Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-11-04

tucf TOOK us on those lIlDd which now
seem like a dream, they were so long
ago"
IF your father hadn't been so easy
we'd be owning a handsome cottage
at one OF the fashionable places In the
Adirondacks instead OF hiring a mean
little bungalow here lamented Mrs.
Harris. mo fashionable people ever
come here, and one has to be so partic-
ular. But what is one to do? One
can't remain IA New York in the dog
daysf7
For me. I'm sick and tired Of the
mountains" announced Beth. I'D like
to go to Newport, where we'd stand a
chance Of meeting somebody and
where anyhow we'd be able to see real
society people,"
Bother society," said Emma hap
PLY.
Both her mother and Beth looked
shocked
Emma. how can you say such
thingT reproved Mrs. Harris. envel-
oping herself In an air of loftiness.
Il hope you have not allowed your
self to be influenced by the anarchistic
vaporings Of your-of that unspeakable
person whose name is not to be men,
toned"
"Ive read somewhere that fine soci-
ETY. is only self protection against the
vulgarities Of the street and the tav-
ern, chirped Beth primly.
THAT all depends on how you define
fero orrfOfx~ Doth 90 "a r7r,r,,o
81 mean the society of wealth, the
Four Hundred, Of course. pray every
night that I may marry duke or a
count"
Beth has such elevated ideasr COM
mented her mother admiringly.
"Such petitions" observed Emma
becoming grave. "never reach the
mercy seat. 1t is said that at mid
night every New Years eve, when the
bells Of the churches ring out the
dying yeaR there issue from the bel
fries streams OF vapory spirits with
distracted, terrified faces. their hands
clasped to their ears. They are the
prayers that never rose any higher
prayers Of worshipers in the churches
who repeated them mechanically, as
they are accustomed to do every Sun
day, without realization Of the signifi-
canoe Of the words they utter; prayers
muttered by those whose thoughts
were on other things; prayers Of the
hypocrite; prayers of the humbug;
supplications to the most high for the
preposterous and the impossible; pray
ers Of those who do not practice what
they preach; prayers Of those who do
those things which they ought not to
do and leave undone those things
which they ought to do and think
their weekly glib confession of it and
their obolus in the collection plate alb
solve them. With the jahgling and
changing Of the bells they are borne by
the winds over mountain and sea and
are lost forever in the eternal void
between the worlds. All such prayers
wherever uttered must share this
fate"
BY this time Mrs. Harris was agape,
too astonished to utter a word.
"Gracious. Emma gasped Beth.
"You talk like a book. / don't know
what's come over YOU"
1T is my new birth. told you It
was as though / had been born again.
/ hope you will marry a duke OF a
count II you want to, Beth. AS rule,
believe they are real men, every
whit as worthy as good men who don't
bear this distinction Of title. Still, the
field is necessarily restricted, and you
mustn't forget that there are other
noble men as distinguished from no
blemen--men Of sterling value. who
ring true under every test"
"Like-like Jimsy," ventured Beth
with dubious air. casting about and
on the spur Of the moment thinking
Of none other she knew who would at
the description.
Like Jimsy." assented Emma EN-.
phatically.
But he's so ungrammatical, so-er-
shy on education, besides which be
hasn't any money" objected Mrs. Har.
ris.
"None to speak Of" seconded Beth
pursuing her lips deprecatingly.
Aside from that, though" conceded
Mrs. Harris. Il must say Jimsy's q
real good man and most obliging. He
can't help his upbringing."
How about Captain Wlliamsr
questioned Emma. How would you
class himT
MY DEAR" answered her mother
you wouldn't put him In the same
class with Jimsy-I mean socially
He's so richl wouldn't be surprised
II he were several times a millionaire
Remember, be has two automobiles
And the handsome way he treated you
Why, he crossed out the $4,000 thai
abomination stole as though 1t were 4
matter Of 10 cents"
"A mans true wealth is the good b
does In this world, mother. according
to Mohammed."
THAT Is how It may have appeared
to that foreign prophet in the yea
l." retorted Mrs Harris with a tom
OF fnality, "but IN this age Of hors'