Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-14

tiat save MS naA4e 40 1SSShtSA AAaA fNA
arrived in the village Of oakyille and
told the landlord Of the tavern that he
wanted rest and might stay for cou-
pie Of months.
At the end OF three weeks the village
constable, the justice OF the peace. the
heading merchant and others had sort
Of meeting at which il was resolved
that a stranger that wouldn't tell all
about himself was probably hiding
from the law. This resolution was
handed to Mr.. Harper by the constable,
and after reading it two or three times
the newcomer carelessly said:
81 kinder want a rest and kinder
want to figger something out"
"But we don't like it. We don't like
1t" announced the man Of the law.
"WeIl, / dunno what you are going to
do about It."
Neither did the constable nor any
body else. Mr.. Harper paid his board
every Saturday night in good and law
full money, and IL he was fugitive
from justice he didn't do any skulking.
Soon after he had been told what the
public thought of him he bought a
tape line at one Of the stores. OF course
the clerk that sold it to him asked him
what he was going to do with 1t, but
Mr.. Harper refused to give out any In
formation whatever This nearly re-
suited in another public meeting. But
for the fact that the man was seen
measuring the distance from the school
house to the bridge the meeting would
have been held and at least three diff
ferent resolutions adopted.
And the next day Mr.. Harper meas
ured the distance between the tavern
and a mudhole hundred feet away.
A day elapsed. 1t was spent by Mr..
Harper in figuring. and he took great
care that his figures should not be seen
by others. Deacon Smythe had al
ways had great good luck in pumping
strangers, and he was called upon to
exercise his talents on the man Of mys-
terry. He took seat beside him on the
tavern veranda and began:
"sfr. Harper, this town Of Oakville
IS inhabited by plain people"
Yes"
eve have nothing to conceal"
$40"
"Then shall expect you to answer
a few questions CONCERNING yourself.
Where do you come from
81 believe they call the place Hades
row. but that hasn't changed the tenn
peratnre anyv'
s "Sir. Sir! This to me" shouted
Deacon Smythe.
please don't bother mel want to
figger."
When 1t became known how Deacon
Smythe had been turned down that
second public meeting was held. The
resolutions were bold and red hot The
landlord must give Mr.. Harper notice
to quit. He must also make oath as
to what suspicious things he had OBJ
served. Mr.. Harper must tell why he
came to Oakville instead Of stopping
at Mount Ivy. He must also make a
clean breast Of the tapeline and meas
uring affair. II not But he must.
The committee named proceeded to the
hotel and reached the place just as
Mr.. Harper returned from measuring
the distance between the. cooper shop
and the frog pond.
;'Sirr' said the undertaken, who was
chairman by virtue Of having the
deepest voice. 1--WE must know all
about you or there will be conse-
q6ences. For one thing the landlord
will turn you out"
Then he'll get a suit for damages
was the reply:
But, sir, ii Is consensus OF opinion
that you are a-a"-
Suspicious character
"Yes-ah-yes, Yes, sir, that Is II"
Thanks. Tomorrow will begin suit
against each and every one OF you"
That shot told. The committee left.
and the landlord had nothing to say.
and for three days men shiyered when
they thought of damage suits. Then
Mr.. Harper packed his trunk and left
In leaving he placed written ex-
PLANTATION in the landlords hands to be
read to all interested parties. 1t read
as follows:
''The distance from the schoolhouse
to the bridge is Just 200 feet and Z
inches. What I was figuring on was
the distance 1t would be If about forty
old soakers and lazybones in this town
had to let whisky alone and go to
work.
THE distance between the tavern
and the mudhole doYn the street,
which has been mudhoIe for forty
years, is Just ninety-seyen feet and
four and a half inches. I was figur-
ing on how a shovelfui of that mud
could get into the eoffeepot every
morning at breakfast.
THE distance between the cooper
shop and the frog pond Is exactly ga
feet and inch What I was figuring
on was how much less it would be IL
all the bullfrogs came ashore and