The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-09-30
4 QUIET COMMUNITY
BY Nj. QUAD.


tramp had helped himself to onions
from somebody's garden 1t was Just
quiet, respectable and peaceful, and
its inha bitants read in the newspapers
the happenings in other villages and
patted each other on the back that
they were Hainsvillers.
Thus it was that when the Widow
Thomas made her advent in the village
one day, looking for quiet place in
which to pass few weeks, by the ad.
vice Of a doctor, for her nervous trou.
bic, everybody put himself forward to
assure her that she had come to the
right place and to make her welcome.
The widow had a rather peculiar nerv-
Gus trouble, as she stated at once To
cure it she must stroll around more or
less at night under the dew and under
the moonlight. Would the villagers
regard that as improper? They
Wouldn't-not as long as the doctor
had recommended it. In her strolling
would she meet men who would try to
tirt with her? Never! Flirting was a
thing unheard of in Huntsville. If any
man sought to introduce such a thing
he would be tarred and feathered and
driven out.
And SO the little woman was settled
in the house of the Widow Davis, who
was glad to take her in for the bond
between them and that they might sit
Of an evening and compare notes
about the loved and departed. The
stranger had taking ways with her
began strolling around nights almost
at once, and such men as encountered
her lifted their hats and passed on
without a word. They had visions of
tar and feathers before their eyes.
And almost from the first the boarder
began to gain in health. The fresh
milk and eggs and the dew and the
moonlight had wonderful effect in
quieting her nerves, and when this
became known throughout the village
there was talk of establishing a SAM
tarium for the benefit of nervous per-
sons.
The Widow Thomas remained in
announced that her cure had been COM
plete AS her coming had created
something of a senSa ton, her going
was not to be without its special fea-
lures. AS the rumOr of her cOntem-
plated departure crept about certain
deacon received a note asking him to
call, and she said to him:
4
after o'clock at night, as recorded
here in my notebook. l have diScov-
cred you peeking into the windows Of
a certain house. l am a little short of
money and shall take it kindly IT you
will lend me $40"
The deacon said I'm, umv' to him.
self and handed over the money. He
hated to let it go, but that was quiet
community.
In response to another note Mr..
Jackson, who deals in real estate and
insurance, made his appearance. He
was about the only man in the village
who didn't believe in the dew cure. She
shook his hand as warmly as she had
that Of the deacon and said:
mfr. Jones, as you will see recorded
here in my notebook 1 have on four
different occasions at a late hour Of
the evening discovered you carrying
baskets Of apples from Mr.. SudiH's
orchard to your kitchen door. There
may or may not have been dew on
them. l am a little hard up for
money. and 1 hope you can lend me
$15."
Yes. l might do it-might possibly
do it." replied the insurance man as
he rubbed his chin and looked at his
toes. And the result was that he did
do it, though he had to go out and bor-
row SO Of the sum.
The third caller was Mr.. Brown, one
Of the merchants Of the village. He
had just introduced new feature into
his trade. He had taken in as sales
woman a young lady from a town ten
miles away. and the move was sue
cess. although his wife had siren
uously objected to it. The Widow
Thomas wished to congratulate him
on the success Of his innovation and to
say:
Mr.. Brown, my doctor has sent in
his bill rather Unexpectedly, and find
myself rather short. Wouldn't you
like to lend me $40 for few days?'
'But-but you know you are a stran-
ger to me-" he protested.
Certainly! But you know l have
been walking around nights since L
came here. On three occasions. as
you see recorded in my notebook. l
have seen a gentleman and lady walk
ing arm in arm in the pine grove. l
could have wondered who they were,
but l haven't"
"Um. I'm! l see You haven't the
least idea who they were?"
NO"
Then drop into the store before
you 90, and l will hand you the mon
ey. This is a quiet community, you
know, and |, for one. am anxious for
1t to remain So"
She got the money. and there were
others. 1t was indeed wonderful how
the dew and the moonlight had sharp