The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-08-15
ZEN Of the Y. d.
a Novel of the Foothills

an luuuISeuce lOWafu the WnliHS 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 creature not entirely
without humor. He developed an APP
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 it out on very modest
lines, as became the amount of money
he 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 off 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 off 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
on the smooth side of a board, and
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
1t out 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 whim-room.
But it 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
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 man tired and contented.
In the long summer evenings the sun
light hung like 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 cloud-wraith floating I'm the
western sky. At times Under and
Murdoch would visit him to report
progress on the Big Idea, and the
three would sit on bench In the half
built house, sweet with the fragrance
of new sawdust, and smoke placidly
while they determined matters of pol
icy or administration.
Grant was almost sorry when the
house was finished. There's so much
more enjoyment in doing things than
in merely possessing them after they're
DONE" he philosophical to Under. 81
think that must be the secret of the
peculiar fascination of the West. The
East, with all its culture and convent
ences and beauty, can never win a
heart which has once known the
West. That is because in the East all
the obvious things are done, but in
the West they are still to do
"You should worry" said Under
'You still have the blowing"
Eyes, and as soon as the stable Is
finished / am going to buy four horses
and get TO work"
Il supposed you would use a trac.
tor"
Not this time. can admire a piece
of machinery, but / can't love 1t. ]
can love horses
You'll be housing them in the whim
room," Under remarked dryly, and
had to jump to escape the hammer
which his chief SHE'D at him.
But the blowing was really a great
experience. Grant had an eye for
hsrsefesh, and the four dapple grays
watch pressed their fine shoulders into
the harness of his breaking pillow might
have delighted the heart of any team.
ster. AS he sat on his steel seat and
watched the Golfer cut the firm sod
with brittle cracking sound as II