The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-11-24

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that there seemed an echo to my foot
steps. It was four o'clock in the morn
ing; clear October moonlight misted
through the thinning foliage to the
shadowy sidewalk and lay like trans
parent silver fog upon the house of my
admiration, as I4strode along, return
ing from my first nights work on the
Wainwright Morning Despatch.
/ had already marked that house as
the finest Ito my taste) in Wainwright,
though hitherto, on my excursions to
this metropolis, the state capital, was
not without a certain native jealousy
that Spencerville, the county-seat
where lived, had nothing SO good.
Now, however, / approached its pur-
.lieus with pleasure in it quite unal-
loyed, for / was at last myself a resi-
dent (albeit Of only one days stand
ing) of Wainwright, and the house
though had not even an idea who
lived there part of my possessions as
a citizen. Moreover, might enjoy the
warmer pride of uext-door-neighbor
for Mrs. opportunities, where had
taken a room, was just beyond.
This was the quietest part Of Vain.
wright; business stopped short Of it,
and the fashionable residence Sec
tion" had overleaped this forgotten
backwater," leaving it undisturbed and
unchanging, with that look about it
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 homely and beauti-
full house which SO greatly pleased my
fancy.
It 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-fasliioned brick house, painted
brown and very plain, set well away
from the street among some splendid
forest trees, with a fair spread of fiat
lawn. But it gave back great deal
for your glance, just as some people
do. 1t was large house, as i say, yet
1t looked not like mansion but like
a home; and made you wish THAT you
lived in it. Or driving by, of an eve
ming. you would haye liked to stop
your car and go in; it spoke so Sure
" of hearty, old-fashioned people liv-
ing there, who would welcome you
merrily.
It looked like a house where there
were a 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;
a house where big turkeys would be
on the table often; where one called
Sthe hired man." (and named either
Abner or Ole) would crack walnuts
upon a flatiron clutched between his
knees on the back porch; it looked
like house where they played cha
rades; where there would be long
etreamers of evergreen and dozens of
wreaths of 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 word, it was the sort of a
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 it the
dnest house in Wainwright.
6,t.. l,s.
level door in the silence of that Oc-
tober morning. as checked my gait
to loiter along the picket fence; but
suddenly the house showed light of
its own The squirt of match took
my eye to one of the upper windows,
then steadier glow of orange told
me that lamp was lighted. The win
dow was opened, and a 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. MY
mistake was Immediately evident, how
ever; stood in the shadow of the
trees bordering the sidewalk. and the
man at the window had not seen me.
boy! .oy!" he called, softly.
.Where are you, Simpledoria?" /,
He leaned from the window, looking
downward. "Why, there you arer' he
exclaimed and turned to address some
Invisible person within the room. Hes
right there underneath the window.
Til bring him up" He leaned
out again. "Wait there. Simpledoria
he called. "Tll be down in jiffy and
let you in"
Puzzled, stared at the vacant lawn
before me. The clear moonlight re-
vealed it brightly. and it was empty of
any living presence; there were no
bushes nor strawberries - nor even
shadows-that could have been mis-
taken for a boy, If "Simpledoria" was