Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-12-19

- the chatter. Day
and night Il Is the
same noises. the same smells. the
same wines, almost the same women
land no song at all worth hearing I
have mind TO chuck II all and go cut
into Gods country. out into the sub
urhs."
With Hickson to think was to act
and this IL how II happened that the
good people OF Horton Hollow wers
curious almost to crucial point of the
the anteccdents and personality OF the
: dapper young society man who came
among them so reservedly to superin-
tend the construction OF pretty
Queen Anne cottage on Lake Shadows.
That he was a veritable catch was
soon agreed upon by the spisters. but
him 10 worship at the feet Of Aphro
dite was dif!icult problem. For. be-
sides admitting to Amos Squires, the
'busman. that he was not married
Hickson had met the persevering ad.
vances OF the natives with . stern
: frigidlty.
| There amt a blessed woman that
kin git within gun shot O. him." com
planned Mirandy Hodges. "exceptin'
Marty Brown--an' she amt interested
, In nothin' but raisin' money fer a new
parsonage fer that new preacher an
hts stuok.up WIFE," .
At last the cottage was finished and
Hickson selected his furniture and
fttings. On the goth Of December IL
was ready. With glad heart he rode
sayiy homeward from the city, and
slipping the key into the lock. stepped
f. into the nest that was to be the heart
of his simple life. The evening was
spent In gloat;ng over his new toy
and even though II did seem strange
Iy quiet and lonely. Hickson's spirite
were 60 light the Joy bulb stood high
in the glass tube Of pleasure.
But solitude wears on the best OF
us after time. and to Harrison
Honeywell Hlckson. Injured to ciatter
and bang and the busy whiri of socie-
~, the continued silence fell like Q
pail
"Of course, ! could get married."
sighed Hickson, az he sat on the edge
OF his bed and pondered. That would
help some and-no." shaking his head
deferminedly. mo lscss and tantrums
for mime"
Satisfied In bis decision. he lay
down to sleep.
Then. all at once there entered that
vacuum OF stiffness. strange and sin
lister. the cracking of q yeneered
Joint. the settling Of beam As Hick-
son sat bolt upright In bed. he dis
tinctly heard q sound as of running
water. Dsshina madiy down the
stairs ne found leaking water pipe
and what was worse, he discovered
That the not-watsr plant was simply
boiling its head OF. The servants had
not yet arrived. but Hickson managed
20 check the furnace and turn on the
water. Then he returned 70 bed
Suddenly a hoot-owl set up his weird
call. the souxhing wind xhistled with
sepulchrsI meaning. q misguided cock
u;stsxing the bright moonlight for
morning svoke and set up an uae7rth-
" din. while pair Of stray cats
meeting IN ssnsuinary combat under
the west window. added to the hor-
rible intensity OF Tire night
When be bounded cut Of led. HEX
con was q determined man. He looked
at his watch and then AZ bis time
table. Thirty minutes later a dark
form scarricd through the shadows Of
the shaded street and dashed msdly
ID to the three O'Clock trair az Il
pulled and snorted at Horton Hollow.
The next day. Martha Brown. sweet.
~titehsired. notheriy Martha Broen.
received letter. u said:
NJ Gear Ms, srs-n. ! have DECIDED n
SURPRISE yoa ~ making your church =
--rl.<Ir.aE present % M Queen Anne
e7tf.<~ ~ man NJ deliver the keys
= -norfo~ n - fefrtst~d coupi~ss ana
Z hop~ nat rw~-f-rac>6 nffir wife % TIE
r~~zlh@r vii not fnd a. ed barh~ior's
rsss<> TOO brc>d fo< her Sanction. I have
<I~<v- wanted 70 A. sornr rood IN "a
~o~is-er< ~ r~-rrntln- the costaxs
an n-r~n1v rfstfvinx ny-rff Pi-ass
80 20 r<rn.Ir f1mhlF gsrrz
1rkrR1sor HONEYWELL HIcKeoS.
TIA, nsrnf o. stat. street Hickso..
. fc<lIrx swell ralk~f Esiiy IN the
<.>r< a. - l;rbte. IN the heart Of ne
On. 11d vas xisci <
-= =-