Evening journal., 1910-07-23
THE HOUSE
ON THE HILL
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press
BY NJ QUAD

In town IN the state OF ONO. Ine
hill is there yet. but there is no house
on IT, Twenty years ago stranger
went to the town and bought the hill
and built a frame house there. When
the house was about completed he
died 1t was a decaying wreck when
along came a Mr. Bushwick from no
one knew where and bought the prop
erty for 500. AS soon as he had The
deed he offered it to any villager for
$500 and was laughed at as weak in
the top story.
Failing TO effect a sale. Mr.. Bushwick
had the house put in repair and an
nounced thnt he intended to live there.
He also announced that he should use
IL as an observatory. OF course the
villagers knew what an observatory
was When Mr.. Bushwick's telescope
and tripod arrived and were set up on
the veranda he permitted the villagers
to have look--not at the heavens. but
at the earth. They could almost see
the housefies In the town beneath
their feet.
Gentlemen" said Mr.. Bushwick
when all was ready, "the price of this
property is $500. 1t will increase 500
per week until sold"
or course he was loony. but so long
as he appeared harmless the people
would only laugh at him. The FIRST
one 10 make a discovery was a Mr..
Graham. He was an old man. and he
had an old wife. They were always
wrangling. more or less When they
had wrangled about so long each time
he would box her ears. Two days aft
er the observatory" had been estab-
lished and as the old couple sat on the
piazza Of their house a wrangle took
place After a bit the husband looked
around. and. seeing no one passing.
he administered a cuff. A moment
later he happened 10 look up on the
hill and saw that the telescope was
trained upon him. If there was any
doubt that Mr. Bushwick had seen that
cuf inflicted it was dispelled by the
waving Of a small white nag.
Elder Thompson was a good man. a
very good man. as all elders should be
and are. He was sitting in his back
yard under an apple tree. thinking
how good aud peaceful and nice 1t
was 70 be real good. when a humble
bee came along and lifted him once
for his mothers sake. After coming
down from his high jump the elder
broke down a young cherry tree. tore
down a panel Of the fence and ran his
dog into the house. 1t was no more
than a good man sho Id do. but when
he looked up and saw that accusing
telescope and white flag he felt hurt
and conscience stricken.
A dozen other things OF the kind
happened during the first week. and
then the citizens decided that an OBJ
servatory was unlawful. They con-
suited lawyer, and he smiled at then
He told them the town could be sur
I rounded by observatories and not con-
/ hict with any law. Then it was
/ thought best to make up a shake purse
and buy Mr. Bushwick out.
Gentlemen" said the telescope man
when they approached him on the sub
ject. "the price Of this property is
$500. Take it or leave it."
But you have no right TO be spying
on our homes" was retorted.
There is no spying. | am simply
surveying the earth before me. II any
Of you happen to come within my
range OF vision cannot help it. ] dc
not think / shall write book on what
1 see. / may, but do not think So"
The citizens refused to pay the sun
named and went down the hill to theil
homes. while Mr. Bushwick returned
to his post and his telescope. One Of
the residents Of the village was an ole
maid named Miss Saunderson. She
had home Of her own. She was fonC
OF strolling in her garden. A Mr.. Bios
som. who lived next door. was fond o.
leaning over the line fence and quot
ing poetry to her. His wife had warn
ed him to stop IL or she would quot
something to him, but on a certain aft
ernoon he forgot the warning and wal
repeating "Sheridan's Ride to Mis-
Saunderson when there came a wife
a club and a cataclysm. The telescop,
took It all in. The white flag waves
joyously. Dozens OF people saw
wave and went hunting for the cause
and there was some more TO tall
about. Two OF three days later com
mittee climbed the hill with $500 in ii
hind. pocket and told Mr.. Bushwick Il
take It and get out
Gentlemen. am sorry II You hav'
been put to any trouble" he kindly re
piled. but the figure on the propert.
is $500. You see. a sort Of real estat
boom has set tn
The committee hemmed and hRwel
and refused to pay. Two days afte
that the report spread that the obsery
atory man was going to have a nigk
as well as a day glass-a glass tina
would almost see through a pine door
Then there was hustle. Three me-
took up the task of collecting oh, no
they were not afraid Of the day glas
or the night glass OF any other kim
OF glass. but It would be a great i'm
provement to the landscape to remov
the house on the hill and set out som
pine trees there. When they went u
10 see Mr.. Bushwick again he wante
300. but. seeing It was they and see
ing they wanted to better the land
scape. he would throw on $50 and &c
out In three days he was gone. an
the sigh OF relief that went up wa
heard all over Lorraine county. Thing