Smyrna times., 1931-03-18
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING ROUND THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TIME AFTER DAYS CHORES
"Gangster F'reeIand Reformed An
Interesting Short Story, Writ
ten by Leete Stone


ten by Leete Stone
kHAISIE O'DAY was a product
1Vl of the tatterdemalion tene-
ment life on the East side of New
York, eighteen years before re-
formative measures took effect
which modified its ugliness. With
out either care or catechism she
had grown up, thrived and pros
pered in material ways.
Now she was twenty-six. For a
year the problem of great weari-
ness, and a greater boredom, beset
her. She was tired of her work, fas-
cinating as it was; tired of men,
women and children; tired of life
itself. She craved only to be alone
in some sanctuary of solitude,
where she might brood and think;
where she might gather together
all the raveled ends of her tangled
life. sort them out, and start
new and different pattern of exist
ence.
Maisie had saved some money.
WHY not become a hermit, she
mused? In various types of fiction
she had read of men who fed the
confinement and care of the city
for some green, tucked away val
ley at the base of tree-clad noun
tain, and forgot the world and it's
ways. But she could recall no in
stance of a woman thus immuring
herself. Well, why not? Maisie's
gutter-bred childhood had fOstered
her natural love of adventure. This
idea, once planted. grew apace and
finally took possession of he: whole
mind.
A few weeks later in lovely Oc-
tOber, Maisie was temporarily en-
sconced as bOarder in a mountain
eer home that lay on the out
skirts of a village no bigger than
a postage stamp in the very heart
of the Adirondack north woods.
The town had a post office, a gen.
eral store of sortS-and that was
all, except several scattered, un-
painted dwellings in the vicinity.
Even it's name, in weather-dimmed,
uneven letters above the post office
door sounded lonely-"Loon's Wall"
Maisie refused to satisfy the Gu
riosity of the native couple who
housed and fed her They were
frank in wondering why anyone
from the great world outside should
choose to come TO Looms Wall. She
used it merely as headquarters.
Every day, after lacing mp pair OF
g. 10 ctH iFh
boots. she would hike through the
hills and valleys adjacent keeping
sharp eye on the leafy trails that
were none too plain. Maisie was
searching for just the right stu
alton: then she would employ the
man she boarded with and his son
to build her log cabin. After
that pence: luxurious loneliness.
One day. more venturesome even
than usual. and lured by a wee, gilt
tering pond that lay like a sapphire
at the foot of mountain, she left
her trail. Soon she knew she was
lost. Thrilled by her predicament,
rather than afraid, she took what
seemed the right direction and
struck out. There was still three
hours of daylight Rounding a
sharp ledge in her chosen course
she came full on an old river
drivers log shanty. She could dis
tinctly hear two voices cOnverSing
inside Maisie stopped to listen:
"What's the news. Jake?" One
gruff voice.
'Ah, this ere papers year old;
but the headin' says that big gang
ster. Kid Freelan, has just plumb
dropped outa sight-guess they
musta got him."
doubt it," answered the gruff
one. "St. Peter won't let i'm In
an the devil amt ready for i'm"
"Mebbe so! Meantime, | betcha
he dies every twenty minutes.
Every time he sees a guy reachin
for is handkerchief the kid'll see
lead comm is way. Betcha he'll
turn a handspring when some one
knocks over a chair"
Wary of asking advice from
them. Mafsie hurried on in what
she felt was the right direction.
Queer, she reflected; that converse
tion caught on the fly. She remem-
bered the headline in the New York
paper nearly a year ago. Where
was Kid Freelan. world-notOrious
racketeer? Dead. probably. or hid
ing.
Dusk and rapid darkness found
Maisie in a maze of gullies and
wicked. clinging underbrush. She
knew there was no hope of get
ting back that night. But even with
the rigors of hunger and thirst be-
fore her she refused to be alarmed.
Something always turned up. And
soon it did. In the dense blackness
she bumped against a cabin With
thin lines of light streaking through
chinks. She knocked. The door
was opened cautiously and beard
ed young face peeked out-a fac'
that even in the dim light wai
strangely familiar 10 Maisie.
"rm lost" she said. land
thought you'd lend me couple OF
blankets so could sleep out to
night and 80 on again in the morn
ing. Won't you please?" She drew
closer. watching that face.
Sure enough. sister I'll do that
Better come in ny the fire a min
ute Chilly tonight =
Under flaring lantern the.
4 Al