The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-04-05

some JllaJ RrhnuIhLucF nuu WHEN lie WAS
married, but with the help of John,
who could spare me an hour or two
evenings, l furnished II up so that 1t
looked very we'll BY dint OF pleclng
and contrivlng, covered the floor with
neat carpet, the bed and windows were
draped with white, some pretty prints
hung upon the wall, and on the whole
was very we'll satisfied with the result
of our labor.
When all was done, John wrote
notice: Groom to let. Inquire within"
But though / placed It In the shop
window, where 1t could be plainly seen
from the street, nearly three weeks
passed and we had only two applica.
tions for the room, and from persons
who only looked at 1t, and then went
away.
One morning, as l was dusting the
counter and putting the shop to rights,
saw a queer-looking, oddly dressed old
man standing in front of the window,
his eyes fixed upon the notice in 1t, and
his moving lips slowly syllabifying each
word. He wore shoes with big buckles
on them, and nuff:colored coat, with
short waist and long skirts, and which
looked as If it might have been his
grandiather's. But the oldest thing
about him was the long white hair
which fell upon his shoulders, and the
heavy beard of the same color which
touched his breast A broad. brimmed
hat completed his quaint, Quaker-lke
appearance.
The door being ajar, before 1 had time
to lay aside my duster he was at the
counter.
He stared at me for some moments
without speaking, and then pointing to
the notice with his cane, said:
""Will thee let me look at 1t?
Inwardly hoping that this application
would not share the fate of those that
had proceeded it, 1 led the way up stairs.
To my great relief, our prospective
lodger, far from objecting to the sloping
roof and old-fashioned furniture, seemed
to regard them with feelings of positive
interest and admiration.
"It is like the chamber that used to
sleep in when 1 was boy" he said, as
he looked around, and speaking more to
himself than me.
AS wanted Margie to see him before
decided, l took him down through the
sitting-room where she lay.
"This gentleman thinks of taking our
room, sister, said, as she glanced up
at us.
IF within my MEANS" interposed
the stranger. {" 1 am poor man."
Margie's clear, soft, penetrating eyes
were quietly reading the face of the
speaker. What she saw seemed salts
factory, for she nodded in reply to my
questioning look.
In spite of his threadbare apparel, he
looked so thoroughly respectable that L
was half ashamed of the question that
felt compelled to put:
81 suppose you have references,
sir?"
mo; all are dead who might speak
for me If they could. You will have to
take me on trust"
looked at Margie again, who, giving
me another nod, said:
perhaps the gentleman will mention
what he fells able to pay Y'
The stranger did 80, adding:
" 1 am poor and cannot pay one penny
more"
The sum named, though not large,
was more than we were intending to
ask, as told him.
The old man frowned and shook his
head.
Thee shouldn't have told me that.
I've half mind to give thee no more"
Then counting out upon the table
the amount he had stated, he pushed it
toward me adding
My name is Thomas. I'll be here
tomorrow morning with all my traps"
The traps mentioned consisted of an
old-fashioned hair-trunk and Large
chest, the latter being mainly filed with
books. We were not long in finding
out that our lodger was very odd, though
his oddities were of the most innocent
and harmless nature. He asked me to
substitute patchwork quilt for the
white counterpane on his bed, and spent
whole day rummaging auction rooms
to find some old-fashioned chintz to take
the place of the pretty muslin curtains
on which l had spent SO much time and
labor. had taken rocker for him