The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-09-08

MyOUElV
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ScsWrssAa 90 - Assssiassa iAsssu PrsssS
Hoover wiles taught astroao0y ~
cause he hal 10 i've. but ~ spent his
nights searching tie skies q the o.
servatory o. Tower hin because Ne
loved IT. The scientists and attend
anita recognised the tall young man
with the shoulders Of an athlete and
the bulging brow q student - one
Of themselves, and he had The run
Of the place.
Tower hill stood between the ocean
and the plain. II shot up into the ar
several hundred feet Oak Harbor.
Q city Of considerable size. nestled
at it, base. spread over the plain. and
climbed ambitiously up it, side. Wiiss
liked 10 sit on the hill. like An eagle
on his crag. and sweep the pageant sea
with q long. slim powerful telescope
that was his own property. Between
this telescope and the great barrel
which peered into the mysteries OF The
sky and was moved only BY ponderous
machinery. he was perfectly happy.
One evening In early spring the sky
was overcast % that no stars were
visible, and the sea was empty OF
ships. wilss took his telescope to
loophole In the dome Of the observe
tory, adjusted II on its tripod and sat
down to the eyepiece. The city OF
Oak Harbor was In front and beneath
him, pricked out BY Its hundred thou
sand lights.
Dividing the town into vast check
! erboards were the electric street lamps
glowing white In the gloom. The lights
in the homes were Of = mellower and
less obtrusive tint. They peered from
the open doors and windows and
twinkled shyiy through the budding
trees. The great once buildings. tier
on tier. illumined like the portfolios Of
undreamed of ocean liners. thrust
themselves proudly aloft. The troll
legs, whose snoring hum came family
to him In his aerie were moving
streaks of Ore. Motor cars new width.
Or and thithAr like orderly arefies.
Seated thus at his telescope. Hoover
wiles felt like one Of the immortals
He abode on his mountain. above hu
manity and its petty, bugliks emotions
How aimless and useless seemed all
this Fastening to and fro! What waste
Of energy in trivial. blind pursuit Of
pleasure! Surely an ant hill, with ii
misdirected activity. was conserva
tive and Intellectual community beside
the city of Oak Harbor!
Thus musing. wiies turned his tele
scope slowly, like q long. moving Nm
Ger. II showed the groups waiting fo'
cars on tht corners; occasionally It fol
lowed an automobile for q block q
two. Then. ~ It swept far TO the left
the telescope seemed to stop Of II
own volition on q pretty scene.
A lighted kitchen window. surround
Cd by vines newly green. filed It's Geld
Within the kitchen, q small boy va
sitting at . table eating. A younl
woman was waiting on him. She wor'
. Light dress. and had . profusioo o
dark hair. Wiles felt that she wa
pretty, though his instrument woult
not bring out her face In detail. Blu
Tie air of beauty was about her.
In her passing to and fro. once sh'
stopped to tousle the youngstsr's hair
The watcher could see the happ!
smile on the lads face. Presently
having finished his supper. he shove,
back from the table. The girl, buh
bling over with mirth al high spin
its, began to dance about the kitchen
The light. irregular steps were tn
generalization Of grace. She swaye'
back and forth across the space OF
posite the window. The boy clappe'
his hands gleefully. Wiles watches
the scene until the dance was ovei
Then he leaned back. took . lon
breath. and said:
Il shall ind that girl and MARI
herr"
wiles had cause to regret not keel
ing his eye glued to the telescope; 70
whom he looked again. the lighted VIII
dow had vanished. Either the tel,
scope had moved or else the light I
the kitchen had been extinguishet
For two hours he peered steadily int
the eyepiece. In the vain hope that tn
dancing girl would again nit acros
his field of vision. But not anothe
|, sight of her did he get At last, r,
lunctantly. he gave II up and wer
home.
The next night he was early at hi
; post. His heart beat with anticip,
don a. he sat down at the telescop
!. and watched the dusk close In an
the lights a Oak Harbor spring int
being IKE Jewels on . velvet clotl
E The glass vas - he had left II Ii
night before.
Il Again he Vas disappointed. In q
hour Of painstaking peering he pickle
IN q score a kitchen windows; but