The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-20
His
Friday
lie BIunders Into His
Happiness
By CLARISSA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Lewis Warren's new bungalow was
erched on a pine covered knoll on the
bore of the lake.
There were several bungalows about
be beautiful little lake, and here and
here jutted forth narrow pier around
"a hich clustered gayly painted canoes or
rass fitted motorboats ano from June
! ntil September the little summer
.|blony fished and boated and bathed
= md then, suddenly, when the first
Eeek in September came the cottages
Eould be closed and there would be no
kgp of life except the little wild
nimals that came to drink at the
kater's edge and the birds fitting
mong the pines.
Lewis Warren had built the bunga-
bw for a retreat wherein to spend
olitary days that would restore the
nergy he had lost during busy weeks
own in the heart of the big city
He went up there in June for brief
. isit and hastily turned the key in
is door and departed-to return again
hte in September when his neighbors
lad fitted cityward. On this brilliant
norning, when the sky seemed newly
Washed in blue and the little lake gayly
effected azure heaven and green earth.
Lewis took from his japanese servant
basket of lunch and went down to
bis own pier. The lunch, together with
&ishing rod and basket, was tossed into
8he bottom of a canoe, and Lewis step
bed in and padded slowly over to the
sland.
To have q whole month to himself in
he most glorious season of the year,
when every day is golden and the
nights are cool and made for sweet.
Eound sleep, seemed too good to be true,
md at last. haunted by the fear that
here might be some cottager lurking
hear by who might suddenly start his
phonograph blaring into the delicious
silence, Lewis started on a tour of the
island skirting the beach in his walk.
Then all at once he stopped short
and fastened his gaze on the damp
sand at the waters edge.
"Well I'll be hanged!' he CALCULATED
in an injured tone. 81 had feeling
that somebody was around. Can't lose
me on that premonition business"
There under his very nose was i'm
pressed a footprint, the mark Of a
small bare foot, evidently that of
hoy, and close beside it was another
land another and still another of the
Same feet Some of the footprints ap-
|peared to lead straight into the water,
land others evidently climbed the sandy
| slope and were lost among the brown
needles that strewed the ground.
Somebody left those footprints on
the sand, and that not so very long
ago l suppose the rascal is hiding in
/ the trees up yonder, l may as well fol-
/ low this trail among the spruces."
The trail was soon lost among the
needles, and as there were dozen lit
| tie paths winding among the spruces
| it was no easy matter to decide which
one to follow. Lewis soon tired of
hunting for the trespasser and con-
Guiding that, whoever he was, the boy
would probably not disturb him now
that his presence had been discovered.
the young man returned to his canoe
and the neglected fishing.
He had Just landed a shining lake
trout when a distant splash attracted
his attention. He turned his canoe and
padded around to the southern shore
just in time to see a small dark head
bobbing above the surface of the water,
with now and then the fash of bare
foot as the swimmer drew nearer the
mainland.
Lewis chuckled softly to himself.
amused at the lads hasty flight. He
doesn't know he's my man Friday"
he grinned as he padded back once
more.
The day had been badly broken up
by his uneasy wanderings, and now,
after his luncheon was disposed of and
3he had spent an hour with pipe and
book, he returned home resolved to
, come back the next day and enjoy the
! full measure of a lazy day.
Another glorious day dawned. He
made his usual landing. fastening
his craft to a weather beaten stake
thrust in the sand. Then he carried
book and basket around to the sunny
southern shore and stretched himself
on the sand The water looked cool
and inviting, but swimming was a
diversion he had been obliged to forego
the past year on account of a severe
attack Of rheumatism, which gripped
him cruelty at the first impact of cold
water.
Suddenly there bobbed into his range
of vision a green canoe, untenanted
and idly floating toward the mainland
1t was several moments before it oc-
Cured to him that his own craft might
have gone adrift, and when he went
to look his fears were verified The
ancient stake had snapped asunder at
the water line, and now he could see
it floating along in the wake Of the
canoe.
mo use yelling to Taku. He'd only
get excited and tumble in the soup
kettle. He can't help me, and 1 can't
helm mvaelf Here I rnuat sfav untiI