The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-02-19
To Let--Inquire Within.
The lady flounced out in a rage.


spection of the premises, came to state
council in the parlor.
I like the house very much," said
the spinster aunt solemnly, and with a
few alterations, / will engage it for my
brothers family"
Very good. Ma'am," said Nahum,
rubbing his hands, and scenting speedy
termination to his trials s.Name 'em"
The door handles must all be gilded,
and I should like the house newly paper
ed in velvet and gold, and repainted and
the partition between the pariors taken
down and replaced by an arch, and an
extension dining room built on behind,
and new style of range in the kitchen,
and dumb waiter put in, and new
bronze chandeliers throughout, and an
other furnace in the sub-cellar, and"
Hold on, ma'am-fust hold on one
minute, }" said Nahum, feebly gasping for
breath. /" Wouldn't you like the old
house carted away, and a new one put
in its place think it would be rather
less trouble than to make the trifing
alterations you suggest"
Slr! said the spinster loftily
l don't think we can.agree, ma am" /"
Very well-very welcome girls"
With prim dignity the lady marshalled
her two charges out, muttering some
thing about the extortionate ideas of
landlords nowadays"
While Nahum, wildly rumpling his
iron-grey hair with both hands, solilo-
quized
Well, if JOB had been alive, and had
70 lot
been any book of Job written. There
goes that everlasting bell again :! I'll
haul 1t out by the roots, if this thing
goes on much longer. I'll tear down
the bill, and put up the old place at auc-
| tion"
| Another lady, but quite different from
the other-a slender little cast-down
lady, with head that dropped like a
lilly of the valley, and dress of brown
silk, that had been mended, and turned
and retrimmed, and even Nahum Briggs.
man and bachelor though he was, could
see how shabby it was Yet she was
pretty, with big blue eyes, and shining
brown hair, and cheeks tinged with a
fair, feeting color, where the vclvety
roses of youth had once bloomed in vivid
carmine. And golden haired little
lassie clung to her dress. as like the tiny
lily buds to p blooming chime of fowel
| bells.
As Nahum Briggs stood looking at
her, there came back to him the sun
shiny days of youth; field of blooming
clover crimsoned the june light like
waves of blood, and blue-eyed CIR
leaning over the fence with her bright
hair barred with level sunset gold, and
he knew that he was standing face to
face with Barbary 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 to be let, I believe p
she asked timidly, with a little quiver in
her mouth.
s'I believe it is, Barbara Wylie."
She looked up, starting with sudden
flush of recognition.
And then Barbara turned very pale,
and began to weep, with the little gold
haired girl clinging to her skirts, and
wailing:
Mamma, mamma-what's the mat
ter, mamma 2"
Nothing now" said Barbara, reso-
lutely brushing away the tears.
81 If you please, Mr.. Briggs, I will
look at the house I am widow now
and very poor, and think of keeping
clearinghouse to earn my daily bread.
1 hope the rent is not very high ?"
"We'll talk about the rent after.
wards" said Nahum, fercely swallowing
down big lump in his throat thai
threatened to choak him.
Come here, little girl, 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
finding word OF fault, and Nahum
Briggs walked at her side, wondering ii
it was really fifteen years since the june
sunshine lay SO brightly on the clover
field.
g" think the house is beautiful" said
meek Barbara. Will you rent it te
me, Nahum 2"
Well, yes" said Nahum, thought.
fully. "Tll let you have my house, il
you want it, Barbara"
"With the privilege of keeping few
boarders 2"
No, ma'am."
Barbara stopped and looked wistfully
at him.
"But | don't think you understand
how very poor I am, Mr.. Briggs"
Yes, do"
"And that cannot afford to take the
house without the privilege of boarders. >
{" tell you what, Barbara" said Mr.
Briggs, dictatorily, I'm give you the
privilege of keeping just one boarder
and him you have got to keep all your
life long, if you once take him."
"I don't think I quite understand
you, Nahum Briggs" said Barbara, bu,
she blushed very becomingly, and we are
rather inclined to think that she told 1
naughty little ib.
" What do you say to me for q board
er, Barbara p said the old bachelor
taking both the widows hands ia his
Barbara, we were young fools, once
but that is no reason why we should bt
old fools now. like you just as we'll o.
ever T did and T'll do NV ho~t m ha :