The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-04-06
TT HAD fairly poured for two days

IT HAD fairly poured for two days,
and / had waded through all the
news papers and other reading mat
ter 10 be had at the little Adirondack
hotel at which was staying.
The landlord. Mr. Carpenter. was
/ Jolly old fellow who was noted for
his sprightly stories. and he did his
best to entertain his guests and keep
up their spirits as they sat on the
broad piazza of the Wayside house and
watched the steady downpour-
/ l did not join the group on the
yeranda- If there is anything ! par
ficularly dislike il is 10 listen to the
chatter of lot of people who are
trying TO delude themselves into the
belief that they are enjoying life
when the face of Nature is ankle
deep with mud and water. and il is
still raining al if il never intended to
stop. So l stuck to my room and
burrowed my way throurh books.
week-old newspap ers, patent medi-
cine aImanacs-anything that would
! help me in a measure to forget the
aborilinable weather
day. when it grew suddenly colder
and a roaring wood fire had been
L,ndied in the open fireplace in the
/ big sitting-room. / was one of the
: first to gather around its cheerful
blaze.
! Now. if ever. was the time for
storytelling. but the landlords roper
tory seemed 10 be about exhausted
NO use asking for any more funny
STORIES he drswled out with depre-
catory shake of the head These
TWO wet days have pumped me dry.
so to speak | can only think of one
more story bs, as there isn't any
thing conlical abou, that one. / don't
suppose you'll care TO hear it"
Give Us a story. by all means"
urged one of the ladies' II can al
ways sleep better if l have a ghost
story or some exciting adventure to
go 10 bed on
Well" began the landlord. re-
fiectivsly. Il don't think this comes
under the head of ghost story nor
even a story of adventure I'll have
TO tell il. and LEI you classify it for
yourselves 1 as climax of nv story
came ten years ago when was keep
ing a hotel in ny native village,
which | will call Eden Center: but the
beginning dated hack many years be-
fore that. 10 the time when the Peeks
were the nabobs of the place.
squire Peek. with his wife and
only daughter. lived in a big white
house on hill in the outskirts of the
, village. and a naughty. housekeeping
old chap he was when | first knew
him. He always seemed 70 consider
, himself and his family little above
r the rest of the folks in Eden Center.
: and when Lucinda Peek grew up. al
though she was by long odds the best
r looking Young Lady in the place. and
: while the young fellows were all
half daft over her. none OF them real
ly had the courage to make love to
), her for fear of arousing the wrath of
the >titf-neeked old squire
: THE first one who tried it was an
outsider. and the ruthless way in
!, which his aspirations were nipped in
5 the bud by Luc;nda's father held
: forth very little encouragement 10
the others He was a Young college
!, student. named Henry Randeli, who
Z had come to Eden Center 30 spend his
: summer vacation in earning some
\ needed money Though dependent
= wholly on his own earnings. he was
: bravely working his way through
' college. il seems. and he got lot
Z keeping the books and making up &C
= counts at the village store daytime
: and at night he gave lessons on tn,
( violin and other musical instruments
y He was a first-c.aSs singer. too. ant
s soon after coming to the place n,
: started a singing school. hiring tn,
y schoolhouse and charging a regular
Z fee for the lessons. which he CAV
: every Thursday evening.
: ut was at the singing school tina
( he made the acquaintance of Lucind'
\ Peek. and il was a clear case of low
$ at first sight. He was manly youn;
fellow. and when the res, of the boy
y saw now matters were shaping. Their
= wasn't one of them but wished hin
: we'll
= But the course of true love run
< uncommonlv rough sometimes as tn
+ poet tells about. and when youn
= Randell walked boldly up TO the bi
9 house on the hill with Lucinda ON
y evening. and asked her father for he
Z hand in marriage. il was said tina
s the naughty old squire drove hir
y, from the house with the dires
< threats and curses that one ma
: ever poured upon the head of anotf
= err. II was then near the close G
9 his vacation, and Eandell was. con