The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-08

and I'd Just run in and tidy up little
for Mrs. Graham. Her door was open
as passed. She was sitting in chair
washing up the breakfast things, and
looking so wretched and ill, ma, you
can't think. It's dreadful for Joe to
have to go away so early"
Mrs. Jones WINGED at this familiar
rendering of the hated Scotchman's
name, but remembered that Rosalie was
rather given to abbreviating the titles of
her acquaintances.
"She hasn't eaten mouthful of break
fast," pursued Rosalie, "and her face is
as white as the wall"
"I'n poach an egg and toast some
bread for her by'and-bye,' said Mrs.
Jones, who was by no means hard
hearted woman because she wanted her
daughter to have the parlor to herself
and make good match.
Nevertheless the chief object of inter
est just now was the advertising sheet
of the Herald.
elbow would you like to live out of
town I" she said at last ; to take lit
tie place in the suburbs, where we could
have garden and raise our vegetables 2"
Mr.. Jones kept judicious silence,
remembering bho eApoileuoo VI SohlO
friends.
"Oh," said Rosalie, "wouldn't it be
nice2 To have vine-covered porch,
and lots of flowers, and hanging baskets,
and tubs of ferns, and-and every
thing p
"f'll get Spanish cock and some
hens" said Bob "it'll be bully"
"And let's have some pigeons and
bull terrier, said Charley. "Hooray"
Mr.. Jones smiled, and went away to
the store. While Mrs. Jones and her
daughter were about household cares
intent, they talked the matter over.
1t was decided tn 1t Rosalie should at
tend to the house during these trouble
some ides of March, and that the mamma
should have no cares but those connected
with house hunting.
"I'm sorry to give up the house on ac-
count of the Grahams," said Mrs. Jones,
with searching look at her daughter.
"They'll have to move, of course, for the
landlord won't rent the upper floor
separately"
"Oh, Joe will take care of that" said
Rosalie. "He'll manage for them in
some way; and, besides, mamma, we c.
have her out to visit us, and get her
cream, and strawberries, and new-laid
eggs, and-everything."
Mrs. Jones found during her conver
sation that Rosalie's heart was not yet
given over to the obnoxious Scotchman; /;
that she knew, of course, he admired
her; but, goodness gracious, that was
nothing. She liked him, too, he was SO
good hearted; but, dear mo, there were
plenty of good hearts at her service, she
hoped. So the landlord was advised
of the change, and although sorry to
pant with good tenants, was courteously
resigned.
" It's very nice of him." said Mrs.
Jones, one evening, after fruitless
tramp to the country" it's kind of the
landlord not to put up bill right away.
One can't help feeling houseless and
homeless after that"
&" I'm glad, then" said Joe Graham,
who began to drop in every night now,
and talk over their outlook for home
-" I'm glad I've made up my mind to
take the house myself. I've had the re-
fusal all along, but hesitated. I've con-
cluded to take the responsibility of let
ting the upper rooms to lodgers. Some
of our boys at the store have engaged
them, and I can afford then to get a
good servant for mother. I think
she Ii like this chamber, it's so pleasant
and roomy."
Mrs. Jones looked at the Scotchman
with rising ire in her still handsome
blue eyes.
"The impudence of it she said,
when Joe had gone up stairs; to cool
ly prospect around and shove people out
of their own house to make room for
his mother Pleasant and roomy !" re-
peated poor Mrs. Jones, looking about
her upon the wide, bright, spacious
room. "I should think it was. There's
your Scotch blood for you-canny, they
call it. Yes, indeed, he'll get along;
there amt much doubt of that. He'll
get along if he has to push everybody
else to the wall to do it. The idea of
that Joe Graham hiring the house over
our heads"
"But, my DEAR" said Mr.. Jones,
"why not Joe as we'll as another4 I'm
glad the poor lady can be SO comfort
able"
"Of course, of course" said Mrs.
Jones. "Glad you'd be delighted to
have your own flesh and blood in the
street to accommodate foreigner"
Rosalie, who was lifting on the arm
of her fathers chair, here pressed his
hand warningly, and presently went
over to her mother, and begun to comb
the whitening but abundant locks of
that poor tired house hunting woman.
Yes, Heaven knows she was weary
and sick at heart with her undertaking.
Day after day she had plodded on with
that dogged pluck and perseverance
which were the main points in her char
acter, and day after day she became
more disheartened.
None but suburban house-hunters and
pitying Creator can conceive the
dreariness with which Mrs. Jones set
out on the day after Joe's revelation
that he hal taken the house for him
self.
She hurried breathlessly to the train,
to wait a full hour at the depot, and
studied in the meanwhile the meagre
advertisement of the rural landholder.
Leaving the train at station overhang,
ing the railroad, seemingly part there
of, and having no apparent connection
with a collection of houses in the dis.
tance, she begun to walk and walk
past empty lots and sunken commons,
through streets just begun and Others
half completed. Not creature with
in sight, except a goat or two, which
animal is always suggestive of misery tC
the denizen of city.
At last she reached the shed set apart
for q real estate Office, and found il