Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-10

now. This is nothing but an annex TO
graveyard in winter. You WASN'T
thinking Of stopping off here, was
you?"
"Well--I want to see a man named
Elijah Quimby.' Mr.. Magee replied
do you know him."
"Of course said the yearner for
pastures new, hes caretaker OF the
inn. His house Is about a mile out,
on the old Miller Road that leads up
Baldpate. Come outside and I'll tell
you how to get there"
The two men went out into the
whirling snow. and the agent waved
hand indefinitely up at the night.
If 1t was clear" he said, "you could
see Baldpate Mountain, over yonder.
looking down on the Falls, sort or
keeping an eye on us to make sure
We don't get reckless. And halfway
up you'd see Baldpate Inn. black and
peaceful and winter.y. Just follow this
street to the third corner. and turn to
your left. Elijah lives in little house
back among the trees a mile out
there's a gate you'll sure hear creak.
ing on a night like this
Billy Magee thanked him, and
gathering up his two bags, walked up
Main Street. A dreary forbidding
building at the first corner bore the
sign Commercial House." Under the
white gasllght in the ONCE window
three born pessimists slouched low
in hotel chairs, gazing sourly out at
the storm
Weep no more. my lady.
. OH. weep no more today"
hummed Mr.. Magee cynically under
his brea'h and glanced up at the
solitary upstairs window that CLEAN.
ed yellow in the night.
At corner on which stood little
shop that advertised Groceries and
Provisions" he paused.
LET me see," he pondered "The
Candies. And little something for
the inner man. in case it's the closed
season for cooks"
He went inside, where weary old
woman served him.
what sort Of candles?" she in
quired, with the air OF one who had
an infinite variety in stock. Mr.. Ma
gee remembered that Christmas was
near.
For a Christmas tree" he explain
ed. He asked for two hundred.
"I've only got forty the woman
said What's this tree for-the
Orphans .Home?"
With the added burden OF a package
containing his purchases in the tiny
store, Mr.. Magee emerged and con-
tinued his journey through the sting
ing snow Upper Asquewan Falls on
its way home for supper fitted past
him in tho silvery, darkness. He saw
in the lighted windows Of many OF the
houses the green wreath of Christmas
cheer Finally the houses became in
frequent, and he struck out on an un-
even road that wound upward. Once
he heard dogs faint bark. Then q
carriage lurched by him. and strong
voice cursed the roughness OF the
road. Mr. Magee half smiled to him
self as he strobe on.
Don Quixote, my boy" he muttered
II know how you felt when you moved
on the windmills." .I
It was not the whir of windmills but
the creak Of gate in the storm that
brought Mr.. Magee at last to stop.
He walked gladly UP the path to
Elijah Quimby's door.
In answer to Billy Magee's gay
knock, man of about sixty years ap-
peareds Evidently he had just finished
supper; at the moment he was engaged
in lighting his pipe. He admitted Mr..
Magee into the intimacy of the kitch-
en-, and took number of calm judici-
GUS puffs on the pipe before speaking
to; his visitor In that interval the
visitor cheerily seized his hand, oblivi-
Gus Of the warm burnt match that was
in it.. The match fell to the floor,
whereupon the older man cast an
anxious glance at gray-haired woman
who stood beside the kitchen stove.
my names Magee," blithely ex-
planned that gentleman. dragging in
his bags. "And you're Elijah Quimby,
Of course. How are you? Glad to
see YOU" His air was that Of one who
had known this Quimby intimately, in
! many odd corners of the world.
The older man did not reply. but
regarded Mr. Magee wonderingly
through white puffs OF smoke. His
face was kindly, gentle, Intellectual;
he seemed to lack the Anal punch
that send men over the line to sue
cess: this was evident in the way his
necktie hung, the way his thin hands
huttered.
Yes he admitted at last. eyes =
I'm Quimby.'
Mr.. Magee threw back his coat, and
sprayed with snow Mrs. Quimby's i'm
maculate floor.
MI,r, Maooan he elucidatad aQain,