Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-12-23

1 anu lnC uOirt 0nN
the clatter. Day
and night it is the
same noises, the same smells. the
same wines, almost the same women
and no song at all worth hearing. /
have mind to chuck it all and go out
into Gods country out into the sub
urbs."
With Hickson to think was to act
and this is how it happened that the
good people of Horton Hollow were
curious almost to a crucial point Of the
the antecedents and personality of the
dapper young society man who came
among them so reservedly TO superin-
tend the construction of a pretty
Queen Anne cottage on Lake Shadows.
That he was a verita0le catch was
soon agreed upon by the spisters, but
how to break his reserve and teach
him to worship at the feet of Aphro-
dite was a difficult problem For, be-
sides admitting to Amos Squires, the
'busman. that he was not married.
Hickson had met the persevering ad-
vances of She natives with a stern
frigidity.
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
his str ck-up wife"
At last the cottage was finished and
Hickson selected his furniture and
fittings On the goth of December IL
was ready With a glad heart he rode
: gayly homeward from the city. and
slipping the key into the lock stepped
into the nest that was to be the heart
of his simple life The evening was
} spent IN goating over his new toy
, and even though IL did seem strange
= ly quiet and lonely. Hickson's spirits
were so light the Joy bulb stood high
in the glass tube of pleasure.
But SOLITUDE wears on the best of
MS after a time. and % Harrison
Honeywell Hickson. Injured to clattei
and bang and the busy whirl of socie.
ty. the continued silence fell like a
pail
4 "Of course. could get married,
e sighed Hickson, as he sat on the edge
e of his bed and pondered "That would
s help some and-no' shaking his head
e determinedly. mo laces and tantrums
) for mine,'
it Satisfied in his decision, he las
down to sleep.
q Then, an at once there entered that
D. vacuum of stiffness. strange and sin
ister. the ere '.irg Of veneered
j Joint. the settling of a beam. AS Hick
s. son sat bolt upright in bed. he dis
u tinctly heard a sound as of running
g water Dashing madly down the
stairs he found "a leaking water pipe
and what was worse he discovered
that the hot-wator plant was simpl,
boiling us head off, The servants had
; not yet arrived but Hickson managed
to check the furnace and turn OF tn,
water Then he returned to bed.
n Suddenly hoot-owl set mp his weir'
al call the aonghing wind whIstied with
.a senulchral Gaming misguided cocl
p mistakine the bright moonlight FOL
ii morning awoke and set ap ana unearth
M ~ din. while a pair OF stray cat.
meeting 90 sanguinary combat unde
the west window added 10 the hor
ribie intensity of the night
Is when he bounded out of bed, Hick
IA son was a determined man He locke
of al his watch and then az his tim,
I'D table Thirty minutes later darl
Il form scuried through the shadows %
e the shaded street and dashed madl
% up TO the three o'clock train as
pulled and snorted at Horton Hollow
The next day. Martha Brown sweel
white-haired. moiherly Martha Brown
received a letter II said.
g. Ny dear Miss Brown. ] have decided &
surprise you by making Your Church
pc Christmas present of my Queen Ann
ca cottage Aly man win deliver The krt
0i Tomorrow 10 is furnished complete au
10, hope that sweet-faccd little uiie of a.
preacher win nor nnd am oil bachelor
tastes too broad for hsr sanction. nav
always wanted i0 do some good in I'd
worid-and by presenting the cottage
al ann meremiy gratifying myself Pleas
o., accept the gift without Demonstration.