Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-15
CHAPTER ".
The Patriarch.

.
mo, he can't neither. He amt feelin'
no ways perky, any one can see that.
an I'm tickled most to pieces that he's
come 'round-I've took up with him
considerable, have. Patriarch II just
make new born critter outer him
you watch through the window where
he goes. Bet you quarter that
what he's up tor
John Garfield Madison. outside on
the veranda of the Congress hotel,
smiled at the words as he lighted his
cigar and turned up his coat collar. He
stepped on the veranda, crossed the
little lawn to the village street and
began to saunter nonchalantly and in
differently oceanward.
II have arrived" he said, mot at a
cemetery, but at an Ell Dorado and a
land flowing with milk and honey"
Madison smiled luxuriously at his
Thoroughbred Havana. He had passed
out OF sight of the hotel window now,
and he swung into brisk walk 1t
was mile to the Patriarch's by a
wagon track through the, woods that
leu on from the roaii TO the left just
across the bridge. He had not needed
to ask directions. With magnificent
inadvertence Hiram Higgins had mem
toned the exact way to reach the Pa
Giarch's dozen times IL he had once.
Also by now Madison had learned oil
that the town knew about the Patri-
arch, which after all, he reflected With
some satisfaction, wasn't much.
The Patriarch was over eighty years
Of age. and he had come. deaf and
dumb, to Medley sixty years ago-no-
body knew from where, nor his pre-
vious history nor his name. They had
called him the Hermit at first, for i'm.
mediately on his arrival he had gone
out to the shore OF the ocean, away
from the village. and built crude hut
there for himself, which In the after
years he had made into a more pre-
tentious dwelling. The cures had come
'kinder gradual-like an took the folks
mabbe forty years to get around to be-
lievin' in him real serious" as Hiram
Higgins put it. And then as the Her
NIT grew old and the local reverence
for him had become more deep seated
they had changed his name to the Pa
triarch. That was about all, but 1t
seemed to suit Madison, for his smile
broadened.
II wonder" said he to himself as he
stepped on to the bridge to cross the
little river, III I'm not dreaming. This
h ike being let loose in the United
States treasury with nobody looking"
"Hello, mister!" piped young voice
suddenly out Of the dusk.
''Hellor' responded Madison mechan.
ically, and turned to watch small fig-
ure going In the opposite direction
thump by him on crutch.
Madison stopped and stared after the
cripple and removed his cigar very
slowly from his lips.
That's that Holmes boy" he mutter-
ed. II don't know as he'd look well on
the platform when the excursion trains
get to running. Wonder II can't get
q Job for his father somewhere about
thousand miles from here and have
the family novel"
The cripple disappeared down the
road, and Madison resumed his way.
Just across the bridge he found the
wagon track and turned into It. 1t ran
through thick wood Of fr and spruce.
and he found the going far from good.
Still rejecting, but arrived at no
conclusion other than first to size up
the Patriarch and see how best to
handle him, Madison reached the end
Of the wagon track and halted.
It was little lighter here, now that
he had left the woods, and what APP
peared to be sweep Of snow covered
lawn was before him. Around this,
forming . perfect square. was q row
Of full grown, magnificent maples-a
regal hedge, as It were, bordering the
four sides-planted sixty years ago.
Madison's imagination flred at the In
spring thought Of these in leaf, in an
other few weeks. He shook hands
with himself cordially.
Behold the amphitheater!' he said.
"This is where we stage the greatest
act Of the century r.
Behind the row Of trees, directly
across the lawn In front Of him, loom
ed the dark shadowo long, low,
cottagelike building, and from win
dow q light twinkled out between the
tree trunks, while from beyond again
came the :c!! cf SURF r.. lcw, rhythmic:
like the soft accompaniment Of Or
chestral music.
Wonderfully breathed Madison. II
feel as though I had Just had drink"
He walked across the lawn, passed
between the trees and reached the end
Of the cottage away from where the
light showed In the window.
.The Patriarch being deaf" he re.
marked, II might as well explore"
From the row Of trees to the house
was perhaps twenty feet. Everywhere
Madison turned were trclliswork
frames for flowers. The walls Of the
cottage were covered. literally cover
ed, with bare. siumbering shoots Of
Virginia creeper In q little while now
the place would be q veritable para
disc. Madison raised bis hat rever-
emily. :