Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-04-07
Seven
TO
Baldpate
By
EARL DERR BIGGERS
Copyright. 1918. by the Bobbs.herrill
Company
fooNTINUEp,1

ne cried. Say, l QlQnt KNOW baiu'
pate mountain was fitted up with all
the modern Improvements. This Is
great luck. I'm an amateur at the
hermit business. You'll have to teach
me the fine points. Sit down."
Just between ourselves. I'm not
regular hermit" said the plump. be-
whiskered one. sitting gtngerly on the
edge Of a frail chair-"not one OF
these all for love Of woman her.
mits you read about in books. OF
course have to pretend l am. in sum
mer. In order to sell the cards and do
my whole duty BY the inn manage
ment. A lot Of the women ask me In
soft tones about the great disappoint,
ment that drove me to old Baldpate,
and give 'em various answers. ac-
cording to how feel. Speaking to
you as friend and considering the
fact that it's the dend of winter. |
may say there was little or no romance
in my life"
Back to nature, in other words. re-
marked Mr.. Magee.
"Yes, sir: back with a rush. was
down to the village this morning for a
few groceries. and l stopped OF at
Ouimby's. as / often do. He told me
about you. help him lot around
the inn. and we arranged l was to stop
in and start your fire and do any other
little errands you might want done. l
thought we ought to get acquainted
you and me. being as we're both liter
ary men. aftG a manner OF speaking.
"No?" cried Mr.. Magee.
"Yes," said the hermit Of Baldpate.
81 dip into that work a little now ana
then. Some Of my verses on the joys
of solitude have appeared In prtnt-on
the postcards l sell to the guests IN
the summer. But my life work. as you
might call 1t, is book I've had under
way for some time. It's called sim
ply 'woman'-just that one word;
but, oh, the meaning in 1t! That book
is going to. prove that all the trouble
in the world from the beginning OF
time was caused by females. Not JUST
say so. mind you. Prove it,!
"a difficult task. I'm afraid. smiled
Magee.
mot ditticult-long." corrected the
hermit. when started out fouf
years ago thought It would just De a
case of a chapter on Eve and honor
able mention for Cleopatra and Helen
of Troy and a few more like that ana
the thing would be done. But rs got
into the subject was fairly buried
under new evidence. Then MIR. Carne-
yie came along and gave Upper AsQue
wan Falls a library. It's wonderful to
think the great works that man Will De
responsible for. I've dedicated 'Wo-
man To him. Since the new library
I've dug up information about thou
sand disasters ! never dreamed OF be-
fore. and contend that If you 60
back ways In any one Of 'em you'll
find the fluffy little lady that started
the whole rumpus. So hunt the wo-
man. I reckon the French would call
me the greatest cherchez la femme IN
history"
"a fascinating pursuit" laughed
Mr.. Magee. I'm glud you've told me
about 1t, and l shall watch the prog
ress Of the work with interest, al
though l can't say that entirely
agree with you. Here and there Is
woman who more than makes amendf
for whatever trouble her sisters have
caused. One for instance. with golden
hair and eyes that when they weep
you're young" interrupted the 1T
tie man. rising. There ain't no use
to debate it with you. reckon I'll
start your fire."
He went into the outer room, and
Mr.. Magee lay for few moments
listening to his preparations about the
fireplace.
81 say. Mr.. Peters," he cried, leap
ing from bed and running into the 9TH
er room. where the hermit was per
suading a faint blaze. 1--WE an Idea.
You can cook. can't you?"
"Cook?" repeated the hermit. "Well'
yes; I've had to learn a few things
about 1t. living far from the rathskel'
lars the way l do"
1.-The very man." rejoiced Mr.. Ma
gee. "You must stay here and coos
for me-for u.s."
"Us?" asked the hermit. staring.
"Yes. l forgot to tell you. Aftel
Mr.. Quimby left me last night two 9th
er amateur hermits hove in view. One
Is a haberdasher with broken heart
"Woman!' cried the triumphant Pc
ters.
"Name, Arabella," laughed Magee.
1.-The others a college professor who
made an indiscreet remark about
blonds. You won't mind them. I'm
sure, and they may be able to help
you a lot with your great work"
T don't know what Quimby Will
say" studied the hermit. II reckon
he'll run 'em out. Hes against this
thing-afraid Of fire."
"Quimby will come later" Mr.. Ma
gee assured him. drawing on a dress
Ing gown. "Just now the idea Is a
little water in yonder tub and nice
cheerful breakfast after. It's going
to pay you lot better than selling
postcards to romantic ladies. l promise
YOU. L won't take you away from q
work for which the world Is painting
without more than making 1t up to you
financially. Where do you stand as q
coffee maker?"
"Wait till you taste It," said Peters
reassuringly. "Ill bring you up some
water"
He started for the door. but Mr. Ma
gee preceded him.
"The haberdasher," he explained
sleeps below. and he's nervous man
He might commit the awful error OF
shooting the only cook on Baldpate
mountain"
Mr.. Magee went out into the hal
and called from the depths the figure
of Bland. fully attlred In his hashy
garments and looking tawdry and tret
In the morning light
awe been up hours" he remarked
Heard somebody knocking arount
the kitchen. but amt seen any break
fast brought In on a silver tray. n!