The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-01-15
when he opens our door tomorrow

7 when he opens our door tomorrow
kmofning." .rss.
"Harper's an ass, tell him l said
sol" Meade retorted. and turned baci
into tho architects ONCE.
He found Conrad. his hands clasped
behind him, inspecting the materials
upon the table with greedy eyes.
Nice pickle you've got me into
fused Meade. II suppose ! have to
stand around now till you earn. your
breakfast; and my times worth
money. Where are my plans. l won
der?
With a ruthless hand he began to
open and scatter about the Office sew
eral small rolls Of tough manila-pa-
per drawings until he found the ones
for which he had been searching. They
were the first and second story plans
of 4 moderatesized house, arranged
side by side upon one sheet; and this
he spread upon the table in front of
Conrad.
There" he said; "see what you can.
do toward designing an outside for
that house; just a rough, free-hand
| sketch"
In spite of the draftsman's apparent
deliberateness, they had not long to
wait; for presently he put pencil to
the block Of paper and, with deft, sure
strokes, not one mark wasted,
/ sketohed, in perfect perspective, a
| house fitting the plans that he had
seen; its roof simple to avoid snow
| pockets. its caves and porches wide
to afford shade in summer, its lines
simple and squat for the fiat grounds
The ornamentation, massed against
broad, plain surfaces, was exquisite
In its suggested detail and placed
with consummate art. Meade, as the
last strokes were put down, could
scarcely wait.
Look at that" he exclaimed in
couldn't make q drawing like that in
two years!"
Az young Conrad added chimney
and lined In the wide porch-steps.
Meade was for jerking the sketch
from under his fingers, but the artist
held up his right hand solemnly.
you shout watt" he calmly COM
manded; and, with few deft lines,
suggested . sidewalk, a lawn, some |
trees and clouds; then, having drawn |
a waving line about 1t to circumscribe
the plane Of his picture, he detached
the sheet from the block and handed |
1t over, with the pencil upon it.
The three bent over 1t in profound
respect
THAT is certainly some house." pro-
nounced Hyde.
Il don't know how to say lovely"
drawled Eastman, "but I'm willing to
pronounce that. mighty decent de-
sign"
"Decept?" repeated Meade. ITS
great"
OF course they called him "the
Dutchman" after he had become an
intimate part of the life of Holden,
for there was almost no foreign ele-
ment in the town. Eight dollars
week and his board Harper paid Con-
rad, and the boy was satisfied.
Il am more worth" he said, adding
philosophically, "but 1t ISIS not here
the money. If you have not profit of
you call it?-no goot"
Harper, with whom economy was
stern necessity, brought q. cot into the
)ff1ce, and for week Conrad slept
lpon this cot, taking his meals at al
learby restaurant. During that week /
Harper studied his craftsman closely,
and Mrs. Harper made two unobtru-
purpose. On Sunday Conrad was taken l
o the Harper home and formally in
tailed.
Hes simply revelation, SAM" S
drs. Harper pronounced in surprise
fter the first week. After you get T
sed to the dialect you begin to dis
over that he's well educated; he's t.
rtistic to his fnger-tips, poet in b
ceiling, a lover of severely good a
music; he sings divinely, and little G
Isle fairly loves him. She makes fl
i'm rock her to sleep every noon be-
ore he goes back to work"
1t was the good-fellowship of this
ouple, together with their unwaver-
,g affection. which made Conrad turn
is admiration of them to the same
egree Of worship that he had already
estowed upon four-year-old Elsie. His
mes were cast in pleasant places in |
eed, and he thrust his roots deeply
ito the soil. II
At first he had to overcome the II
lme contemptuous prejudice that had II
sstowed upon him the title Of the
Mrs. Harper introduced
m to some nice girls, but secretly
ey laughed at his broken English; +
i'd Blanche Reynolds, by whom he H
as at once speechlessly smitten.