The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-06-01
WHITTAKER,S
PLACE
BY JOSEPH C. LINCOLN
Copyright. 1908. by D. Appleton 6 Co


ing. Simmons front displayed row
Of little banners. each btrring a letter.
The letters spelled "Welcome Homer
Tad's barber shop was more or less
artlstically wreathed IN colored tissue
paper There. too. flag was draped
over the front door. Yet not a single
person was In sight.
"For goodness sake" cried the be
wildered captain. what's all this
mean? And where is everybody?
Have all hands
He stopped in the middle of the SEN
tence. They were at the foot Of
WhittakefNs hill. Its top. between the
Atkins gate and the Whitaker fence,
was black with people, Children
pranced about the outskirts Of the
crowd shout came down the wind.
The horses, not in the least fatigued
| by their long canter. trotted up the
slope. The shouting grew louder. A
wave OF youngsters came racing TO
meet the equipage,
"what-what in timer" gasped Cap.
| tain Cy. whats up? IT,
And then the town clerk seized him
| by the arm. Peabody shook his Other
hand Bos'n threw her arms about his
neck. Bailey stood up and waved his
hat
'Its you. you old critterr" whooped
Asaph. ITS you, d'you understand 2
"rhe appropriation has at last gone
through" explained the lawyer. "and
this is the celebration in consequence
And you are the star attraction, be
cause. you see. every one knows you
are responsible for it,"
That's WHAT howled the excited
Bangs. 'And we're going TO show you
what we think OF you for dom II
We've been plannln' this for over
fortnl't."
"And knew It all the time"
squealed Bos'n. "and didn't tell
word. did p
'rhree cheers for Captain Whit
takerr' beloved person in the crowd.
This wonder of wonders!-was
Tad Simpson.
The cheering was. considering the
size of the crowd. tremendous. Be
wildered and amazed. Captain Cy was
assisted from the carriage and escort
ed to his front door. Amid the hand
kerchief waving, applauding people he
saw Keturah Bangs and Alpheus
Smalley and Angelina Phinney and
Captain Salters--even Alonzo Snow,
his recent opponent in town meeting
Josiah Dimick was there, too, appar
emily having a tit.
On the doorstep stood Georgianna,
and-and-yes. 1t was true-beside her
grandly extending welcoming hand.
the majestic form of the Hon. Heman
Atkins. Some one else was there also,
some one who hurriedly slipped back
into the crowd as the owner OF the Cy
Whitaker place came up the path be-
tween the hedges.
Mr.. Atkins shook the captains hand
and then. turning toward the people,
held up his own for silence. To all
outward appearance he was still the
great Heman. our district idol. philan-
thropist and leader. His silk hat
gllstened as OF old; his chest swelled
in the old manner; his whiskers were
just as dignitied and awe inspiring.
For an instant, as he met the captains
eye his own faltered and fell. and
there was pleading expression In his
face, the lines of which had deepened
just a little. but only for an instant;
then he began TO speak.
Cyrus" he said. lit is my pleasant
duty. on behalf OF your neighbors and
friends here assembled. to welcome
you to your-er-ancestral home after
your trying illness. / do 1t heartily,
sincerely, gladly. And 1t is the more
pleasing to me 10 perform this duty
because. as l have explained publicly
TO my fellow townspeople, all disagree
ment between us is ended. was
wrong-again publicly admit 1t. A
scheming blackleg. posing in the guise
OF a loving father, imposed upon me.
I am sorry for the trouble have
caused you. OF you and of the little
girl with you l ask pardon-I entreat
forgiveness
He paused. Captain Cy, the shadow
of a smile at the corner of his mouth,
nodded and said briefly:
"All right. Heman. l forgive you"
Few heard him. The majority were APP
plauding the congressman. Sylvanus
Cahoon, whispering in the ear Of I'm
Gle Bedny, expressed as his opinion
that that was about as magnaminious
thing as ever l heard said-yes, sir. |
mag ma min-ious-that's what call 1t"
But" continued the great Atkins.
81 have said all this to you before. |
What l have TO say now-what | left |
my duties in Washington expressly to |
come here and say-is that Bayport |
thanks you, l thank you, for your tire
mendous assistance in obtaining the |
appropriation which is to make our
harbor a busy port, where our gallant |
fishing feet may ride at anchor and |
unload its catch, instead of transfer
ing 1t in dories, as heretofore. Friends, |
l have already told you how this man."
laying a hand on the captains shout |
der, "came to the capital and used his
influence among his acquaintance In |
high places, with the result that the
$4,000 which l had despaired of get