Apparently, after a lapse of twelve
hours or more since his discovery of
the robbery his agitation had not ap
ated, although he declared the loss of
Slight importance-thirty dollars taken
from the till, and jewelry, cigars, to-