The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-07

tie this air and keep it all winter, or
better still, just turn it loose in thu
city, Why, it would be food and tonic
down in the slums. ~
They had climbed the long hill
through the woods, with charming
| glimpses here and there through the
trees of overwhelming valleys and
hills stretching on and on to the
| horizon. and now they came in sight
| of low, rambling cottage nestled IN
der tall pines. It was all open to the
air. Great windows and wide doors
stood hospitality open, and on the piaz-
"a was set table all ready for the
early supper.
"You see, we live out-of- doors. -
MaeGregor explained. GIVE eat on the
veranda, and the bedrooms are so airy
that it 3 next thing to sleeping in an
open camp or tent. Here comes the
madam. :"
Out from the big, airy living room
| came a splendid specimen of woman
hood DIR. Dale rubbed his glasses and
put them carefully ON his nose.
"EWell, Mrs. Mabel" he cried heart
lily, "what beauty you arel"
Vigor and health seemed to radiate
from her; her figure, her carriage, her
shining eyes, her lovely color, all de-
noted calm nerves, poise, perfect
strength and health of body and mind.
Before she could reach him to shake
hands Dorothy and Arthur came bound
ing down the hillside to nestle loving
ly against her, protected by her en-
-, r.oayod oh Txy
at the doctor-two radiant, healthy
children. who, in sensible blue jumpers
and sandals, were as tanned and rosy
and fat as even DR.. Dale could wish.
"Upon my soul,'' he said, ''that IS
pretty picture, isn't it, Mac?" He
turned to MaeGregor, who was radiant
~ beaming on the trio. sEWhere are
those wrinkles you were telling me
about Mrs Mabel2 Thirty-you look
about fifteen; and as for this husband
of yours, he's a good specimen, isn t
hea'' He held MacGregor off at arm S
length and looked at him admiringly.
ssIsn t he Splendid" Mabel said
enthusiastically ''But you viii spoil
us all. You must 60 to your room now
and be ready for supper in ten minutes,
not minute longer. We are always
in state of starvation up here, you
know I IN ashamed of our APP
petites.'
After they had finished the hilar-
ious supper on the veranda and the
children had been put to bed by their
mother, instead of the faithful
jane of other days, DIR. Dale sat
with his two friends in the gathering
dusk on the veranda. The air was
filed with the resinous perfume of
the pines and the soft murmur of
their branches above their heads. The
moon was rising over across the val
ley. flooding the world with silver
light. The two men were smoking,
sat on the top step, looking off dream
lily at the wide view below them.
Dr. Dale noticed with interest the
quiet, relaxed attitude; all tenseness
and nervous strain seemed to have
gone from her.
She looked up after long silence.
and smiled at her old friend.
tDear DIR. Dale she said, 1--WE
can t half thanlA you for sending us
up here; for showing us the fallacy of
our life down there in Cornwall. We
have found out SO many things out
here at Wildernesse. We have been
learning what the worth while things
are, and we have both decided that the
social life we've been leading is not
necessary or good for us in the least.
We have grown to love the simple
things and are going to give up all
that complex machinery of living that
is so deadening to the best side. Oh,
ourselves away from our hilltop, and
it won't be until late in October-we
are going back to simple life: plenty
Of sleep and fresh air, plenty of ex-
ercise and plenty of playtime with the
children. I've learned to play this
summer, DR.. Dale Oh, my children
have taught me heap of things!'
The doctor was pfing meditatively at
his pipe. There were tears in his eyes,
and he didn t care if they saw them.
"And what's MORE" MacGregor
added, 1--WE We saved pile of money.
Our summers were always far beyond
our means. I don t mind telling You,
now that it all over, that we have
been living a bit too high, going be-
yong our income almost every year,
and that alone is worrisome thing
to a man. Now we re going to start
all over again, Mabel and /.
The look of sympathy and confidence
and perfect understanding that he and
Mabel exchanged brought twinge to
the doctors lonely old heart. What a
lot he had missed in life, he unused.
"We have decided that we don t
need that camping trip MacGregor
went on. 3EThis is such an ideal life,
and to tell the truth, we don It want to
leave those precious kids of our. We
couldn t take them very well, and we
have found out what fun it is to have
them round all the time.
"All right, I'll let you off from that
| part of my prescription, the doctor
said. "Wildernesse has worked such a
cure that the other ism necessary.
| The fresh air here is about as good as
| it is in the Maine woods, in my
| opinion. y
''Now, You must promise to spend
| Sunday with us, DIR. Dale Mabel said.
is You that have brought us all this.