The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-06-16

6@ of the law while en-
~ deayoring to duplicate
Fl the feats Of a bandit
x..., hero, as portrayed by
the blood-and.thunder
writer's. But you might 20 a step
iurther, and assert that there are
adults who are prone to fall under the
same influence, and not be making an
error"
"Why?" asked the listener, scent
lag possible story.
Because the readers Of that class
Of fiction are not by any means con-
fined to the rising generation" replied
the ex-inspector. "You may think it
odd, but / am personally acquainted
with a prominent member of the New
York bar who seeks relaxation from
his legal problems by devouring all
the cheap detective stories he can
get his hands on. Much on the same
principle, l suppose, that a tired bust
ness man takes in a light musical
comedy after he has completed his
iabors Of the day. But the lawyers
case doesn't exactly illustrate my
point. A man with well-balanced
mind and trained intellect would only
see the absurd side Of the melo.
dramatic hero's exploits. But there
ntlptv IF mo nv ,f,,ff
and are not only entertained thereby,
but take 1t pretty seriously. Also, here
and there reader of dime novels may
find a fairly ingenious plot which,
Invested of its fireworks and trim
ming, might contain hint Of how to
accomplish certain crime that could
be successfully worked out. The
mere suggestion would be enough,
provided that it suited the readers
desire or aim"
For instance?" queried the listen
er In a half-mocking, half-skeptical
tone which was purposely intended
to goad the former chief into unlock
ing some particular episode in his
vast experience. Doubtless so shrewd
a student of mankind as Finney Val
entine was not fooled for minute by
such a transparent ruse, since he
smiled inscrutab) y and knowingly.
There was o. .ce criminal event
in my experience which Illustrates
my point to hair" he explained.
Pressing button on his desk, after
consulting his indexed case-book.
"Bring me file No. 49," he said to
the attendant who answered the buzz
ger. Meanwhile he smoked medita-
lively as though mentally going back
to some thrilling happening In his
varied career. In three minutes the
required file was placed at his ell
bow. Taking out sheaf of papers,
newspaper cuttings, and photographs,
he rifled them momentarily between
his supple fingers, nodded satisfac-
torily, replaced them in their place,
lighted fresh long and black Pana-
tella, and began the following story.
which shall be given here in his own
words:
Within a hundred miles Of the
Bowery, in Connecticut and Massachu.
setts, you may run across little vii
lagos and rural settlements that are
almost as primitive and old-fashioned
as they were in Revolutionary days.
There's where you find the "aban-
doned farms" that one hears so much
about nowadays; they have been
abandoned" mostly by the younger
generation; the old folks held on till
death and the grave claimed them,
then the cleared fields ran to weeds,
the stone fences fell down, the apple
orchards died for lack of tending. and
the farmhouses and barns gradually
fell to pieces.
But here and there enough young
blood remains to keep up the village
or town life, and the soil, instead of
being worn out. as we've been led to
suppose, yields just as good a living
as ever, while the hardy people 60 on
living their sturdy lives, marrying
and giving in marriage, as though
trolley.lines and automobiles had
never been invented.
Just such q place was the Connec-
ticut village Of Pisgah, about twenty
miles north Of Stamford, among the
hills bordering the Housatonic Val
lev. Everybody in Pisgah was pros
porous in plain God-fearing way;
the town had no poor; there was
Congregational church, a Union
school, the usual stores, and one OF
two canning factories.
Two thriving farms Of perhaps q
couple of hundred acres each adJoined
each other. owned respectively by
men named Valley and Merrill. Tom
Valley, a youngster of about twenty
six en- orphan, worked one OF these
farms; the sole heiress to the otner
was a charming girl OF twenty-iour
named Ruth Merrill. 1t was tine
most natural thing in the world Tor
the young people to fall in love, mar
nv. and thus unite the twin properties
into orle-and that's exactly what hap
pened Ruth Merrill had possessed
several suitors, but Tom Valley even
tually proved to be the lucky man.