The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-06

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courtcously greeted him was slight and deli
cate in figure, with the sweetest of faces soft
brown eyes, and waving brown hair Her
neat dress suited her face and her age, some
thirty five wears, and her low.tOncd, clear
voice was like pleasant music.
Good evening" said the queer little man.
Il understand you have some vacant rooms
for bOardcrs. | want n whole floor, il you
can accommodate me, bedroom and sitting
room ! want my dinner in the middle of the
day, and I'm so used to my own way that |
must have it, no matter what it costs but I'm
willing to pay for it, | shall keep your ser
want running up and down all the time I'm
in the house, so please have one that has pcn-
ty of life and activity. Can't have the rooms,
ma'amy"
The little landlady was taken so by surprise
by the appearance and rapid speech of her
visitor, that she scarcely knew how to reply;
like the little girl, she was preposscsscd by
the sweet voice and smile, SO she said
will YOU look at the rooms sir?'
Look at the rooms! Ny trunks will be
here very shortly, and intend to sleep here
tonight"
But" stammcrcd the lady, if they should
not suit you:'
"They must, If they don't suit me- I'll
pitch all the furniture out of the window, and
get what does suit me. I'm not very rich,
ma'am, but you can have your money every
month in advance, and that's all the reference
can give you, for am a stranger here. viii
twenty-five dollars a week pay for both of the
roomS?'
Had gold mine opened at her feet the
little lady could not have looked more aston
ishcd Her little rooms had never brought
such price as that
1T is too much, she said gently; perhaps,
if you are a stranger, YOU do not know that
this is not very arisocratiC neighborhood,
and you see the house is very small. Ny faith
err built it for his own use; he was "a house
carpenter and he left tito me. 1t is comfort
able sir, and | will try and make it pleasant
for you, but the rooms are small, sir, and they
are both bed rooms now
Never mind that Wen soon get the
right furniture in. As for the price you'll
soon find you'll have to earn it. I'm the most
troublesome man you ever heard OF. | want
hot coffee in bed at six o'clock in the morn
ing, and | eat-wait until you see me eat I'll
keep your girl busy, and as said before, |
must have my own way. What IS the name,
ma'am, of the little girl who let me inE'
/ Jennie Hill, sir"
shes bright little thing-an orphan She
tells me"
YES, sir Her mother died here last sum.
mer. viii you see the rooms now, sir?'
]
please. HcIc is your first months board"
and he took from his poCkctbook two crisp
! fifty dollar bills
| MY name Is jameson. BY the way, to-
morrow is Thanksgiving, and If don't have
roast turkey, oyster sauce, mlnCc pies and
pumpkin tarts for my dinner, | shall eat up
! Miss Jennie here and he turned to the little
! girl just entering the room, and laughed
Imcrrily. Only for a moment though, tor the
| little girl was followed by young lady in
deep mourning, whose appearance seemed to
awaken an emotion deeper than merriment III
the queer little mans mind, He bowed re.
specially, and then said to Miss Mosely:
Il will go to my room Immediately, if you
please"
Cora Hill was beautiful enough to account
for more than mere passing admiration. Her
brilliant complexion, short golden Curls, and
| large blue eyes, were all more beautiful, con
trasing with her black dress; and the sub
ducd air of care and sorrow on her face was
touching in one so lovely and so young. Mr..
jameson thought Of her great deal as he
paced up and down the two little rooms, shak.
ing his long shaggy HAIR, and chuCkling to
himself
The next day Jennie and Eddie thought the
reign of fairies had certainly come again. The
great trunk they had seen carried up stairs to
the queer little mans room, contained mar
veous story books, wonderful toys, and what
seemed ineXhaustiblc stores of confectionery
The Thanksgiving dinner was enlarged and
improved" by jars ofmOstdeiciOus preserves,
and Miss MOsely was almost as much fright
cued as aStonished at the arrival, in the mid
die Of the day, of a basket containing oranges,
nuts, candicd fruit plump oysters, and varons
other additions to the dinner, and also "A stout
recent arrival from Green Erin, who said,
A quarc little gintleman had toud her the
lady wanted girl" and who proved IL treas
ure on the instant
1t sometimes seemd to Miss MoScy, her
self the gcntlcSt of human beings, as if her
boardcr must be insane, and again she could L
worship him for his goodness to the children,
who had become so dear to her own kind heart
The Thanksgiving dinner was the mcrricSt of
feasts Master Eddie, won at the first glance
by Mr.. JamcSon's smile made quaint speeches
in baby English, about the unusual profusion
of good things, Jennie was raidicntly happy,
and seeing her brother and sister SO well
pleased brought flush of pleasure to Cora's
pale face and a glad look into her blue eyes,
that had not been there since when her moth Il
er died
1t was very soon evident that the house had
received an inmate who carried sunshine
with him. His rooms were fitted up speedily
with beautiful taste, and Jennie was dclegat
:
Processing himselfan ardent lover of music,
he turned out of doors the tinkling old piano
in the little parlor, and replaced 1t by no
bic instrument, the first touch Of which sent
perfect thrills of delight through Coras real
~ artistic fingers. And on this he would
play, till one could believe souls could be
drawn from bodies by such music rs follow
ed his touch
Henrietta Mosely, herself an orphan, with
a very small income had from the day Cora .
had lost her mother, resolved, rs far as posi- /
bic, to fill her place to the children, and had .
lcomior'ed the dcath,bed parting by this /.
promise. Cora was very beautiful, so young
and chlldlikc, that it was a sickening thought
to imagine her alone in great city, poor and
triendleSS. She had received first rate mll-
steal education, and had a few pupils ia the
immediate neighborhood, who were glad to
get cheap tuition. She was too thankful to
have even the small sim, Tins maid to her IN