The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-01-21
Dream of Shack
On Tropic Island
Becomes Reality
Ex-Reporter Now Lives Life
On Pacific Atoll He
Yearned For.

EAST HAMPTON, L. Its a
long way from the now extinct
Press building at the recent World $
fair to a tiny atoll in the South
Pacific. But a mans dream laughs
at time and space.
During the reportorial dog watch
on Flushing's great Mad Meadow,
when the last visitors were strolllng
YEARLY through the exits, the re-
porters used to sit in chairs propped
against the fimsy, cardboard walls
of Building T 2 and talk about what
they'd do in the real World OF
Tomorrow.
One of those chaps was Ed Bough-
ton, night man for the Standard
News association,
Some day. Ed would say, I'm
going to build a grass shack on
Pacific island. In front of my door
will stretch the endless expanse OF
the blue ocean.
And all day III eat and swim
and sit in the sun. Maybe III dream
sometimes about the Futurama and
the American Jubilee.
but Mostly he would add with
a grin, "I'll think about you lads
covering fires in the rain and III
reach for another coconut and say,
And they laughed at Boughton =
Then someone would ask what the
final figure for attendance was that
day and the spell would break.
When Dream Comes True.
Ed Boughton's dream, born in the
World of Tomorrow, came true, For
mer associates OF his recently re-
ceived a letter signed Lieutenant
Edward Boughton,
Sent from an island Somewhere
in the South Pacific where he is
stationed, the letter opened with
these words:
1.-THE first day arrived here q
couple of native boys turned UP ano
wanted some work. Having always
wanted that grass shack-remem-
ber?-I started them to work imme'
diately.
| "Their names are Timothy ano
Moses he added. land they com
menced with vigor to build the
shack which they said would take
four days. Their enthusiasm start
ed to flag about the third day. De
| spite continuous brides Of cigarettes
| L. could never get them to work
over four hours day
The shack is described as being
IL feet square and 8 feet high, made
of poles bound together with vine:
and covered with plated Leaves
from coeonut trees.
In their construction work the tW,
natives employed boy assistant
who gathered bark used to bind tn.
coconut leaves to the framework.
The assistant, called Mongoose
because, one native explained, HI
quick in boosh,' would disappear il
the bush far a few moments AMI
come out with several saplings.
Il Banged Self on Head.
He would take one Of these,
Lieutenant Boughton explained
hold it at the ends with his hand
and split it by banging himself OF
the head with it. He would thel
strip off the bark with his teeth.
When the shack was finished Lieu
tenant Boughton covered the foo
with fine white sand from the beach
Il got three rocks and made crud
fireplace he wrote, land now
have hot water for shaving Pack
ing boxes serve as furniture.
AS he sits in the sun during lei
sure time in front of his shack, Lieu
tenant Boughton reports.
Il have a group of three or fou
natives squatting in front OF tn
door, observing everything dc
They watch me shave, and when
take out new razor blade, it an
its paper wrapping always brin
forth much chattering and CON
ment
Their morning visits have bt
come habit by this time and no
the entire village comes over"
The letter makes no mention (
the Worlds fair or the Futurama