The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-09

~HE Lions Den the Gaylords' comfortable
house-boat was so named because of Daniel;
not the original Daniel of biblical days, but
another interpretcr-o dreams who seemed on
occasion even startlingly original than
his better known prototype Naturally, for the sake of
euphony the house-boat of which Daniel SO much
a part could bear more fitting name, although the
well-bred Gaylords anything but lion-like Dur
ing the summer months the Den, tethered to scarlet
buoy foated with lamb-6ke meekness on Lake Michi-
CANINE seventy miles by rail from the Gaylords home
in Bayville. The clumsy, comfortable craft, lumbet
scow underneath, series of boxke bins on top, pos
sessed no power of locootion in its own right but
submitted tamely being towed about by hired steam
tug whenever the pleasure-lovng Gayords grew tired
of their anchorage.
OF the Gaylords there were FOUR Archibald, aged
thirty-ve his wife Elisabeth Dcky, their foyearold
son and Toots their daughter precarously surviving
her second summer In addition, the Den sheltered
Rhea Mrs. Gaylords exceedingly pretty sister, Daniel
of whom there is more to tell and Regina Quinn an
antagonistc elderly damse who attended ably to the
inner of the Gay1ords Then later IN the season.
there was guest named Philip Marston.
Although Daniel had lived for nineteen years it would
be mistake to say that he was nineteen years OF age
Sometimes he seemed not than nine and young tor
his age at that other times great his wisdom
and prudence his foresight and his intelligence, that
seemed as if he must be at least ninety. He, with
certain broad-botomed boat, the connecting link
between the Den and dry land For the rest his duties
consisted of making himself generally useful, and Dan
iel did his duty with untiring zeal.
In person. he not progressing, being lathe-lke
in build and over-long for his width; his mouth and
ears were over-large his stiff orangehued hair over
abundant his freckes diversified and over-numerous,
and his hands, his feet and his big, overender heart
had somehow out disanced all the rest of him. For
two years Daniel had belonged body and soul to the
Gaylords He would have died cheerfully for any
of them, from big, genial Archibald down to tiny
"Toots"
"If we needed Daniel for dinner" Elisabeth would
say, I believe he'd gladly permit Regina to cook him.
Daniels perfect synonym for the word devotion. He
gives himself as the clouds give rain. There can't be
room in him for anything further in the way OF afec-
tior,-we have every bit of him."
Mrs. Gaylord however, mistaken. Daniel still
retained generous portion of his large, tender heart
but not for long When Mrs. Gaylord's sister, Rhea
Prescott arrived in May to spend long, restful sum-
mer in the Lions Den, after Washington winter,
Daniel showed the Gayords what devotion, what utter
abnegaton of self really meant.
Stronger, closely guarded citadels than Daniels
simple heart had gone down fiat before the battery OF
Rheas big dark but certainly none had ever sue
cumbed quite expedtously. At sight OF the decld-
eddy attractive young woman, Daniel had surrendered
all that he had surrender with instantaneous
completeness that astonshed experienced Rhea.
All her other admirers, however, had later
desired reciprocity Daniel aspired to nothing 1t
bliss enough be permitted to gaze, to worship and to
dsinterested homage 1t seemed, this time, that Daniel
must have exhausted his capacity for DEVOTION but
again the Gaylords were mistaken.
In July, Philip Marston, cousin OF Archbalds, ar
rived by invitation spend three weeks aboard the
Lions Den. Had Daniel been ordinary worshipper
at Rheas shrine, it is probable that Marstons advent
would have filled him with many forebodings as its
announcement did Mrs. Gaylord; but Daniel NOT
an ordinary devotee he welcomed the newcomer joy
ously as did Dcky, which is saying great deal.
But Archie" demurred Elisabeth, when Gaylord had
mentioned casually that he had invited Philip to join
their family party, will he fit in? You know the Der
isn't very big and in such close quarters have to b
pretty churnmy. If he shouldn't find congenia, OF
if he dislikes children
"You needn't be afraid of Phis not fitting n," as
sured Gaylord. He'd fit any place His adaptability
amazing. In ten minutes you won't be able to believ
hat you haven't known him always-you'll think he
your ego from former state of existence. I've We
70 hear of the man, woman child that doesn't ador
him. Why my dear, he's simply the most pleasing NOR
tai that ever happened"
but" inquired Elisabeth "s it safe to have anybod
Is fascinating as all that? There's Rhea-"
mo danger whatever Rhea's anything but suscel
.ibe. She's too accustomed to attention to attach an
Importance to a few extra Establishments; Phil. too
nvulnerable. We couldn't chaperone safer pair. B.
sides, if he and Rhea debut pshaw! They're tc
much alike Then there's Barr"
There's nothing in that. Absence in Rhea's case,
always fatal you know She does forget the poor thing
so speedily Besides, she refused him"
1t Daniels duty pilot all guests from the ira
to the Den; and as Gaylord said whinscally, in thr
years he had not lost mislaid single guest He
the honors nobly in Marston's
Get into this here boat" said Daniel, when he HI
stcered Philip from the little station down a waver
sawdust road TO the waters edge. where the boat W
beached. I'm to you out to the Dem It's a
chored about six miles from here but the lakes so,
scolloped along the edge, you can't her till you
~,en. quite ht-'