The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-11-09


stiii a. a country Sunday; SO quiet
that there seemed TN echo TO my foot.
steps II was four o'clock In the morn.
ing: clear October moonlight mlsted
through the thinning foliage 10 the
shadowy sidewalk aud lay like trans.
parent silver fog upon the house Of my
admiration. az I STROBE along. return.
ing from my first nights work on the
Wainwright Morning Despatch.
] hnd already marked that house a.
the finest Ito my tnste) In Wainwright.
though hitherto, on my excursions TO
this metropolis. the state capital. was
not without a certain native Jealousy
that Spencervllle. the county-seai
where ] lived. had nothing so good.
Now. however, ] approached Its pur.
lieus with n pleasure In II quite unnl.
loyed. for ! was at Inst myself n resi-.
dent talteit OF only one days stand
ing) Of Wainwright, and the house
though ! had not even an idea who
lived there-part 81 my possessions rs
q citizen. Moreover. I might enjoy the
warmer pride OF q uext-door. ne ghbor.
for Mrs. Apperthwaite's. where I had
taken a room. was just beyond.
This WIS the quIetest part OF Vain
wright: business stopped short Of IT,
and the fashionable residence sec.
tIon" had overienped this forgotten
backwater." leaving II undisturbed and
unchanging. with that look about II
which In the quality Of few urban
quarters. and eventually OF none. as n
town grows 10 be city-the look Of
still being neighborhood This friend.
illness Of appearance was largely the
rmanation Of the homely and beauti
fui house which 50 greatly pleased my
fancy.
u might be difficult to say why ]
thought II the finest" house In VAIN.
wright. for a simpler structure would
he hard 10 Imagine; II was merely n
big, old fashioned brick house, painted
brown and very plain, set well away
from the street among some splendid
forest trees. with fair spread Of Nat
lawn. But n gave back n great deal
for your glance. Just ms some people
10. II was large house. as ] say. yet
II looked not like n mansion but Ike
. home: and made YOU wish that you
lived In IT, Or, driving by. Of an eve
ming. you would have liked to stop
your car and 90 In; II spoke so sure
~ OF hearty. old-fashioned people liv.
ing there. who would welcome you
merrily
II looked like n house where there
were grandfather and grand
mother: where holidays were warmly
kert: where there were hoisterous
family reunlons 20 which uncles and
sunts. who had been born there. would
return from no matter what distances !:
q house where big turkeys would he
on the table often: where one called
.the hired man." land named either
Abner or Oie) would crack walnuts
upon q natiron ciutched between his
knees on the back porch: II looked
like o house where they played cha
rades: where there would he long
stresrners Of evergreen and dozens Of
wrenths o! holly at Christmas time !;
where there were fearful happy we'd
dings and great throwings Of rice after
little brides, from the broad front
steps: IN a word. Il was the sort OF a
house to make the hearts OF spinsters
and bachelors very lonely and visit
ful-and that II about as near rs can
come to my reason for thinking II the
finest house IN Wainwright.
The moon hung kindly above its
level door In the silence OF that DC
10 loitcr along the picket fence; but
suddenly the house showed n light Of
it's own. The squirt Of match took
my eve 10 one OF the upper windows
then steadier glow Of orange told
me thnt a lamp was lighted. The win
dow was opened. and a man looked
out and whIstled loudly.
I stopped, thinking he meant to at
trnct my attention: that something
might be wrong: that perhaps some
one was needed to go for doctor. My
mistake was Immediately evident. how
ever; stood In the shadow Of the
trees bordering the sidewalk. and the
man M the window had not seen me.
"Roy, Boy" he called. softly,
where are you. Simpledorla3"
He leaned from he window. looking
downward "Why. there you are" ne
exclaimed. and turned 10 address some
invisible person within the room. Hes
right there underneath the window
ri bring him up" lie leaned