Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-07-07

II III
80 OF the law while en-
deavoring to duplicate
the feats of a bandit
~ hero, as portrayed by
EEx11 the Observation-Disclosures
.,.,u But you might go a step
'.-.ser and assert that there are
.s.,,s Who are prone to fall under the
ms influence, and not be making an
aror." 80, -.
ne = possible story.
aBecause the readers OF that class
:, action are not by any means con-
"a 10 the rising generation" replied
:. sxlnspector. You may think 1t
"a but am personally acquainted
IN 4 prominent member Of the New
~ bar who seeks relaxation from
4. legal problems by devouring all
~ cheap detective stories he can
- Ms hands on. Much on the same
,rIncIple. suppose. that a tired bust
go man takes in a light musical
-ouedv after he has completed his
,shors Of the day. But the lawyers
80 doesn't exactly illustrate my
mint A man with q well-balanced
nina and trained intellect would only
~ the absurd side of the melo-
dramatic hero's exploits. But there
- nlenty of men who read such stuff
nd are not only entertained thereby.
M take It pretty seriously. Also, here
.ud here reader of dime novels may
ana a fairly ingenious plot which,
Invested of It's fireworks and trim
ming might contain a hint of how to
sceoriblish certain crime that could
h successfully worked out. The
n,re suggestion would be enough.
p-ovided that II suited the readers
[ desire or aim
FOR instance?" queried the listen
n IL a half-mocking. half-skeptical
tone which was purposely intended
b soad the former chief into unlock
lnz some particular episode in his
vast experience. Doubtless SO shrewd
student Of mankind as Finney Val
,ntine was not fooled for minute by
such transparent ruse. since he
ruiled inscrutably and knowingly.
There was once criminal event
n ny experience which illustrates
nv point to hair" he explained.
Pressing a button on his desk, after
consnitInr his indexed case-book.
Bring me file No, 81" he said to
he attendant who answered the buzz
rn. Meanwhile he smoked medita-
lively Is though mentally going back
% some thrilling happening in his
n1ed career. In three minutes the
required file was placed at his ell
Tow. Taking out sheaf of papers.
newspaper cuttings. and photographs,
he rifned them momentarily between
bis supple fingers. nodded satisfac-
lorily, replaced them in their place.
lighted fresh long and black Pana-
leila. and began the following story.
which shall be given here In his own
words:
Within a hundred miles of the
Bovery. IN Connecticut and Massachu-
aetts. you may run across little VII
Agcs and rural settlements that are
almost as primitive and old-fashioned
q they were in Revolutionary days.
There's where you find the "aban-
doned fsrms' that one hears so much
lbcut nowadays; they have been
abandoned" mostly by the younger
1encration; the old folks held on till
death and the grave claimed them,
oe1 the cleared fields ran to weeds.
ne sioHe fences fell down, the apple
orchards died for lack OF tending, and
ne sarmhouses and barns gradually
Itl q pieces.
But here and there enough young
bood remains to keep up the village
q town life. and the soil, instead OF
'einE worn out, as we've been led to
suppose, yields Just as good living
ever, while the hardy people 60 on
avins their sturdy lives. marrying
snn giving IN marriage, as though
Fo'ley'lines and automobiles had
aeFer been invented.
Just such place was the Connec
ucus village Of Pisgah. about twenty
n,les north Of Stamford. among the
nis bordering the Housatonic Val
~ Everybody in Pisgah was pros
Porous In a plain God-fearing way;
ne town had no poor; there was q
uosfegauonal church. a Union
.'aool the usual stores. and one OF
No canning factories.
Two thriving farms Of perhaps a
~ople Of hundred acres each adjoined
n other, owned respectively by
esn named Valley and Merrill. Tom
n'ey' youngster of about twenty
an orphan. worked one of these
arms; the sole heiress to the Other
charming girl of twenty-foul
<neo Ruth Merrill. It was the
49, natural thing in the world fol
u young people to fall in love, mar
81 ana thus unite the twin propertie.
~ ene-snd that's exactly what hap
s1eR Ruth Merrill had possesse,
s'ai suitors, but Tom Valley even
t+1lIy ur0vod ~ - a. ,..i... -.