The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-06-12
III


bicycle tour Another knew quiet re-
sort in the mountains where the days
would seem as long as weeks elsewhere.
A third recommended something of a wild
debauch to squander all on u trip to a
fashionable watering place. He took
all their advice to confirm him In his
own wisdom. He had decided to spend
his vacation III his room
He had been overworked. The doctors
warned him against nervous prostration.
He warned himself asa ainst making ma
chine OF himself. He wished to go into
retreat" as the religious do: to set him
self away in a corner with himself, ana
enjoy his own company: to lay out mis-
life like a map before him, and md where
he vns going lie was too tired to drag
himself on into any rural solitude. The
thought of his old room in the boarding
house, where no had spent some few
pleasant evenings reading snd smoking
drew him along the easy rut OF an old
habit He would take his vacation in his
room. 1t would be most like the solitary
confinement in a medieval dungeon which
ne felt he needed as the only clean escape
from the hurry and worry of the work-a-
day world
There were stores to be laid in-books
md such-and he spent his frst day light
heartedIy making his purchases. 1t Ia
tcklish thing to adventure on the seiec-
ton of a two weeks reading from book
shop lined with volumes. He enjoyed 1t
the more that. latterly. he had not had
time for reading But he did not intend
to let any author intrude the outer "orio
too much upon him. There was to be
more tobacco than books. and there was
TO be every kind. He would not be shut
I'D with pipe smoking. lest his palate
should acne for cigars: and he must
not be without favored cigarettes. lest
he should lack dessert in these nicotian
banouets With the pipes 1t was the
same He must be put beyond the reach
of possible calamity with half dozen
At the least. He could foresee that
mserchaum to be colored would prove
refuge from ennui; but that would be to
land on his dessert island with ships
load of household goods. He would miss
the hazard of being thrown upon his own
resources
40 ne was prepared He gave 1t out
next morning that he was Ill. and MS
breakfast was brought up to him. 1t was
measured for the small appetite OF an In
valid, and to prove indisposition he must
leave something on the tray. However.
he could take his fill of the luxury of
living abed and he did that. He gloated
over It, analysing his sensations, appre-
ciatins the ease of each muscle separate
iy from the back of his neck, comforta-
bly, pillowed. to the tips of his distant
toes, stretching In unbooted freedom. The
room WAS flooded with glory of sun
light. He shut his eyes and foated In
It like = fish In crystal bowl.
There came to him. in the half dream,
the memory of another room and another
oh n
high spindle palisade. the cot in which
he slept when he visiting his two
cousins. The three children had formed
. union for the better protection OF their
liberties. They had agreed that no one
of them should rise before the others
When one was lazy. they all lay abed and
the powers bowed before an organized re-
volt. This morning. young Burke was
the sleepy one. and he had informed the
others that he would not wake for fifteen
minutes. He heard them whispering to-
gethsr in their cots. opened reluctant
eye, and saw that they were engaged in
playing one Of the make believe games
that he had taught them. 1t was Mann
moth Cave" 1t required that you cover
yourself with bed clothes: turn fat upon
your face, and snake down through the
suffocatinE darkness till your head came
out at the foot of the bed.
He do7ed again, but the restlessness
continued. Finally, he heard an unmis-
taxable chuckle. and what are you do
ing?" he asked. The prompt Nothing
of their answer awakened him. He
watched a while. The wriggling ceased
Two stolid faces stared blandly out of
the bedclothes. Then. with blink. who
can make the highest cant'lever bridget"
said one.
This was another of young Burke's In
ventions. To do IT you disposed yourself
upon your back. then with your elbo @s
raised an arohed body supported on neck
and heels. While one of the acrobats
was performing this feat he raised the
corner of his coverlet accidentally Burke
saw tho sleeve Of his jacket and shouted
You're dressing" Dressing? They were
already dressed. The "cantlever" bridge
had been a ruse with which they covered
an attempt to draw up their neither gar
ments to their waists. And all tho other
contortions had masked similar treasons.
Dreamy. dreamy" they cried, running
away to breakfast, roaring dertsion.
Burke had almost biubbered with chagrin
and disappointment. 1t was sharp
shock that the mere memory of II now
disturbed his doing. Moreover. his head
was aching. He was hungry. And lying
abed II seemed, did not compare with
wha- II had been When ne could play at
mammoth cave" and such make-belseve
In the mornings. Dreamy they had
called him.
He dressed in loose clothing. y. . cool
pipe. and lolled by the opan window
yawnin9 and stretching with luxurious
thrills of languidness because tho breezes
blew in his window. surged about face
md neck and wrists. and swtrled past the
leaf OF his half-epened door, rustlins his
desk papers and whinnying like young
colts. He was snugly conscious of being
contented that his head was empty of
all thought He drifted back to his memo
ries of his childhood.
They had called him Dreamy" and
poked fun brW =lly at his make believes
But Miss Margaret, She had always