Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-01-18


with him, and kept talking TO him un-
til he got used to the idea a Hitler
Cousin Virginia nodded comprehend
ingly. "Yes, II might have tided him
over" she said. "He wasn't handsome,
nor impressive, Of course. nor any
thing like that, but he always spoke
so nicely to people on the street I'm
sure he never harmed even a kitten.
poor soul !"
"rm sure he never did" Herbert's
mother agreed gently. mot even a
kitten. do wonder where he is
now"
But Aunt Fanny uttered a little cry
of protest. ''Im afraid we may hear"
she said, amy momentV
And the most tragic news of Noble
Din these sympathetic women could
have heard would have surprised them
little; they had unanimously set their
expectation in so rOmantically pessi-
mlstic a groove. But if the truth OF
his whereabouts could have been
made known 10 them. MS they sat thus
together at what was developing vir-
tually into his wake, with Herbert as
compulsory participant, they would
have turned the session into a riot of
Amusement. Noble was in the very
last place (they would have said,
when caliner) where anybody in the
world could have madly dreamed of
looking for him! They would have
been right about 1t. No one could
have expected to find Noble tonight
inside the old. four-squ.;re brick house
OF Mr.. ii, |. Atwater, Senior, chief OF
the Atwaters aud father OF the dis
turblng Julia This was an old man of
rigidly limited sympathies: and his
opinion of Noble Dill had become al
refuge for a lorn Noble needing SOL
ace. nor was his house for any moment
hospitable with Julia out of it. More
over, Mr.. III. l. Atwater Senior. was
not at present In the house; he had
closed and locked II yesterday. giving
the servants a weeks vacation and
telling them not to return till he sent
for them and had then gone out of
town TO look over hominy mill he
thought of buying And yet, as the
wake went on, there was light in the
house, and under that light sat Noble
Dill.
Returning home, after Florence had
placed the shattering news within his
hand. Noble had changed his shoes
and his tie. He was but a mechan-
ism; he had no motive. The shoes he
put on were no better than those he
took of; the fresh tie was no lovelier
than the one he had worn; nor had IL
even the lucidity to be a purple one.
as evidence of srief. No; his action
was. II so viewed. "crazy." as Aunt
Fanny had called II. Agitation first
took this form; that was ALL Love
and change of dress are closely allied !:
and I'm happier times when Noble came
home from work and would see Julia
In the evening he usually changed his
clothes. No doubt there Is some faint
tracery here, too indistinct to repay
contemplation.
When he left the house he walked
rapidly downtown. and toward the
end Of this onemile journey he ran
but as he was then approaching the
railway station. no one thought him
eccentric. He was, however; for
when he entered the station he went
10 q bench and sat looking upward
for more than ten minutes; then rose
and went to a ticket-window and asked
for timetable.
~what road?" the clerk inquired.
"All points SOUTH" said Noble
He placed the timetable. still fold.
ed, In his pocket, rested an elbow on
the brass apron Of the window, and
would have given himself up to re
Elections. though urged to move away
Several people wishing to buy ticket:
had formed a line behind him and
ahey perceived that Noble had nothing
more TO say to the clerk. The lattel
encouraged their protests, and ever
went so far as 20 exclaim, Fol
heavens sakei Can't you let these
folks buy their ticketsT' And since
Noble stili did not moye: "My gosh
haven't you got no feetf~
'Feet? Oh, yes" said Noble gently
I'm going away" And went back Il
his seat.
After a while he sought TO stud,
his timetable. Ordinarily, his mind