Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-03-25
SEVENTY-FIVE
AND BOARD
By NJ. P. MERRYMAN

Yellow October sunlight poured
through the west windows of the IL
brary. Myriad dust particles floated
along the slanting sun paths that slid
abruptly into shadow at the tables
edge. The assistant professor of biol
Ogy sat bumped over a book that
lay upon the table before him, but he
was nor concentrating. at least not
upon the text. With a thump of his
fist that set the book jumping he
raised his head and looked about the
big, quiet room.
The assistant professor took off his
glasses and rubbed his eyes and
stretched. Then he showed his hands
into his pockets, tilted back in his
chair and surveyed the shelves of dog
cared volumes opposite him. 1t gave
him an immense satisfaction, this bare,
low-vaulted room with its brown walls
and solid, brown tables and its rows
and rows Of books.
The assistant professor pulled out a
crumpled bit Of paper from his pocket
and smOothed it out upon the book,
after which he continued to regard 1t
with an expression of irOnical amuse-
ment. 1t was check made out to him
for the amount of twelve dollars and
fifty cents; sum he had received in
payment of a scientific article which
IT had taken him two months to write.
It was good article, too, but accord
ing to more than one editor mot suf-
iciently popular in tone"
He had been trying to make a de-
cision. This last contemplation Of the
scrap Of paper in his hand had served
to topple the scales. He closed the
book with a bang, uncrOssed his long
legs, rose from the table and ambled
down the aisle to the door. Outside
he stood for an instant blinking in
the strong light. When he closed his
eyes they still registered printed book
pages. With something of the feel
ing of stranger he turned and scuffed |
along the leaf-strewn path to the lake.
Now that there was no longer any |
doubt about his departure the init
mate landscape seemed all at once I'M
familiar and different He felt already |
detached from it-and sorry.
The moment the tip of her canoe
reered round a bend in the shore line
ne recognized it and whistled. The
professor of English wills
led her answer and waved an undig-
lifed paddle in greeting as her small
raft slipped into sight.
want to Gomez" she called, lnvit-
ngly.
Sure"
"All right Climb in"
The canoe nosed landward and
lushed into the sand. With a lunge
-hich shot the boat into deeper water
nd himself miracuously. into the
Dat, the new passenger embarked
nd took charge of the paddle.
"Where TOT" he asked.
"Oh, anywhere" she replied and
niled at him. |
He selected the most distant spot on
lie lake, laid the paddle across the {
moe and rested his elbows on it. |
AOhEtl llilS way ut tA-
aimed.
She laughed and leaned sideways to /
atch a swirl of red and yellow leaves S
at went scudding along the surface +
the water like a fleet of toy sail {
ats. The red of her tam-o,shanter, c
wever, held more fascination for
m. At length the leaves whirled out f
sight and she settled back in her n
at to feast her eyes upon lake and d
ses and sky. f,
I'm so sorry for all the folks who W
e in cities" she said. H
'Why?" a,
She looked up inquirlngly at the OF
estiOn. He had snapped it out so ii
ruptly it puzzled her a little. He W
d begun padding too, furiously.
'WhyY" she repeated. "Why. be- sy
Use they miss all this !" She waved
rown arm toward the rusting woods
Il Swallowed them. "Wouldn't you
e to miss it," she querled. The wi
de in his hand cut a long swath tn
ore he answered. ia
II expect to miss it-after next lal
lday." he said. tn
You-you mean-?" Her question
lg unfinished. bu
Yes, I'm going away-tO the city" to
said dryly with a pucker of his fal
nth as If even the taste of the an
DIS was bitter to him. Du
Oh - She bit her lips and tried to WI
on speaking naturally, but her Sol
In appeared to be turning a somer- lai
lt-and no words came. Is
Yes" he went on duly I'm 60 tnt
away. Decker has fellow here DIT
who can take my place. They've V"'
n me these last two days till col s"'
opens to decide. Well. I've made ~ ~.
my mind. I'm going to the city to w
in a hall bedroom and work in
sell rubber III loathe
ng rubber, but I've got to stick o.,
t till l can make decent enough 49,
lg to ask a decent girl tn marry or