Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-03-12
TWO HERMITS.


lists in embryo within my BRAIN
After much skirmishing and scour-
ing of the country Murray found what
he thought he wanted and wrote his
friend to come on.
Orville came by next train. Muir
ray met him at the station in his big
red car and they sped down a broad
dust-white highway.
"Looks thickly settled" objected
Orville anxiously.
"We have only started on our road
to nowhere" laughed Murray. "Ill
care you of your desire for solitude
think.
Six miles farther he turned into a
crossroad, with farmhouses few and
far between.
"This is better" declared Orville.
at will keep getting better from
your standpoint" retorted Murray.
On they sped until the car swerved
and turned into what looked to Or
Vile like an overgrown copss.
"You don't mean this i. roadH"
he said, as the Car bumped and pro-
tested against the ruts and under
brush.
"No; just lane, the only house on
which is the one where have en-.
gagged quarters for you. The Gid
dens live there, but rent out their
ground, 20 there will be no help even,
Just Glidden and his wife. Not a ru-
raj route delivery to break the mo-
notony | I believe peddls passes
once year. You can be lost to the
world, and, like the little girl in the
song, have nobody nigh to hinder.
"Murrry, this place was made for
mel" CALCULATED the young author as
the car swooped down upon a white
houge nestled among the trees.
Murray helped him carry his be-
longings into the big, airy bedroom
and then returned to town with q Gu
rious smile lighting his face.
The place proved ideal for orville's
purpose. The farmer and his wife
were quiet people, little given to
speech. They never disturbed him
when he was at work, even to the ex-
tent of summoning him to q meal.
When hunger drove him from his
work, no matter what the hour might
be. food was prepared without an OBJ
lection. A beautiful winding river
with incurving shores swept through
the farm, and here at eve Dick Or
vile was wont to repair Tor inspira-
ton. Under these blissful conditions
his ideas developed and unfolded
charmingly. Then there came the
inevitable ending.
II am sorry" faltered his land.
lady one morning, "but Hiram went
to the postofice today and found a
letter from young lady in the city.
She is an artist and wants to come
here to paint and to be alone
"Well, write her that she can't
come" replied orville quickly. "I'll
pay you double
"Its too late, said Mrs. Gliddsn.
"You see, the letter was written a
week ago. We don't get our mail on.
ly once in a while. She said if she
didn't hear to the contrary shed
come today. But I'll try to find her
another place near here. The Aliens
take boarders. I may have to keep
her over night if she comes. Would
you like to hear her letter ?"
Before he could politely decline thi,
proffer Mrs. Glidden began to read
the letter, which was girlishly writ.
ten. She said that she longed for .
place where she could be quiet, som,
place that was remote from neighbour
where she could paint and dream q
will; that friend in passing the
Glidden farm had thought it would
be Just the kind of place she craved
and had written her about it.
Some of Orville's irritation vanish
ed upon hearing the letter. There
was a note of appeal in it, reflection
of his own mood that touched him.
"She evidently Graves solitude a
much as 1 do, and 30 she will svoit
me. he thought.
1--WE might try it, Mrs. Gliddsn,
he proposed, "and if I find her pres
snce interrupts my work in any wa.
we can ask Mrs. Allen to take her in
They have other boarders, and l i'm
agine she wouldn't get hequeit thsr
that she evidently wants. I'll tel
you what I'll do. I'll move ny writ