The sun., 1918-08-06

of wood! Excepting as means TO an
end-the end usually being "kindins
its value vanishes to nothingness.
These reflections we're my intimates
as I leaned out OF my window OF my
Hale house bedroom, where had
slumbered blissfuliy between clean
sheets. and reached for a shingle that
was lust under the sill. Deliberately
detachins 1t from the frame OF the
friendly dwelling that had sheltered
me I showed II into the pocket OF my
cd coat. The bit of single. thought,
carved into a paper cutter will be
dumb though eloquent reminder OF last
night every time its sharp edges open
the letters of my mail. To tear II
from its place was an act Of vandal-
ism that my generous entertainment
should have warned me against com
hitting. but the bit Of wood was loose,
held only by a rusty nail, and its fall
was imminent.
When I told Of my act to the daugh-
ter OF the house as she sat pelting me
with witticisms at breakfast she looked
at me with surprised eyes. She is
wondering, I thought, whether my
garb OF vagabondage is not, after all,
cloak hiding under the pretence OF
mild and inoffensive wayfarer a dan
zerous desperate We showed our
chairs aside. and as If by mutual con-
sent went out to the broad stone slab
at the doorway.
We stood there for a moment beside
stone wall from which point the
turquoise horizon looked in the trans
lucent atmosphere of the autumn
morning like a cameo on which the
Windham county hills were cut. Each
was meditating nN on the landscape
but striving intensively to guess what
the other was thinking about. Woman
like she gave her thoughts away.
"A thief" she murmured
And a real nice Jail in the neigh
borhood." told myself. using the
same trick OF soliloquy that she had
employed. with the same intent Of
being heard.
worst one in the State. So you are
one OF that breed We've been fight
ing souvenir hunters all the time
we've lived here-they'd have had the
rafters IL We hadn't. Have you any
thing In your pockets besides rhe
shingle?" she asked with mock con-
tempt
Nothing"
Give me the picture you took as
I stood in the doorway before break
fast You may keep the shingle-it's
q more valuable possession" she said
icily.
It's on the plate in my camera
But. after all. being a tramp and an
amateur photographer, it's more than
likely that l didn't get you" I cried
| hooking at my own skill with the
hope OF standing later over a develop
ing tray and seeing the mirthful girl
was talking 10 come slowly out OF
the darkness.
I'VE won't take a chance on your
getting me. I'll take the plate
| please"
gave il 10 hcr with A pang. The
light, knew, struck the picture from
1t as / took it from its sheltered
cloister in the holder Then took
my pack and camera and went out
upon the road. She watched me as
| turned into a bypath that was tan
sled with underground and bright
with the diamond flashes OF a hoal
frost. The last that saw OF hei
she was waving the plate above hel
head in a farewell-probably it was
Observation-Disclosures but in my
mans conceit | thought that she hat
overplayed her part and regretting i
was signalling TO ME TO come bach
and take the picture. ! did not haZ
ard putting my judgment to the test
but continued my lonesome journey
secretly regrett!ng being deprived o
one souvenir OF my pilgrimage to th'
birthplace OF Nathan Hale that wa!
worth possessing and being left with
a shingle.
] should like TO visualize TO tn,
reader of this ver!table experience o
a tramp-and l hope sincerely that
am read-the quaint farawayness o
the hill towns OF northeastern Connec
ticut They are places to loiter an
dream in-not to whiz through at tn
top speed OF a high powered motto
car; places appointed for an Ameri
can TO saturate himself with the spiri
Of heroiHn. As trudged in the keel
air OF that September morning on tn
sand heavy high road-and II is in
deed a high road could see from tn
altitude OF my pathway the village o
South Coventry-call IL Kor-entry
you do not wish 10 earn the ridicul
OF the natives - nesting with il
church spires and its famous grave
yard beside a beautiful lake in tn
valley In the graveyard at the uppe
edge OF the village the one featur
that stands out with striking promi
nence IL the monument to the mem
. DRY OF Nathan Hale. Beyond in tn
deep shadow OF splendid elms Their
stood at the time OF my visit an 81
hosiery falling into decay. TO whic
the ancient wooden packing DO
houses OF Colonial times are fast sue
cumbing: and they are picturesqu
even in their forlorn ruins. Wher
the superstructure OF a dwelling ha
disappeared the spot is marked eac
spring by blooming lilac bushes, vic
let and fragrant, that grow with vii
luxur.ance about lost foundation
+, But mine was journey OF adventur
hunt for shrines-a search, not, a
my practical farmer friend would hav
, Il. for the clay OF dead men, but Il
, their spirit!
The next shrine in that region
, in the hill town where Colonel Thoms
Knowlton ploughed fields in peacef,
husbandry before he died fighting {
Harlem Heights to cover the retrei
, OF Washin gtons army from New Yor
city after the battle Of Long Islant
Washington, fighting with the spir