The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1915-04-08
THE MIsAATHRoPHE
BY ETHEL WARD MEsERvEY.

''Vapid, profitless, almost unendur
able" was the way Ralph Burt de
scribed life as it presented itself to his
distorted view
Then he became very much ashamed
of the misanthropic utterance. He
/ glanced about his lonely but elegant
home, he looked into a mirror and
noted the unusual glow of health upon
his cheeks, he realized that he had
not a real care in the world. Out
side the birds were singing, the flow.
ers blooming, all radiant nature
breathing purity. peace and promise
The sun shone at it's brightest Its
rays glorified the redolent garden. Be-
yond it lay sportsman's paradise
stables, kennels, garage and hangar.
1t represented the latest facilities for
pleasure.
Eyes, with all this, may we'll be
ashamed of myself for finding moth.
ing worth living forl" murmured Burt,
self-reproachfully
Burt went out to the spot where the
hangar was located. With the assist
ance of his hired man the superb BIZ
plane he operated was wheeled out.
He had become quite an expert avi-
ator and enjoyed his air trips greatly
Under his expert direction the ma
chine struck an upward lateral course,
thing of life and beauty. He en-
joyed the rare exhibition of pure air
and bird-lilce speed immensely.
Ten miles accomplished, Burt vol
planed to a meadow stretch to adjust
trivial defect in the control mechan-
ism. He had just got in trim to re-
sumo his cloud work, when shout
down the highway attracted his atten-
ton
With both interest and indignation
the amateur airman observed lad OF
about fourteen running towards him
as If for his life.
Struggling behind him, but in hot
pursuit, we're three men. They were
shouting and gesticulating. One car
ried a cane, which he waved menac-
ingly A second had picked up lot
of stones. These he hurled with va
ried aim after the running boy
You young rascal" roared the man
in advance Drop it, / tell you, or
I'll have you jailedl"
But the little fellow never needed
the threatening cries and actions of
his pursuers. He forged straight
ahead momentarily nearing the spot
where Burt stood.
"This way! This way!" shouted
Burt, as the boy came nearer. "Climb
under the fence"
"Oh! OH" yelled the lad just at that
moment in frantic pain.
Brace upi" cried Burt, lealing over
and lifting the lad clear of the en-
tangling wires Nov, then. who are
those men?"
"Villainsl They'll kill me-and you,
too. Oh they're coming!"
They were, indeed, but Burt was
going He lifted the helpless lad IN
his arms bodily, and made a run for
the biplane.
Don't get frightened" he ordered,
placing his charge In the seat behind
the pilot post and hurriedly strapping
him in
Quick, mister! oh, quick as you
CAM" insisted his passenger, with
terrified glance at the fence.
The three pursuers had arrived.
One tried to jump the fence and his
feet tripped and he fell with thud.
A second attempted to crawl under the
lower wire and his clothing had be-
come entangled.
Don't you interfere with that boy
or you'll be liable to the law!" he
shouted at Burt
The latter paid no attention to the
threat He sprang to the pilot seat.
hug-chug-whirrl and the biplane
vent aloft like an arrow
The dismayed and chagrined men
below vainly vented their wrath on
he rescuer who had baffied them
rhe little fellow sat spellbound with
lir flight he had never dreamed Of.
Cor the first time in his life Ralph
Burt had found his mind invested with
cal human interest. 1t elevated him.
An actor in an exciting and unusual
he was eager to learn
What lay behind the strange incident
Il the hour
Soon he knew all about it, for when
he biplane landed on home ground he
ook his passenger into his library
nd questioned him.
1t came out that he and his sister,
,leanor, were practically prisoners in
he power of one of his three pursuers,
lilies Warden. Fearing foul play, the
lister had that day given him the will
f her dead father, with the Injunction
D place it in the hands of some law
er for safety and action Hence the
ursuit
"Righting a wrong-quite heroic!"
ommented Burt's lawyer, when he
mo q q ~ he IL, fhn