Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-08-30
ZEN Of the Y. ..

as other people %, which Is the IN
pardonabIe sin. To Under I am jest
er. to Murdoch a fanatic. TO our friend
the real estate dealer a fool; even
noticed my honest carpenter trying to
ask me something about she'll shock !!
Well-they're my whlms. aud l get an
immense amount Of satisfaction out
Of them"
The days that followed were the
happiest Grant had known since child
hood. The carpenter, a thin, twisted
man, bowed with much labor at the
bench, and answering 10 the name
Peter, sold HIS services by the day and
manifested a sympathy amounting TO
an indulgence toward the whlms Of his
employer. So long as the wages We're
sure Peter cared not whether the
house was finished this year or next
or not at ALL He enjoyed Grants
cooking in the temporary workshed
they had built; he enjoyed Grants
stories Of funny incidents Of the war
which would crop out at unexpected
moments, and which were always
good for new pipe and a few min
utes' rest; he even essayed certain
flights Of his own, which showed that
Peter was a creature not entirely
without humor. He developed an APP
probation Of scenery; he wo1ld stand
for long intervals gazing across the
valley. Grant was not deceived by
these little devices, but be never took
Peter to task for his lettering. "If
the old dodger isn't quite paying his
way now, no doubt he has more than
paid 1t many times in the past" he
mused This Is an occasion upon
which to temper justice with mercy"
But IT was in the planning and build
ing Of the house he found his real de-
light lie laid 1t out on very modest
lines, as became the amount Of money
be was prepared to spend. II was to
be slngle-story bungalow, with
veranda round the south and west.
The iiying-r0om ran across the south
side; into IFS east wall he built a
capacious fireplace, with narrow Sits
Of windows to right and left, and In
the western wall were deep French
windows commanding the magic of the
view across the valley. The dining
room. too, faced to the west, with
more French windows to let In sun
and soul The kitchen was TO the east,
and of the kitchen lay Grants bed
ROOM facing also to the east, as be-
comes n man who rises early for his
days labor. And then facing the
west and opening Off the dlnlng-room,
was what he was pleased to call his
whm-room.
The idea OF the whlm-room came
upon him as he was "orklng out plans
on the smooth side Of a board. and
thinking about things in general, and
good deal about Phyllis Bruce, who
had iust arrived from the East, and
wondering IL he should ever run across
zen Transley. It struck him all OF a
sudden as had the Big Idea that
night when he was on his way home
from Murdoch's house. He worked
1t ont surreptitiously, not allowing
even old Peter TO see 1t until he had
made it Into his plan, and then he
described IT just as the whlm-room.
But II was TO be by all means the best
room in the house; special finishing
and flooring lumber were to be bought
for Il; the fireplace had to be done IN
peculiarly delicate tile; the French
windows must be high and wide
and Of the most brilliant transpar-
ency.
The ring Of the saw, the trill Of the
plane, the thwack OF the hammer,
were very pleasant music in his ears
Day by day he watched his dwelling
grow with the infinite Joy OF creating
and night after night he crept with
Peter into the workshed and slept the
sleep of a man tired and contented.
In the long summer evenings the sun
light hung like a champagne curtain
over the mountains even after bed
time. and Grant had to cut a hole in
the wall of the shed that he might
watch the dying colors OF the day fade
from crimson TO purple to blue on the
tassels Of eloud-wralth floating tn the
western sky. At times Under and
Murdoch would visit him to report
progress on the Big Idea, and the
three would sit on d bench in the half
built house. sweet with the fragrance
OF new sawdust, and smoke placldly
while they determined matters OF pol
ley or administration
Grant was almost sorry when the
house was finished. There's so mech
more loyment in doing things than
In merely possessing them after they re
done, he philosophical to Under. =
think that must be the secret OF the
peculiar fascination Of the West. The
East. with an ITS culture and convent.
snsas ssIs. ,s..za,ss..S ~ .,aSsE ,E.n i.