The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-03-08
PARTONE
-.

By the end Of October, with the dis
persai Of that foliage which has served
all summer long as pleasant screen
for whatever small privacy may exist
between American neighbors. we begin
70 get our autumn high tides Of COS
sip. At this season Of the year, in our
towns of moderate size and ambition,
where apartment houses have not yet
condensed and at the same time
Asequestered the population. one may
secure visual command Of back yard
beyond back yard. both up and down
the street; especially If one takes the
trouble to sit for an hour or so. daily,
upon the top Of high board fence at
about the middle Of block.
OF course an adult who followed
such a course would be thought Pc
culiar; no doubt he would be subject
to undesirable comment, and presently
might be called upon to parry severe
T. indeed. not hostile inquiries; but
boys are considered so inexplicable
that they have gathered for them
selves any privileges denied their
parents and elders; and a boy can do
such thing as this to his full content,
without anybody's thinking about it at
dl. SO 1t was that Herbert Illings-
verth Atwater. Jr.. aged thirteen and
few months, sat for considerable
time upon such a fence. after school
hours, every afternoon Of the last week
IN October; and only one person par
ncularly observed him or was stimu-
lated to any mental activity by his
procedure. Even at that, this person
was affected only because she was
Herbert's relative, and of an age SYM
pathetic to his-and Of a sex antipa-
the1c.
In spite Of the fact that Herbert II
lngsworth Atwater, Jr., thus seriously
diporting himself on his fathers back
fence, attracted only this audience of
one land she hostile at a rather dis
tant window his behavior really
should have been considered piquant-
Undressing by anybody. After climb
ing to the top Of the fence he would
produce from interior pockets a small
memorandum book and a pencil; sell
dom putting these Implements to i'm
mediate use. His expression was
gaseiy alert, his manner more than
oaainesslike; yet nobody could have
nied to comprehend that he was en-
leyns himself, especially when his at
u1ude became tense-as at times II
CERTAINLY did. Then he would rise, bal
sae'ns himself at adroit ease. his feet
sasned one before the other on the
inner rail. foot below the top Of the
boards. and with eyes dramatically
sn'e'oed beneath q scoutish palm, he
Nouio gaze sternly In the direction OF
.'ue object or motion which had at
useted bis attention; and then, having
susned himself Of something or other,
" would sit again and decisively en-
note In his memorandum book.
ne was not always alone: he was
"sY0ent'y Joined by a friend. male,
.au though shorter than Herbert,
su''e Is old: and this companion was
eo. 1t seemed, by motives pre-
' Similar to those from which
rans Herbert's own actions. Like
~ n.'Ueft' he would SIT upon the top Of
~. n'sn fence, usually at a little dis
use from him; like Herbert he
.. S.'' rise at intervals, for the better
s suay q something this side of the
nsoo; then. also concluding like
s., he would sit again and write
a.. ~ a little notebook. And sell
,.s ~ me history of the world have
W.. SESSIONS been invested by the par
ss. s.na with y intentional an ap-
''a'anee Of Importance.
,m u"". was what most injured their
hr. observer at the somewhat distant
Is.. window. upstairs at her own
nrt.. residence; she found their i'm
,,tSo.. e almost IMPOSSIBLE to bear
n, " screaming. Her provocation
IL RAJ a.; the important Importance
m." rt and his friend, impressive
10 s,te1hg upon their fence, was
Bic ss 81 to be all too plainly WIS.,
aeh ss four intervening broad
~. Tvs IN fact, there was almost
m., suspect that the two per-
a AZ were aware Of their audience
at va OF her goaded condition; and
[n,s.d sometimes deliberately in
apot." e outrageousness Of their
M v,.s., because they knew she
pssnng them. And upon the
M 80 OF that week, when the note
y h,,r,,." eas were upon the fence at
y h~m.s throughout the afternoon,
! ta 49, .water's fascinated indisna.
H. tnlngsl" she said
' h.