Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-20

| into the winter Their lettess told of nothing
| but incidental doihEs an&s happenings; but
| both were conscious of Che sentiment that
| lay behind the effort OF writing
On the first day OF December when navi-
| CATION on the lakes was closed Hunch left
| the Lucy jackson in her new berth at the
| lumber docks. For some weeks he had
been thinking over sonie plan which he
was now ready to carry 1out. He go, Mr..
Jackson to take walk with him at noon.
| and they went up the river and looked at
piece of land Mr.. jackson thought 1t
| would do, and on he next day it belonged
| tn Hunch. He paid cash for it.
Through the Writer Months Hunch was
| busy building house. '9The plans came
| from an old copy Of an architects journal.
Mr.. Jackson sold him the lumber at inside
| rates. and Hunch RATED Il up himself dur
| ing few days of open water. Bill Ander-
| son, 4 carpenter whom Hunch had known
| on the Manistogee elevator was hired, and
| he and Hunch built the house. Later Hunch
had to hire plumber and a plasterer but
| even after these expenses something was
| left of his years savings.
| When January had come and Hunch had
not gone down to Manistogee Mamie could
not help letting him see that she missed
| him. Once she wrote that she guessed he
didn't remember old friends very well.
| Hunch sat up half of one night reading the
| letter. but gave her hint except that
maybe he had little surprise of his
| own.
! The house fronted on the river. 1t was
a story and a half high. with four rooms
| and a hall on the ground floor and two
| small rooms upstairs There was a CRATE
| in the front room big enough for chunks OF
| wood. The veranda extended across the
width of the house 1t would be gooa
| place to sit evenings, when it was not too
| cold. and the sand was not blowing. Inc
! big white sandhill that looked down on one
side of the house may have been bleak
| enough. but Hunch had been brought up
among sandhils. and he liked it. 1t had a
| round. bold top. and every morning during
! the summer the sun would strike 1t carry
| and make it glisten. Huuch thought that
| maybe he would set out few peach trees
| in the side yard some day.
1t on the 9th of February. Satur-
| day, that Hunch and Bill put the last brush
| of paint on the house. They sat down TO
| rest on saw buck in the front yard, where
they could admire the wide veranda and
| the shingled front.
Who's going to live here. now she's
| done?" asked Bill.
Il am" Hunch grnned.
All alone?'
Hunch grew serious. The sense of achieve
| ment that had come with the building OF
the house had overbaanced his doubts
about Mamie. He grew more serious and
paid no attention to Bills question
They were cleaning up the brushes out in
the woodShed. when Hunch suddenly pulled
out his watch
BILL" he said you fix things up. I've
got to GO.
He caught a trolley car. At his room he
shirt Then he ran for the station. At 6:3O
he was in ManiStogee.
After a supper at the hotel he walked up
to Mamies house He had started out cool
ly, but suddenly, as he opened the gate. his
strength seemed to leave him. Hunch had
reached the great moment of his life. and
he vaguely knew it. He was so nervous
that his hand was shaking when he knocked
and the things about him looked unnatural.
Mamie was nervous. too: and. though she
talked easily enough for a while. and scold-
ed Huncn because he had not been to see
her all winter. she hardly knew what she
was saying. Then came a time when
neither had anything to say, and they sat
for Il long time without a word. Hunch's
eyebrows were drawn together almost
ferccly.
Say" he finally got out, will you do
something for me?"
'Why-I'll do anything ! can.
We'll | guess you can, all right. ! want
you to come on up to ManiStee with me to-
morrow morning.
WHY" she stammered; Il can't say
No" said Hunch. you don't have to
say nothing. | just want to show you
something. We can get back before night"
Mamie looked relieved
What is it," she asked quickly
Nothing much-r amt going to tell just
yet; You'll come. won't you?
Why: don't Know
wont you?"
Mamie looked at him. hesitated then
laughed nervously and nodded. She was a
little frightened Hunch grew almost bOiS-
ferrous in d sudden flow of good spirits and
he went away without q word which would
make her understand.
They took the morning train Mamie was
herself again, and they appeared as quite
a sober pair Hunch, however. grew ner-
vous as they came into Manstee. He hur-
red her into trolley car. and sat stiff and
silent while they sktrted the fiat shore of
the lake and river. Finally they got out
and walked across the sand to newly
painted cottage next to a sand hill.
Hunch looked at the house and then at
Mamie. She was puzzled.
Well he said. how do you take it?''
WHAT" she said, though her eyes
showed that she beginning to under
stand.
THAT there-the house. It's yours.
made it for you" He was SO excited that
he raising his voice.
Ssh said Mamie, somebody will hear
you.
Then she looked for a long time at the
house. Hunch watched her. but she would
not meet his eyes. She walked slowly UP
the yard. balancing on the planks that
were laid over the sand. She rested a foot
on the first step, and slowly looked around
There We're tears in her eyes.
Hunch gripped her hand tightly.
'Oh. John she faitered: but this time
she did not say that she sorry.