The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-12-01

till as country Sunday; so quiet
hat there seemed an echo to my foot
teps. It was four o'clock in the morn
hg; clear October moonlight misted
through the thinning foliage to the
hadowy sidewalk and lay like trans
,arent silver fog upon the house of my
sdmiration, as strobe along, return
hg from my first nights work on the
Wainwright Morning Despatch.
/ had already marked that house as
he finest Ito my taste) in Wainwright,
hough hitherto. on my excursions to
his metropolis, the state capital, was
lot without certain native Jealousy
nat Spenceryille, the county-seat
khere lived, had nothing so good.
Now, however, approached its pur-
leus with a pleasure In 1t quite unal-
Dyed, for was al last myself resi-
lent (albeit OF only one days stand
hg) of Wainwright, and the house
Ihough had not even an Idea who
lived there-part of my possessions rs
citizen. Moreover, might enjoy the
warmer pride of n Neutrality-suspicious.,
Tor Mrs. opportunities, where had
Iaken a room, was just beyond.
This was the quletest part of VAIN
wright; business stopped short of 1t,
Ind the fashionable residence Sec
iion" had overleaped this forgotten
eackwater," leaving 1t undisturbed and
nnchanglng with that look about 1t
which is the quality Of few urban
quarters, and eventually of none. as
town grows to be city--the look Of
still being neighborhoOd. This friend
Illness of appearance was largely the
emanation of the hOmelv and henut-
full house which so greatly pleased my
fancy.
II might be difficult TO say why
thought It the "finest" house in VAIN
wright for a simpler structure would
be hard to Imagine; It was merely
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 fiat
lawn. But It gave back great deal
for your glance, just as some people
do 1t was a large house, as say, yet
II looked not like mansion but like
home; and made you wish that you
lived in 1t. Or, driving by, of an eve
ming, you would have liked TO stop
your car and go in; 1t spoke so sure
ly Of hearty, old-fashiOned people liv-
ing there, who would welcome you
merrily.
II looked like house where there
were grandfather and grand
mother; where holidays were warmly
kept; where there were bOisterous
family reunions to which uncles and
aunts, who had been born there, would
return from no matter what distances
house where big turkeys would be
on the table often; where one called
"the hired man." (and named either
Abner or Ole) would crack walnuts
upon flatiron clutched between his
knees on the back porch; 1t looked
like house where they played cha
rades; where there would be long
streamers Of evergreen and dozens of
wreaths of holly at Christmas time
where there were fearful, happy we'd
dngs and great throwings of rice after
little brides, from the broad front
steps: In word, 1t was the sort of q
house to make the hearts OF spinsters
and bachelors very lonely and visit
ful--and that Is about as near as can
come to my reason for thinking 1t the
finest house in Wainwright.
The moon hung kindly above It's
level door in the silence OF that DC
tober morning MS I checked my gait
to loiter along the picket fence; but
suddenly the house showed a light OF
its own. The squirt Of match took
my eye to one of the upper windows
then a steadler glow Of orange tolt
me that lamp was lighted. The win
dow was opened, and man looked
out and whistled loudly.
I stopped, thinking he meant to at
tract my attention.; that something
might be wrong; that perhaps some
one was needed to go for doctor. NJ!
mistake was Immediately evident. how
ever; stood il the shadow of tn
trees bordering the sidewalk, and tn
man at the window had not seen me
"Boy! Boy" he called. softly
"Where are you, Slmpledoriaw
He leaned from the window, LOOKING
downward. "Why, there you are!" h
exclaimed, and turned to address som
Invisible person within the room. He
right there underneath the window
ri bring him up" He leane
out again. "Wait there, Simpledoria
he called. I'll be down in jiffy an
let you In"
Puzzled, stared at the vacant law
before me. The clear moonlight re
vealed II brightly. and 1t was empty Q
any living presence; there were n
bushes nor strawberries - nor eve
shadows--that could have been mis-
taken for hoy. II "Simpledoria" wa
q boy. There wns no dog 10 sight