Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-03-25
MiseelI
This House TO Let.

nat was " hat t44t paper Na4t4. ltaA4N pas
ted on the front Of the house. And it still
adhered resolutely to the same story, neither
more or less, although Charles Wayne read
It over three times as he assembled the flight
OF broad stone steps, carpet-bag IN hand.
TO let, eh?" mu,tered our hero. alb
s,ractedly. as he applied his latch key to the
door. Il wonder what's up, now"
Nobody in the parlor-no children's voices
ringing in the hall-no familiar footsteps
| on the stairs, What did it all mean ?
! Had the house changed into an Enchanted
| Palace
Mar,elling much. albeit he was of the
! phlegmatic model which is very apt TO pre-
| serve its self possession under any and all
| circumstances Mr.. Wayne went straight up
| TO his own room-a cheerful little den. with
south windows draperied in crimson damask.
and crimson carpet, dotted all over with
| pearl gray shells.
Il shall find the key to this mystery some
where" he said-and he was right The
| key lay on HI, own desk IN the shape of 4
| hastily written note in his sisters caligra-
| phy
"DEAg CHAKIEY-Don't be surprised
! when YOU find the house deserted. We are
! called suddenly up into the country b, aunt
! Deborah's alarming and unexpected illness ;
! but shall probably be back in a day or two.
have been Obliged TO take Bridget with
me TO take care of the children; but YOU can
have Your meals sent in from restaurant
MARY.
L. 81 forgot TO mention that as the
landlord has seen Fl; 10 raise exorbitantly on
the rent. George has given up the house.
II any one calls TO see IT, just show them
over the premises; the more promptly the
house Is let the sooner our troubles are
over NJ"
Charley WAYNE deliberately retolded the
letter and laid 1t on the desk.
| Heres pretty greeting for fellow.
after weeks absence he muttered. Let
me see-thls note Is dated this morning
consequently, tins Is but the beginning OF
my troubles m Robinson Crusoe on this
desoiate island-no, I'm not am the soll-
tary defender OF citadel. besieged by a
swarm OF house hunters. And as for having
my meals sent IN from restaurant, l won
der what Mary takes me for; as if | could
not cook better than half the women now
10 be sure, never have had any experience,
but any idiot going could cook beef steak
and make cup of cofee-and that reminds
I
MIR. WAYNE proceeded down to the kitch-
en- on toragIng expedition, secretly chuck
ling at this opportunity for displaying his
undeveloped culinary powers.
"No beefsteak. eh ~ he muttered, looking
into the depths of the refrigerator. nothing
but fossil chicken. Well, I'll have a
roast Fires out in the range. of course
Then | must build another one that's all
| ,hprp IL fn
And diligently gathering treasures from
the shaving bin and charcoal barrel. oul
hero soon succeeded in literally covering
himself with dirt and ashes.
This won't do" said Charley. eyeing hi,
garments with discomftted air. IN tie
on Bridget's checked apron-yerv thought
fu of her to leave it behind the door"
No sooner said than done-but the fire
absolutely refused to burn. 1t smoked
smouldered-it sulked-it shot up in evan
escent brightness, only to die out in charret
brands-in short, it conducted itself afte
the manner of fires possessed by evil spirits
One by one Charley WAYNE pulled out tn,
hampers and thrust them in again, but ap
parently to no purpose-he blew under tn,
CRATE until his cheeks looked like those 0
Raphael's cherubs-he poked diligently ant
nearly knocked MS Drains out, trying TO iool
up the chimney; when all Of sudden tn
fire flashed up in the most cheerful name
imaginable. Charley's sooty face brighten
ed to corresponding promptly tied a strinI
to the leg Of his chicken and suspended
before the blaze with a twirl.
IN have my breakfast in no time at all,
said he, burying two huge potatoes in tn
ashes below, and bestowing double hand
full of 1.-The very best Java coffee" in the tai
tin pot which he had found over the sink
"Meals from restaurant, indeed"
Inst as he was Washing his hands the he