The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-04-21
IVY GLEN.

IVY GLEN.
"To let!" said the agent. "Ready
furnished? For a month! Really,
ladies, I'm very much afraid I haven t
any property in my hands--not atpres-
ent at least--that will meet your ex-
pectations. I've plenty of unfurnished
houses and plenty to rent for year.
But for month? There isn't any
such real estate in the market--there
isn't indeed.''
"We don't want al unfurnished
house," said Angela Frost.
"And we have no occasion to use a
house for year," added Josephine,
her tall, blooming young sister.
The agent bit the end of his quill
pen, and looked at them obviously,
from behind the ink-splashed rails of
his desk.
ave are school teachers, - Miss An
gela explained, "and we have just a
months vacation; and we want to
spend it in a healthful country resort,
where can botaniZe, and where my
sister can sketch in water-colors from
nature
"Ah!'' said the AGENT ah! In
deed. I'm very sorry, ladies', but
don't think there's any property in
the market hereabouts that will meet
your ideas.''
"What time does the evening stage
leave the hotel l?'' Josephine, asked
rather despondently.
cat five, / believe" the agent re-
piled.
And the two ladies went slowly out
of the stuffy little room with it's high
desk, its floor covered with cheap oil
cloth, and it's general atmosphere of
stale tobacco smoke.
"I'm SO sorry, Angel: said the
younger. ':The air of these pine
wooded glens is the very thing for
your asthma.''
"And the little river in the deep
gorge is such an exquisite study for
your paintings, Jo,' said Miss Frost,
fondly.
"Couldn't we live in barn!' sug-
gested 10, with a comical arch of her
eyebrows.
I'm afraid not,' sighed Angela.
The real estate agent, in the mean
while, had hardly smoked a pipe and
read the local paper before the door
burst open and a short, stout lady in a
pink hat and feathers came in.
Mr.. Muggeridge,' said she, hand
ing him key, "you may let Ivy Glen
or you may sell it-ready furnished,
with a COW, poultry-house and the
pony -chaise thrown in
Madam said Muggeridge bewil-
dered.
"I'm tired of it, said the lady.
"Susie and Jennie are homesick to get
back to the city, and SO am I. I've
been without servant since Monday,
and now I'm going to take the evening
stage to town and meet my husband be-
fore he starts for Ivy Glen. 1 dare
say Ill be veXed, but can't help it..
And I've left word at the dairy farm
house for my brother Duke to follow
u.s.
"You couldn' let it for month o.
experimentally hazarded Mr.. Mugge-
ridge.
"1'd let it for three days. said the
lady.
II could find you tenants for a
month";" said the agent. "And per-
haps at the end of that time something
else might offer.''
every we'll, said the lady. "There
is the key
And away she went and Mr.. Mugge-
ridge clapped his hat on the back of
his head and set off, in hot haste, to
the hotel, for an inteview with the
two young ladies who had so recently
left his office.
And so it happened that 10 and
Angel Frost took triumphant posses
sion of Ivy Glen, a romantic cottage,
half covered with the dark green,
glossy leaves Of the vine from which
it derived it's name, with buodoir,
piano, all the pictures garlanded with
pressed ferns and dried autumn leaves
and a library Of novels.
Mrs. Fitch must have been very
literary person" said 10.
''And musical" added Angela.
GAS for servant, one would only
be nuisance," said 10.
"I'll groom the pony myself said
Angel. "He's no bigger than a New
foundland dog--the darling"
"And I'll milk the COW and feed
the dear little Chickens declared
pretty 10. ..
"It's really an earthly paradise, -
said the elder sister.
$50 it is,' assented 10.
The two sisters passed three days
of unmitigated happiness IN the deep
ravines and cool, flower 'enameled
woods that surrounded Ivy Glen.
Angela made various additions to
her herbarium, and 10 sketched leafy
nooks, bits of falling voter, and sun
set effects to her heart scontent, antil
finally a good, old-fashioned raintorm
sit in, of a July after noon, and pris-
oned them in the cottage parlor.
"How stupid this Is! said 10,
starting up from her book, as the twi-
light shadows brooded darker and
darker in the room. ''Let's 60 down
to the barn and talk to Dick and Friz-
zle. Poor dears! They must be as
lonesome as we are"
Now, Dick was the pony and Frizzle
was the COW, and 10 and Angela were
already upon the most affectionate
terms of intimacy with them.
It was was quite dusk, when Mar
maduke Framingham opened the hall
door and strobe in, shaking the rain
drops from his shoulders, as if he had
been great Newfoundland dog, and
flinging his fishing creel and tackle on
the table.
"Lou!" he called, all over the
house, in a CHEEKY, stentorian voice
"Louisa!"
But, as might be expected, no an
swer was returned and he went up to
a certain pretty little circular-walled
room, where he had been wont to keep
his slippers, gun.case, and sundry
other masculine appurtances, when
sojourning with his sister, Mrs. Fitch,
at Ivy Glen.
It's as quiet here, he muttered,
under his breath, ''as an enchanted
castle. Where is Lou?-where are
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