The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-09-10
ZEN Of the Y. D.

| 40 OhASA PSOPiC wv VfANA@ 40 ~@%~ -
pardonable sin. To Under l am jest
er, to Murdoch a fanatic, to our friend
the real estate dealer q fool: even
noticed my honest carpenter trying to
ask me something about shell shock
Well-they're my whims, and get an
immense amount Of satisfaction out
Of them"
The days that followed were the
happiest Grant had known since child
hood The carpenter, 4 thin, twisted
man, bowed with much labor at the
bench, and answering to the name
Peter, sold his services by the day and
manifested sympathy amounting to
an indulgence toward the whims Of his
employer. So long as the wages were
| 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 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 ap-
probation of scenery; he would stand
for long intervals gazing across the
valley. Grant was not deceived by
these little devices, but he 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
unused. 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. He laid II out on very modest
lines, as became the amount Of money
be was prepared to spend. 1t was to
be a single-story bungalow, with
veranda round the south and west
The living-room ran across the south
side; into Its 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 on the kitchen lay Grants bed
room, facing also to the east, as be-
comes a man who rises early for his
days labor. And then facing the
west, and opening of the dining-room,
was what he was pleased to call his
whim-room.
The idea of the whim-room came
upon him as he was working out plans
thinking about things In general, and |
a good deal about Phyllis Bruce, who |
had Just arrived from the East, and |
wondering If he should ever run across |
zen Transley. 1t 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
it out surreptitiously, not allowing
even old Peter to see II until he had
made 1t into his plan, and then he
described 1t just as the whim-room.
But 1t was to be by all means the best
room in the house; special finishing
and flooring lumber were to be bought
for 1t; the fireplace had to be done in
a peculiarly delicate tile; the French
must be high and wide
and Of the most brilliant transpar-
,ncy.
The ring Of the saw, the trill Of the
blame, the thwack of the hammer,
we're very pleasant music in his ears.
Day by day he watched his dwelling
,row with the infinite Joy Of creating
md night after night he crept with
Peter into the workshed and slept the
deep of, man tired and contented
n the long summer evenings the sun
light hung like champagne curtain
,ver the mountains even after bed
ime, and Grant had to cut hole in
he wall of the shed that he might
watch the dying colors Of the day fade
rom crimson to purple to blue on the
assets of cloud-wraith floating In the
restern sky. At times Under and
furdoch would visit him to report
rogress on the Big Idea, and the
hree would sit on bench in the half
uilt house, sweet with the fragrance
( new sawdusf, and smoke placidly
lille they determined matters Of pol {
" or administration.
Grant was almost sorry when the
ouse was finished There's so much
lore enjoyment in doing things than
, merely possessing them after they're
one" he philosophical to Under. Il
link that must be the secret Of the n
ocular fascination Of the West. The
asst, with all its culture and convent
1ces and beauty, can never win a
cart which has once known the
lest. That is because In the East all
lie obvious things are done. but In
le West they are still to do"
"You should worry" said Under.
You still have the blowing"
Eyes, and as soon as the stable is
,ished am going to buy four horses
I'd get to work."
IT supposed you would use 4 trac-