The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-07-22
THE GUIDING :.
SPIRIT
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE

me llItle suhurh Of GrasSwere was
so near 10 the city that the street cars
ran out to It. Adrian and Cora Mills
felt both proud and pleased when they
signed lease for the lovellest little
house 10 the placer"
we are the luckiest people in the
world" declared Adrian "Surely there
Is one landlord who Is not high.rent
vampire. We were to be raised so
per cent on our city fat IL we stayed"
Double the space, with all TIE
glories Of country life at less than
our old remit" added Cora.
The owner. a rich widow. was not
OF the profiteering kind. and little
Daisy -four years old, acted SO pret.
tiiy and her parents we're so grateful,
that Mrs. Deane felt II a pleasure to
help on their happiness.
They were to move TO Grassmere
the following week. One evening
Adrian came home with news that
somewhat marred the radiant future.
u was out measuring the rooms"
he observed, "and ! got talking With
the man living opposite. Did You no
tice the home just next TO ours, Cora7'
You mean the cement two story
that met my fancyT
! Just that-our nearest nelghbor.
His name is Jonas Price and be lives
all alone. Ny informant says he isn't
very pleasant kind Of q man-rich,
! grasping, a regular mlsanthrope. The
former tenants left because they
couldn't stand him. He complained
of the noise their children made; he
poisoned their dog"
''Now don't go spelling our paradise
by borrowing trouble" said Cora, al
ways optimistic. Maybe the old ten
ants were obtrusive. perhaps their chill
dren were lnsolent and mischlevous,
not like our own dear little angel,
whom everybody must love. Maybe,
too. the old man is ostracized because
Of ways his neighbors don't under
stand. Why. Adrian. perhaps we are
about to have a special mission to
humanize this lonely man."
Little Daisy, wise and observant for
her years, listened attentiyely. In her
childish way she seemed TO get the
idea that they were describing some
kind of an untamed ogre. The next
morning she astonished her parents
with remark that showed a deep i'm
preston on her mind.
81 said bless Mr.. Price In my pray
ers." she announced. I'm going
to, every night. Isn't that right,
mamma?"
"why, surely" announced Mrs
Mills. "what made you think Of that.
darlingT'
Because. II he Is lonely, with no
little child to love, feel sorry for him,
= and I'm going TO be good TO him for
fear he'll steal my dollar or kill Ma
jor."
"We will see that Major doesn't an
! nOy him, dear" said her father.
They moved. Little Daisy had their
nelghbor on her mind, and when sour
faced Jonas Price was pointed out to
her she looked a little awed, but said !:
Mamma. he looks as II he was think
ing all the time. Maybe it's about his
two little dead children"
The next day Mrs. Mills missed
Daisy. Seeking her, to her astonlsh-
, ment she observed her neighbor lift
z ing her over the hedge.
81 borrowed your little daughter TO
show her some early flowers In my
hot beds" explained Mr.. Price.
MADAM, hope you will allow her 10
come over and see me once In a
while"
"Oh, surely" acceded the delighted
, Cora.
"Oh. mamma" prattled Daisy later,
/ Il told Mr.. Price how ] put him In
my prayers every night. And he
showed me the pictures Of his two
little girls. and when I kissed him and
said felt sorry for him. he just cried
out loud"
II was a few evenings after that
, Adrian was disturbed By the loud
barking of Major. He noticed lights
! fitting about next door. dressed,
thought of burglars, armed himself,
and started to investigate just in time
to find man rushing from the back
door OF tho Price home, valise In his
hand. Then as Adrian heard the voice
, of Price shouting for help he halted
the man at the point OF his weapon.
, backed him into the house and found
its owner tied TO n chair. the vic
tim OF a hold robbery. Adrian held
the burglar until the police arrived.
and learned that but for his timely
assistance the marauder would have
escaped with valuable bonds and
money.
Jonas Price ceased to hate animals
after that. The true friendship OF
e the new neighbors caused him to
( emerge from his shell of shrlIness and
r suspicion. Then came the climax In
the affairs of the Mills family. Their
house caught fire one night and
only part of their furniture was
saved They were invited over TO their
..sss q.