Evening star., 1922-01-22

Dunno. Think there's anything in
the rumor that Mavin Newton's
comin'?"
Hope not" said the sheriff, assum-
ing an official look and feeling of the
suspender to which was affixed his
badge Of office. Don't want to have
no arrestin' to do durin' old home
week."
"Calclate to take him in il he
comes?"
DUTY is duty" said Sheriff Watts.
when it hain't a pleasure" said
Scattergood. Recall what place
Avery Sutphin went to-"
Seems like it was Oswego. Some
'eres out west like that"
''Wisht all the town 'u'd quit traip-
sim over here" said Pliny. Never
see sich curiosity. They needn't to
think they're goin' to git look at the
critter while he's a-cookin' No.
stree. Nobody but this here commit
tee sees him till he's took out final,
ready fer eatin."
A LII that day visitors arrived In
town. They drove in. came by
train and by stage-and walked. There
was no house, whose ready hospi-
tality was not taxed to its capacity,
and the ladies in charge Of the res
taurant in Masonic Hall became fran
tic, and sent out hysterical messen-
ho1r
Every house was dressed in flags and
bunting. Even Deacon Pettybone. re-
puted to be the nearest" inhabitant
Of the village, flew one small cotton
flag, reputed to have cost fifteen
cents. from his front stoop. The
bridge was so covered with red, white
and blue as to quite lose it's identity
as a bridge and to become one of
about for a decade. AS one looked
up the street. a similarity of motion,
almost machine like, was apparent.
1t was an endless shaking of hands as
old friend met old friend joyously.
Bet ye don't know who be?"
I'D a-know'd you in Chiny. You're
Mort Whittaker's wife-her that was
Ida James. Hair lain't SO red as
what it was"
you've took on flesh some. but
otherwise. Member the time you
took me to the dance at Tupper
Falls?"
IAN we got mired crossin'-'
"An' Sam Kettleman come in a plug
hat?"
This conversation. or it's counter
part, was repeated wherever resident
and visitor met. Old days lived
again. Ancient men became middle
aged and middle-aged women became
girls. The past was brought to life
q bit tediously, as when old Jethro
Hammond, postmaster Of Coldriver
twenty years ago. made a speech
seventy minutes long. which con-
sisted in naming and locating every
House that existed in his day and de-
scribing with minute detail who lived
In it and what part they played in
the affairs Of the community. But
the audience forgave him, because 1t
knew what good time he was hav-
ing. Houses were invaded by perfect
strangers who insisted in pointing
out the rooms in which they were
born and in which they had been mar
ried, and in telling the present pro.
prietors how fortunate they were to
live in dwellings thus blassed.
The band arrived and met with
universal satisfaction. though Lafe
Atwell complained that he hadn't ever
seen a snare drummer with whiskers.
But their coats were red, with gor-
geous frogs. and their trousers were
sky blue, with gold stripes; and the
drum major could whirl his baton in q
manner every boy in town would be
initiating with the handle Of the an.
cestral broom for months to come.
Through 1t all Scattergood Baines sat
on the piazza and beamed upon the
world and rejoiced in the goodness
thereof. /.
Only one resident took no part in
the holiday making. and that was Old
man Newton, who had closed his
house, drawn the blinds. and refused
to make himself visible while the
celebration lasted: He took savage
pleasure in thus making himself con-
spicuous, knowing well how his con.
n