Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-04-17
CHAPTER !.
"Nesr to Natures Heart"


to the skies, And where is your Ma
donna in the sunbonnet suppose
she is or a par with her surround
ings."
Gladys Middleton glanced ScorD-
fully about the little room
Her brother Claude Tor Buster" as
he preferred to be called looked a
little crestfallen at the girls dis
approval, and his eyes followed hers
on a tour of inspection. But where
he saw only plain apartment with
walls grotesquely lined with news
papers in varying conditions of age,
deal table whose only ornaments
were a Bible and an album, and a
stairway running up to the second
floor, the brother noted a general air
of coy comfort and innate refine
ment that extended from the towering
plants in the window to the cupboard
full of tin dishes and kitchen utensils.
Brother and sister were strangely
out OF place amid such surroundings.
From the looks of their faultless
riding clothes the pair might have
stepped out OF handbook.
They were the twin son and daugh-
ter of Thomas Middleton, senior part
ner of the prominent New York firm
of contractors Middleton & Blessing.
The firm was engaged in building
an aaueduct on Lost River, the stream
which flows through the little summer
resort Of the same name. In southern
Indiana.
The junior partner Mr.. Robert
Blessing, had come out In person TO
supervise the work. A few days
earlier Mr. Middleton had sent his son
and daughter to Lost River on vaca-
ton.
There had been a double purpose In
this: First, to enable Buster" Ga Har-
ward senlor) to learn something of
the work done by the firm; second. TO
allow Gladys to be near Bob Blessing,
TO whom she was engaged.
The twins, as well as Blessing,
were stopping at the local hotel.
Buster was enjoying every minute OF
his stay Gladys spent most of her
time lin company with the city girls
who were summering at the hoteD
In sneering at everything about her.
To-day Bob had told the pair of a
pretty little cottage some miles from
the hotel, where lived a beautiful
daughter OF nature. who kept up the
farm and cared for her aged grand
mother "a type of local character sure
to amuse city folk.
Blessing had suggested that they all
IL IN n
II was called for dinner. The twins
accompanied by Pickles, their groom.
had started ahead leaving Bob TO
follow when he should have finished a
bit of engineering in the aqueduct
They found the cottage apparently
deserted when they tok possession.
If you think I'm going TO dine in
this squalid place you're mistaken.
broke out Gladys, after her survey of
the room
But what's the matter with it?"
1t is not the place for a lady. It's
a common farmhouse"
why, so 1t is" exclaimed her
brother as II the idea had just
dawned on him. DO you know. I've
been wondering why there were no
Persian rugs over this hardwood
floor no old masters hanging on
these tapestried walls and no array
of priceless gold and silver plate on
your antique sidebodard had ex-
peCted to find all those things lying
around lose at Lost River. Ind The
reason they aren't on deck here is
because this is actually farmhouse
And 1t remained for my sisters Sher-
lock Holmes instinct TO get next the
fact Hasten let us depart ere tae
Coutagion smitcs u.s."
I'D wish you'd stop trying 10 he
humorous, replied Gladys. petulantly.
and try to find some of the creatures
that live in this hole We can leave
word with them for Bob that we've
ridden back
As she spoke a beetle-browed,
bearded man slouched into the room.
IT'S 18Th l.oucke. the tollgate
keeper said Buster to Gladys. Il
remember Bob said he boarded here
he and Ezra Cookus the hus driver.
who leads the local orchestra at the
hotel hops say my friend" he
went on. addressing Bin, Cant you
tell me-"
The rustic had stood gaping at him
Now with roar of laughter he ran
upstairs and disappeared into at
upper room,
Scarce had ho gone when a sandy
haired man. with the narrow. mean
face of q ferret, came in
Hello. Ezra" called Buster Can
YOU '~----
A second roar Of laughter and a sec
ond exit up the stairway answered
him.
Us this a coEy house. or what
gasped Buster in amasement.
II think. sir" respectfully suggested
the groom from the doorway. They're
Just eountrymen tryin' TO have little
FUN with city folks. And" as the
sound of steps was heard outside,
Here comes Mr.. Blessing now, sir"
A tall broad-shouldered young fell