The San Francisco call., 1906-10-28

cleared the sky gioriously in
the morning the incongruous Indiana
town shone in a white harmo ny-roef,
ledge and earth as evenly covered as
by moonlight. There was no thaw;
only where the line OF factories fol
lowed the big bend OF the frozen river,
their distant chimaeys like exclama-
tion points on a blank page. was there
a first threat against the supreme
whiteness- The wind passed quickly
and on high; the shouting of the
school children had ceased at . O'Clock
with pipfm suddcnness, no sleigh
bells laughed out on the air. and the
muhiing Of the thoroughfares wrought
an unaccustomed peace like that Of
Sunday. This was the phenomenon
which afforded the opening Of the
morning debate of the sages in the
wide windows OF the National House.
p Only such unfortunates as have so
far failed to visit Canaan do not know
that the National House is on the Main
street side Of the Courthouse Square.
and has the advantage OF being within
two minutes walk OF the railroad sta
tion, which is in plain sight OF the
windows-an inestimable benefit TO the
conversation of the aged men who oc-
cupied these windows on this white
morning, even as they were wont in
summer to hold against all comers the
cane-seated chairs on the pavement
outside. Thence, as trains came and
went. they commanded the city gates,
and. seeking motives and adding TO the
stock OF history. narrowly observed
and examined into all who entered or
departed. Their habit was not sin
gulsr lie who would fcoIishlS tax
the ssges Of Canaan with a bucolic
light-mindedness must first walk in
Piccadiily in early gune, stroll down
the Corso in Rome before Ash Wednes-
dar- ~ regard those windows ct F7ifth
avenue whose curtains are withdrawn
or a winter Sunday for in each OF
these great streets. wherever the win
dows. not OF trade. are widest. his eyes
must behold wise men. like to those of
Canaan. executing always their same
purpose.
The difference is in favor of Canaan;
the National House" was the club. but
the perusal Of traveller or passer-by
was here only the spume blown before
a stately ship Of thought and you
might hear the sages comparing the
Koran with zhe speeches Of Robert J.
Ingersoik
In the days ~of board sidewalks.
mail time" had meanr a precise mo-
ment FOR Canaon, and even now. many
years after tie first postman. it re-
mainod somewhat definite 20 the aged
men for. ont or Difference to pleas
ant. olden custom. and perhaps. partly
for an excuse to get down to the
hotolv (Which was not altogether in
favor with the elderly ladies). most Of
them retained their antique boxes in
the postofice. happily in the next
building
IN this connection IT may be written
that a subscription clerk in the Office
Of the chicago Daily Standard, hay-
ing noted a. single subscriber from
Canaan. was. a fortnight later, pleased
20 receive. by one mail. nine subscrip-
tions from that promising town II
one brought pine others in a fortnight.
thought he, what would nine bring in
2 month"; Amazingly they brought
nothing. and the rest was silence Here
was a matter OF intricate diplomacy
never TO come within that youth his
ken. The morning voyage 10 the post
once. long Knocked as a fable and screen
by the families of the sages. had grown
40 dimcult to accomplish sor one of
them. Colonel Flitcroft (colonel in the
war with AfeNico). that he had been
nut 70 II. indeed, to foot the flring-line
spsfnst his ~Sife "a lady OF celebrated
determination and fhaie-voiced at 20,
and 10 defend. the. rental OF a box which
b.5 sheitered-but three missives in four
wears. Desperation is often inspira
ton. the colonel brilliantly subscribed
Tor the STANDARD, forgetting to give
hts house address. and it took the.
others just thirteen days TO wiring his
secret from him. Then the Standard
served for al.
MafI-time had come 10 mean that
bright hour, when they ali got their
feet on the tbrass rod which projected
the siIis Of the two big windows, with
the steam radiators sizzling like <et-.
Ties against the side waIl. Mr.. Jonas
Tabor, who had sold his hardware bus
mess msgnihcently Cnot naagnihcentiy
Tor his nephew. the purchaser) some
ten years before, was usually, in spite
Of the fact that he remained bache-
lar AZ 70, the last 70 settle down with
fhs others, though often the first to
reach the hotel, which be always en-,
tered by a side door, because he did
not believe in the treating system. And
n was Mr.. Eskew Arp. only rs, but al
kesdy q thoroughly capable cynic, who,
almost invariably opened the argu-
rnent.~ and it was he who discovered the
sinister intention behind the weather of
this particular morning. Mr.. Arpehad
not begun life so sourly: as a youth
he had been proud of his given name,
which had come 10 him through his