Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-16
WATERBURY EVENING DEMOCRAT SATURDAY FEBRUARY

night" said MT. Bradbury" -"kind of ball Mamie Pike's givin' for the young folks. Quite a doin's. I hear."
 That's another thing that's ruining Canaan" MT. Arp declared morosely- ''these entertainments they have now adays. Spend all the money out of town-band from Indianapolis, chicken salad and darky walters from Chi cagow
 A decrepit hack or two, a couple of old fashioned surreys and few "cut- unders" drove by from the 10:45 train. bearing the newly arrived and their valises, the hotel omnibus depositlng several commercial travellers at the door, A solitary figure came from the station on foot, and when it appeared within fair range of the window, Uncle Joe Davey, who had but lowered on the Hanks of the combat. first removed his spectacles and wiped them. as though distrusting the vision they of fered him, then. replacing them, scan ned anew the approaching figure and uttered smothered cry.
 My Lord Almighty" he gasped. whats this? Look therew
 They looked. A truce came involun- tarily, and they sat iu paralytic silence as the figure made its stately and sen sational progress along Main street.
 It was that os tall gentleman. cheerfully. though somewhat with ell. hui. enduring his nineteenth winter. His long and slender face be wore smiling. beneath an accurately cut plaster of dark hair cornicing his fore head. fashion followed by many youths of that year. This perfect bang was shown under round black hat whose rim was so small as almost not to be there at all. and the head was supported by waxy white seawal' of collar, rising three inches above the blue pillows of puffed crayat. upon which floated a large. hollow pearl. His ulster. sporting a big cape at the shoulders and tasseled hood over the cape, was of rough Scotch cloth. pat termed in faint gray and white squares the size of baggage checks. and 1t was so long that the skirts trailed in the snow. His legs were lost in the ac- curately creased, voluminous garments that were the tailors' canny reaction from the tight trousers with which the sos had begun-they were in color a palish russet. broadly striped with gray and in size surpassed the milder spirit of fashion so far as they permit ted liberal knee action to take place almost without superficial effort. On his feet glistened long shoes. shaped. save for the heels. like sharp racing shells These were partially protected by tan colored low gaiters. with fat. shiny. brown buttons. In one hand the youth swung a bone handled walking stick perhaps an inch and half in di- ameter; the other carried yellow leather banjo case. upon the outside of which glittered the embossed silver initials "E. B." He was smoking, but walked with his head up. making use. however. of a gait at that time new to Canaan. seeming superbly lrresponsi- ble lounge. engendering much motion of the shoulders, producing an effect of carelessness combined with independ. ence, an effect which the innocent have been known to hail as an uncon- scious one.
 With everything in sight he deigned to be amused. especially with the old faces in the National House windows. To these he waved his stick with airy graciousness.
 My soul." said MT. Davey, it seems to know some of us!"
 "Yes." agreed MT. Arp, his voice re- covered. land I know 1t. It's Fanny Louden's boy Gene. come home for his Christmas holidays"
 By George, you're right" cried Flitcroft T recognize him now"
 But what's the matter with him?" asked Mir. Bradbury eagerly. Has he joined some patent medicine troupe?"
 Not a bit," replied Eskew. "He went east to college last fall"
 Do they make the boys wear them clothes" persisted Bradbury. "Is it some kind of unlformT'
 T don't care what it is," said Jonas Tabor. 'ff was Henry Louden l wouldn't let him wear lem around here"
 "Oh, you wouldn't, wouldn't you, Jonas." Mir. Arp employed the accents of sarcasm. "Fd like to see Henry Louden try to interfere with Gene Bantry. Fanny d lock the old fool up in the cellar"
 The lofty vision lurched out of view
 "I reckon" said the colonel. leaning