Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-01-08
W1HEpE THERE'S AWILL
81 MARY ROBERTS pNEHART
one CIRCULAR STAIRCASE. gle MAN
h9yy4H TE EBAY W nilT 1fT AM rAnR
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/ keenly to countenance a system that
was clearly wrong and that the best
modern thought considered obsolete.
Miss Cobb sat up at that: she is al
ways talking about the best modern
thought. aa
He Ssaid that perfect health, clear
skins. bright eyes-he looked at the
women, and except for Miss Patty
there wasn't an honest complexion or
a bright eye in the lot-keen appetites
and Joy CT living all depended on ra-
tional and simple living. It was being
done now In thousand fresh-air
farms. and succeeding. Men went
back to their business clear-headed
and women grew more beautiful.
At that, what with the reaction from
sitting In the cold station, and the
beer and everything, they all grew en-
thusiastic. Doctor Barnes made q
speech telling that he used to be puny
and weak, and how he went into train
ing and became pugilist, and how
he'd fought the Tennessee something
or other-the men nodded as IL they
knew-and licked him in 40 seconds or
40 rounds, I'm not sure which. The
men were standing on their chairs
cheering for him. and even Mr.. Jen-
nings, who'd been sitting and not say
ing much, said he thought probably
there was something In 1t.
They ended by agreeing to try 1t out
for week. beginning with the morn
ing. when everybody was to be down
for breakfast by seven-thirty. Then
somebody suggested that IL they were
to get up they'd have to go to bed.
and the party broke up.
In a half-hour or so had cleared
away, and went out to the lobby to
lock up the news stand. Just as
opened the door from the back hall,
however. heard two people talking.
II was Miss Pat and Mr.. Pierce. She
was on the stairs and he In the hall
below, looking up.
y don't want to stay!" she was say
ing.
But, don't you see," he argued. IF
you go, the others will. Can't you try
1t for week? I'm told it's the bad
season and nobody else would come
until Lent. And, anyhow, it's not basi-
ness to let lot Of people go away
mad. 1T gives the place black eye"
Dear me-" she said, how bust
nesslike you are growing!"
He went over close to the stairs and
dropped his voice.
III you want the bitter truth" he
went on, trying to smile. I've put my
self on trial and been convicted of be-
ing q fool and failure. I've been go
ing around so long trying to find a
place that At into, that I'm SCARED
as. with many battles. And now I'm
on probation-for the last time II this
doesn't go, II"
"What?" she asked, leaning down to
him. You'll not"
"oh, no." he said, nothing dramatic.
of course. could go around the coun-
try in buggy selling lightning rods"
She drew herself back as IL she re-
sented his refusal of her sympathy.
Or open a saloon In the Philip
pines!" he finished mockingly.
There's living In that"
You are impossible" she said, and
turned away.
He watched her up the stairs and
then turned and walked to the fire,
with his hands in his pockets and his
head down.
| closed the news stand and he came
over just as / was hanging up the
cigar case key for Amanda King in the
morning. He reached up and took the
key OF It's nail.
'Ill keep that" he said. Its no
tobacco after this, Minnie"
"You can't keep them here. then"
retorted. They've got to smoke: it's
the only work they do"
''We'H see" he said quietly. And
oh, yes, Minnie. now that we shall not
be using the mineral spring"
mot use the mineral spring." re-
peated, stupefied.
Certainly mott" he said "Thissis a
drugless sanatorium, Minnie, from now
on, That's part of the theory--no