News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-08-19
CHAPTER II.
Dick Brings a Hostage.

beckons. Across the bay from old
Manhattan come new hosts to tasue
agrarian joys. Bob is happy; James
is in his glory. Seeds are sprouulng
in the garden. A bed of radishes ha We
thrown up their green shoots, the first
harbingers of the season. Pale sprlgs
of early lettuce are peeping out. Be-
meath the glass frames of the hotbeds
Jumbo tomato plants are creeping up
ward You can almost see them grow
Pine sticks supporting empty packets
mark the site Of embryo beets, peas
and kohl-rabi, and here is row of
poles for the delicious lima bean.
Back in her wire prison the Plym-
outh Rock sings and cackles, and be-
side her another fuses and scratches
for her brood of fluffy chicks. On the
porch of the Reynolds cottage a ca
nary trills and MARBLES, answering the
chatter of myriad sparrows. In the
kitchen James song browns the clat-
ter of the dishes. Music is in the
air; life is in the blood Even Mrs.
Collins has ceased to grumble. 1t is
spring!
The Reynolds dinner is for three
tonight. For the first time since their
coming the new home is to receive an
urban caller
Good old Dick" said Jane as she
set his place at the table. 81 do hope
he won't disappoint u.s."
Her fear was groundless. Dick
Meade would not disappoint her, for
he was an atom in the great legion
of the unattached; a bachelor and
alone. He had not formed the habit
of declining invitations to dinner
Dick was a reporter on a morning
newspaper in New York; political
reporter with leaning toward social
ism and leniency toward drink.
Poor, blue-eyed, boyish Dick, with
a panacea for all earthly ills except
his own; champion of the downtrod-
den, but one of them; an aspiring ST.
Patrick longing to drive out all the
hydra-headed serpents Of monopoly
with a wand of words; a dreamer of
dreams, but lovable, withal, and a
stanch friend. He and Reynolds
were almost opposite types and this
very difference in their lives made
them companionable. Dick, also, was
not blind to the attractions of his
friends young wife. She was a charm
ing hostess, he thought. The dulcet
harmony he found in this home often
lulled his own feverish philosophy, or,
at least, upset it.
Jane heard them approaching now
and hurried out to the veranda.
welcome, stranger" she said after
she had escaped from Bob's embraces.
"You have almost forsaken u.s."
Dick responded with laugh and an
obsequious bow. Never, fair one;
have merely been conserving re-
sources that I may pay toll to corpo-
rate interests en- route. Thirty cents
for the round trip, Jane. Enough for
wiener schnitzel and two pilseners. |
Besides, / bring tribute to my island |
queen. See!" He held up a paste
board box punctured here and there |
with airholes that he concealed. Jane |
took it from him.
Something aiive!" she cried as she |
tried to peep into one of the aper- |
lures. She ran into the house for
scissors and returning, cut the string.
Within there peered at her from two
sleepy, light-blinded eyes, a fox ter
rier puppy, diminutive and finely
marked.
"Oh, you little dear!" Lifting the
pup from the box, she pressed its soft
coat to her cheeks. 1--WE just been
crazy for a dog, Dick; and isn't it
beauty"
She put it on the floor, stopped and
called: Here, Dick; here, Dickl
That's what we'll name him, won't
we, Bob?"
"Honored beyond words said the
1onor. why not Bob?"
mo; look at his eyes. They're blue
lust like yours, Dick, and he's so cum
lingl"
Meade bent down and patted the
pups head.
wei, I'm glad she likes you, old
op, since there's such a resemblance"
You'd better feed him, Jane" Bob
iuggested. 81 want Dick to see the
,arden so we'll prowl around while
ill dinner"
Reynolds guest showed general en-
husiasm over the progress of his
riend's agricultural venture. For an
.mateur Reynolds had displayed skill
IS well as zeal The space he had
llotted to his garden comprised about
fourth of his half-acre lot. This he
lad divided into little rectangular
lots about thirty feet deep and fif-
cen wide. Narrow paths ran between ;
o that each could be cultivated and
Tatered without treading on the bed
tself.
You must have had some expert
pinion here, Bob" Dick ventured. Il
ever saw a more orderly garden. |
soeks like you had laid it out with
ule and square. Where did you get