Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-09


mand impossible to carry out-except in theory
Ny neighbor is a wrong headed and prejudiced per
son, whose ideas politics and other matters dHer
entirely from my Furthermore, he is constantly
making himself dsagreeable about small things for
instance, the fence between yards, which he de-
cares [ cause to be repaired with unnecessary fire.
quency Again. in spite of my known dislike of noise,
he insists on encouraging the organ grinder to play
for hours at time before his dwelling. Besides all
this he overlooks my house to such an extent that
am obliged to keep the blinds of my staircase window
constantly closed. This very materially interferes
with my comfort it excludes a large quantity of
light and air, which by rights should be Dne
In spite of all those just of complaint, how
ever l would not allow any harm to to my
neighbor that could prevent. At least, felt so up
to a short time ago. l think differently now l have
had lesson L shall forget, and if / ever put
myself to any trouble again to save him from dis
aster, am not the highly intelligent man know my
self to be- 1t came about in this way:
Once every year my neighbor takes his entire fam
lily away for holiday His house remains untenant
ed for month-a blessed month for me. L spend it
reveling in extra quantity of air and light, and
blissful cessation of grind-organ thrills and chords
1t is not surprising, therefore, that long for this
happy period to arrive ardently as do my neigh
Dor s children, who apt to discuss the event for
days beforehand in shril voices most trying to the
cultivated
Judge of my delight, therefore, when early the
other morning. having been attracted to the window
by the noise of Wheels beheld omnibus draw up
before my neighbor's S house. The annual departure
was about to take place. Into this vehicle L my
neghbor with the patient and resigned air of a fam
lily man, hand his wife, three excited children, one
bawling baby, six handboxes, Irish nurse and a
puppy He then entered himself, and the whole party
drove off.
They say to watch people out of sight brings them
bad luck. I had not time, in any case, to do this
hon in tha
bus as it rolled away, rushed to the staircase win
dow threw open the blinds with vehemence that
upset pet geranium of Emilia s that stood upon the
window seat, and admitted a food of glorious sun
shine into my dwelling. 1 had another exquisite
pleasure little later in the day when the grindorgan
man took up his usual station beneath my neighbor
window 1 allowed him to play for about an hour
then sent out my servant to say that the gentleman
who lived in No. 81 out of the city, and that If
he the organ grinder, showed himself in the neghbor
hood again for upward of a month would send for
the police and have him arrested as public nuisance
l knew 1 would have right to do anything of the
kind, but counted the man s not knowing enough
to be aware of this. It proved to be the case. He
moved off with astonishing celerity. lgnorance-n
other persons-is indeed frequently productive of
bliss.
1t happened that three days after this fate, which
is forever meddng in affairs domestic and
otherwise) ordained that should have little dis
agfeement with Emilia, which materially assisted in
bringing about the unpleasant events which followed.
Emilia is my wife, She has pretty face and mind
of average caiber which has become greatly strength
ened since marriage by constant intercourse with
a superior one.
Emilia, who allows herself to be very behindhand in
keeping up with the literature of the day. had been
reading Mr. Conan Doyles account of the adventures
of Sherlock Holmes for the first time. She was quite
charmed with it, and began talking with great deal
of enthusiasm about the detective and his marvellous
powers. I, who make it rule to keep up. with the
times in the literary world well in everything
else had of course, read the book when it first
out. I had been very much interested in Sherlock