The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-22


the morning the homogeneous Indiana
town shone in a white harmony-roof,
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 chimneys like exclama-
ton 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 0 o'clock with
pitiful suddenness, no sleigh bells
laughed out ON the air, and the muf-
fling Of the thor0ughfares wrought an
unaccust0med peace like that Of Sun
day. This was the phenomenon which
afforded the opening Of the morning
debate Of the sages in the wide win
dows Of the National House.
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 rail
road station, which Is in plain sight Of
the windows, an inestimable benefit to
the conversation Of the aged men who
occupied these windows on this white
morning even as they were wont in
summer to hold against all corners the
cane seated chairs on the pavement
outside.
Mail time had come to mean that
bright hour when they oil got their
feet on the brass rod which protected
the siIls OF the two big windows, with
the steam radiators sizzling like kettles
against the side wall. Mr.. Jonas Tabor,
who had sold his hardware business
magnifcently not magnifcently for
his nephew, the purchaser) some ten
years before, was usually, in spite of
the fact that he remained a bachelor at
seventy-nine, the last to settle down
with the others, though often the first
to reach the hotel, which he always en-
tered by a side door, because he did
not believe in the treating system. And
it was Mr.. Eskew Arp, only seventy-fve,
but already a thoroughly capable Gym
ic, who almost invariably opened the
argument" and it was he who discov-
| cred the sinister intention behind the
weather of this particular morning.
The malevolence Of his voice and
manner when he shook his finger at the
town beyond the windows and exclaim-
ed. with q bitter laugh, Look at itp'
was no surprise to bis companions.
"Jest look at it! / tell you the devil
is mighty smart! Ha, ha! Mighty
smarty'
Through custom 1t was the duty of
Squire Buckalew Justice OF the peace
in 1850 to be the first to take up Mr..
Arp The others looked to him for it.
Therefore he asked sharply:
whats the devil got to do with
snow?"
Everything to do with it, sir" Mr..
Arp retorted. Its plain as day to
anybody with eyes and sense"
"Then I wish you'd pint it out, /"
said Buckalew, "if you've got either"
by the Almighty, squire"-Mr Arp
turned in his chair with sudden heat
''if I'd lived as long as you
s'You have" interrupted the other,
stung Twelve years ago"
IF I'd lived as long as you" Mr.. ARP
repeated unwincingly in louder voice
land had follered Satan's trail as long
as you have and yet couldn't recognize
it when l see 1t I'd git converted and
vote Prohibitionist."
81 don't see it," interjected Uncle
Joe Davey In his querulous voice. Gle
was the patriarch of them all) II cam
find no cloven hoof prints in the
snow"
"All over it, sirr' cried the cynic
} "Au over it! Old Satan loves tricks
like this. Here's town that's jest one
squirmin' mass of lies and envy anC
vice and wickedness and corruption"
Hold on!' exclaimed Colonel Fit
croft. That's a SANDER upon gu
: hearths and our government. Why
when was in the councip'-
: ut wasn't a bit worse then" Nj
I Arp returned unreasonably. "Jest yoI
l look how the devil fools US. He drop
l down this here virgin mantle on Ca
naan and makes It look IS good as 70
pretend you think 1t is-as good a
[ lDE CuDt4GY SCuOOi LOV1-4 u q NCt--- -
church, though that''-he went off on
tangent venomously lis generalI
only another whited sepulcher, and tt
superintendent mighty apt to have
bottle Of whisky hid behind the orga
: and
Look here, Eskew," said Jonas Ts
bor that's got nothin' to do with
"Why ain't It? Answer ne" erie
4 Mr. Arp, continuing without pause
a why amt it? Can't you wait till
git through? You listen to me, an
: when I'm ready I'll listen to-
See here" began the colonel, NAL
ing himself heard over three others,
a want to ask you
mo. sir" Mr.. Arp pounded Il
d floor irascibly with his hickory site
II Don't you ask me anything. How ca
you tell that I'm not going to answ'