Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-06-25

what his surname was lif they ever
knew ~ Is sufficient to prove that he
was not solitary In that sense. He
knew scores Of mcn-wumcn he
rather looked down upOn-and they
All liked him. Yet he never seemed
altogether az ease in their presence.
He had a distinct dread Of display.
ing anything that might suggest senti.
ment. and yet. II the truth were
known. he WAS perhaps as sentimental
fellow a. any healthy Englishman
that ever lived. Nature had made
him one OF the best companions pos
sible. and habit. which had almost be-
come second nature. tried hard to
make him a hermit. And, on the
whole. II succeeded,
DIclde lived in castle ON the
Ncckar. II commanded a very fine
view. but II was not in itself a pic
turcsque castle. He had found II by
chance during one Of the lonely rides
which he was wont to take from
Heidelberg, on his motur.triCycle. BE.
fore he had found the castle he had
seldom stayed long In one place. Pos
sessed OF independent means, he was
accustomed to saying that his father
had done him one bad turn by help
ing him into the world. and one good
one by providing him with enough to
live upon until he was comfortably
out OF IT, He spent the best part Of
his time In travelling. The occupant
OF the castle was baron whose dis
tressed circumstances had induced
him to let Dickie n suite Of four
rooms on the second floor. His ar.
rangements were that he should APP
pear at meal.times and take his food
with the baron and baroness, but at
all other times he was to be left to
himself The baron allowed him to
play the hermit TO his hearts content,
and for some weeks Dickie declared
himself as happy as "A king with his
gun, his motor, his camera, and his
supply OF books and magazines.
So things went very well until one
day the baron. who liked Dickie. and
was n little perturbed at his ecccn-
tricities. announced at lunch that he
intended to have some more guests.
Dickle protested strongly.
The baron looked amused and
waved his hand with the air OF one
who. having lived long and seen
much. Is well able to select or reject
n n matter Of comfort.
DIckie became trifie apologize.
Well" he protested, "a throng OF
visitors means noise"
Il shall have. as hitherto. the great,
est possible care for your sensitive
nerves." said the baron with a dry
smile.
Il think I'll take n holiday till the
hurricane blows over" said Dickie.
why not wait and see?" asked the
baron. Perhaps they won't be SC
bad after all"
In point of fact. the baron had Sc
lected his guests with some skill. He
had no intention Of opening his house
TO anyone who might turn up. OF tho
eight members of the party, two were
personal friends Of his, and the RES
were friends OF these.
Dickie awaited their arrival gains
sayagely from the window of his sit
ting.room. There were two Germans
Ave Americans, and one Englishman
| Four OF the Americans were OF the fail
sex. and these constituted the fem
mime element OF the party. The baror
had not led Dickie to expect any fem
mime element. so their advent excited
| little emotion in his breast other thar
that OF fierce resentment until h
caught sight OF the last figure in thu
| group. II was one OF the American
! girls; but II was not the girl hersel
that attracted Dickie's attention. BE
hind her. towed by lead, fllckered
white fox.terrier puppy.
Now Dickie had no dog of his owl
and he wanted one. He was, more
over, particularly keen on having
fox.terrier. Accordingly, he deter
mined TO make friends with II eve
IL that entailed making friends wit
its mistress.
And so II happened that when tn
Crowd-that was the name by whic
they called themselyes-came in I
dinner that evening. they found DIcki
ready 10 make himself completed
agreeable. He laughed and tested an
told anecdotes. and finally invited IN
lot OF them, dog and all, TO his roomi
He accompanied them on their pi'
MICS, photographed them. gave theI
the run Of his books; opened hi
rooms to them. And he undertook IN
training OF the dog. Bobs.
Bobs was n thoroughbred. with n
markings excepting two brown an
black spots which covered his eye
and spread on either side to his ear
When he arrived at the castle he wa
entirely uneducated. but under Dickie
tuition he rapidly picked up the rud
ments OF canine politeness. After
week or two he would answer to h
name. lie down. or come to heel: an
he was beginning 20 take quite proE
ising interest In rat-holes. Then I
mastered the intricacies OF sitting 4
on his hind legs with lump OF sugl