The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-05-14

And Adolphus and his wife departed.
SWELL" quoth MIR. Briggs to himself,
L wonder if people leave their manners
at home when they 60 house-hunting. Oh.
noxioas insects in my bed rooms, in deed !!
Well, wonder who's coming next! wish
the confoundcd house was let and off my
hands,"
The next arrival was tall stylish lady
who promptly fell in love with the house
and all its belongings.
"Such a delightfully."- convenient man
sion And if Mr."
Briggs, ma am"
Mr.. Briggs with charming bow,
" would consent TO take the rent out in
board 2"
"Oh-ah-you keep boarding house?"
"Not exactly a boarding house; my
family consists of seventeen select friends,
five servants and six children"
Seventeen, plus six, plus FIVE, plus
ono--twenty-nine people," hurriedly ejac-
ulated Nahum, "I--really think ma am,
couldn't consent to let the house 10 you."
And the lady Aounced out in rage.
Two young damsels ard spirster aunt
followed, and after lengthy inspection of
the premises, came to a state council in
the paIlors.
81 like the house very much," said the
spinster aunt solemnly, "and with a few
slight alterations, 1 will engage it for my
brothers family"
"Very good, ma'am," said Nahum, rub
bing his hands, and scenting speedy ter
mination to his trials. "Name 'em."
"The door handles must all be gilded,
and should like the house new papered
in velvet and gold, and repainted, and the
partition between the parlors taken down
and replaced by an arch, and an extension
dining room built out behind, and bay
window thrown out Of the parlor, and a
new style of range in the kitchen, and a
dumb waiter put in, and new bronze chan
dcliers throughout, and another furnace
in the sub-cellar, and"
Hold on, ma'am-just hold on one
minute" said Nahum, feeby gasping for
breath. Wouldn't you like to have the
Old house carted away and a new one put
in its place? [ think it would be rather
less trouble than to make the trih;ng altor-
atoms you suggest"
Sir" said the spinster, lofty
& don't think we can agree, ma'am."
every well--very Welcome girls"
With prim dignity the lady marshalled
her two charges out, muttering about the
" extortionate ideas of landlords now-a-
days"
While Nahum wildly rumbling his iron
gray hair with both hands, quietly solilo
qulzed:
swell, if JOB had been alive, and had
house to let, there never would have
been any book of Job written. There
gsoss. that everlasting bell again; I'll haul
much longer. I'll tear down the bill and
put the place up at auction
Another lady, but quite different from
the other--a slender, little cast down la
day, with head that dropped like a lilly
of the valley. and dress of brown silk
that had been monded and darned and
re-trimned, until even Nahum Briggs,
man and bachelor though he was, could
see how very shabby it was. Yet she was
pretty; with big blue eyes and shining
brown hair, and cheeks tinged with a faint,
feeting color, where the velvety roses Of
youth had once bloomed in vivid carmine.
And the golden haired little lassies who
clung to her dress were as like her as tin
ny lilly buds to full bloomed chime Of
flower bells.
As Nahum Briggs stood looking at her,
there came back to him the sunny days Of
his youth-a field of blooming clover,
crimson in the June light, like waves Of
blood ,and blue-eyei girl leaning over the
fence, with her bright hair barred with lev
ell sunset gold, and he knew that he was
standing face to face with Barbara Wylie.
the girl he had quarreled with years and
years ago, and whose blue eyes had kept
him an old bachelor all his life long.
This house is 10 let, believe z" she
asked timidly, with little quiver in her
mouth.
q believe it is, Barbara Wylie."
She looked up, starting with sudden
blush of recognition.
"Nahum Brggs!"
And then Barbara turned very pale,
and began l., cry, with the little golden
haired girls clinglng to her skirts, and
wailiBg, A" Mama, mama-whats the mat
ter, mama 2"
Nothing, now, said Barbara, resolGte.
ly brushing away the tears, If you
please, Mr.. Briggs, 1 will look at the
house. l am widow now, aud very
poor, and-and think of keeping a board
ing house to earn my daily bread. L hope
the rent is not very high 2"
"We'Il talk about the rent afterwards" T"
said Nahum, ferccly swallowing down a
big lump in his throat that threatened to
choke him. "Come here, little girls, and
kiss me; [ used to know your mamma
when she wasn't much bigger than YOU
are'
Barbara with her blue eyes still droop-
ing, went all over the house without find
ing word of fault, aud Nahum Briggs
walked at her side, wondering if it really
was fifteen years since the June sunshine
lay so brightly Gu the clover field.
"I think the house is beautiful" said
meek Barbara. Will you rent it to me,
Nahum? ?"
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