Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-26
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The New SENSATIONAL Comedy
BY
Ear! Derr Biesers
Earl Derr Bi9gerS
cDS1eisAt The Eeavhs,Msrriii Company.

insinuate." rebuked Mr.. Magee. "WhJ
only last night he denounced suspi
cion, and bemoaned the fact thai
there Is so much Of it in the world"
We'll he might" replied the hermit
"Suspicion Is the keynote OF modern
life-especially in New York He
drew the pudple dressing gown closer
about his plump form. II remember
the last time | was in the big town
seeing crowd Of men in the grill-room
long, lean, like an eel-stoOped
down and whispered In the ear of q
little fellow with diamond horseshoe
desecrating his haberdashery, and
pointing to another man near by NO
I won't says the man with the dia
monds, I don't introduce nobody to
nobody. Let every man play his own
game, say. That's New York. That's
the essence OF the town. I introduce
nobody to nobody"
at seems odd" remarked Mr.. Ma.
gee, ito hear you speak OF the time you
walked on pavements.'
Il haven't always been on Baldpate
Mountain" replied the hermit. "Once
I. too, paid taxes and wore derby
hat and sat in BARRIERS chairs Yes.
sat in em in many towns, in many
corners of this little round globe. But
that's all over now"
The three visitors gazed at Mr..
Peters with new interest.
New York." said Mr.. Max softly, as
better man might have spoken the
name of the girl he loved. Its a
great little Christmas tree. The can
dies are always burning and the tinsel
presents always look good to me-
The hermit's eyes strayed far away
down the mountain-and beyond.
New York" said he, and his tone
was that In which Max had said the
words "a great little Christmas tree
it is, with fine presents for the reach
ing. Sometimes. at night here, I see
it as 1t was four years ago-I see the
candles lit on the Great White Way
! hear the elevated roar. and the news
boy shout, and Diamond Jim Brady
applauding at musical comedy's first
night New York."
Mr.. Max rose prompously and point
ed yellow finger at the Hermit OF
Baldpatpe Mountain.
II got you!" he cried in triumph.
"I'm wise! You want to go back"
A half-hearted smile crossed the
visible portion of the hermit's face.
81 guess I'm about the poorest liar
in the world" he said Il never got
away with but one lie in my life, and
that was only for a little while. 1t
was a masterpiece while it lasted, too.
But it was my only hit as liar.
Usually I fail. as have failed now.
lied when I said I couldn't cook for
you because I had to be true to my
hermit's oath. That isn't the reason.
I'm afraid"
"Afraid?' echoed Mr. Magee.
Scared" said Mr.. Peters. "of temp
tation. Your seventh son of a
seventh son friend here has read nay
palm O. K. want to go back. Not
in the summer, when the inn blazes
like Broadway every evening and I
can sit here and listen to the latest
comic opera tunes come drifting up
from the casino, and go down and min
gle with the muslin brigade any time
I want. and see the sympathetic look
In their eyes as they buy my postals.
1t amt then want to go back. It's
when fall comes. and the trees on the
are bare, and Quimby locks
up the inn, and there's only the wind
and me on the mountain-then I get
the fever. haven't the postcard
trade to think of-so I think Of Ellen,
and New York. She's-my wife. New
York-it's my town.
That's why can't come among you
10 cook It'd be leading me into temp
tation greater than could stand.
I'd hear your talk, and like as not
when you went away I'd shave of
this beard. and burn the manuscript
If Woman. and go down into the
marts of trade. Last night I walked
the floor till two 4 can't stand such
Mr.. Peters auditaors regarded him
n silence. He rose and moved toward
The kitchen door
"Now you understand how 1t is" he
said
perhaps you will go and leave me
% my baking
Zone minute" objected Mr.. Magee.
you spoke of one lie-your master
0lGce. w e IluSL near dDOul ludt.
"Yes-spin the yarn, pal" requested
Mr.. Max.
We'll" said the hermit reluctantly.
If you're quite comfortable-it amt
very short"
please" beamed Miss Norton.
With sigh the Hermit Of Baldpate
Mountain sank upon a most unsocial
seat and drew his purple splendor
close.
at was like this" he began. give
years ago | worked for q fruit COM
pany, and business sent me sliding
along the edges Of strange seas and
II lot ire. haQlr laIadS I met ittle hraNn