The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-08-11

midsummer. And even now it was sweet
with tufts of crocus, blue-velvet iris, and
daffodils, while at the rear rose up the
silent hemlock wood, still and scented
and emerald green in the twilight.
Miss Briggs, with her terrier dog, her
bandboxes, and her poor little hair
trunks, studded with, brass nails, had
got there early She had opened the
windows to let in the yellow glow of the
April sunset, kindled fire with straight
sticks on the deep tiled hearth, and was
sitting on a starch-box turned upside
down, drinking cold tea and feeding her
dog with occasional scraps Of canned
beef and bakers bread.
'It seems rather lonely here" said
the little old spinster to herself, "and
the rooms are very large and dreary-look-
ing; but dare say I can hire little fur
niture in the village, and the garden is
really superb. never saw such tulip
roots in my life And the little brook
twinkling at the foot of the wall is an
idyl in, ITSELF" ~.
Miss Briggs, who had good deal of
poetry in her starved soul, set down the
can and reached over to look out of the
window at the golden western sky.
$50 quiet. tool" said she; $50 Sc
cluded."
But, to her amazement, even as she
looked, she perceived the figure of a
stout old gentleman, bald and specialized,
and carrying an immense flat travelling
case under his arm, who was picking his
way, among the rose-briers that lay
prone across the path, stopping here and
there to examine the growth of silver
green houseleeks on the. garden wall.
Miss Briggs, who was somewhat near
sighted, jumped at once to the conclu-
sion that this interloper was a tramp.
She hurled the tin can recklessly down
into the budding currant bushes.
"Goawayl" she cried.
Mr.. Hyde peered upward, with one
hand back of his ear. "Eh?" said he
''Or I'll set the dog on you," squeaked
Miss Briggs, encouraged by the shril
bark OF the terrier.
''woman," said the scientist, 'who
are you?''. aia H q
''trll let you know" said Miss Briggs,
waxing more and more excited in her
Indignation. GLOW dare you trespass
| on my premises?"
"How dare you trespass on miner"
retorted the old gentleman, curtly.
Hes a madman," thought Miss
Briggs; and she remembered, with a
thrill of terror, that there was no key to
the big front door, and the bolt was
rusted into two pieces.
At the same moment the sound of
whooping voices was heard through the
wide, echoing hall, and three chubby
lads, rushed hilariously in, tumbling
over one another as they came.
| 'sHurrahp' they shouted; '.hurrahl
Ain't this jolly old cavern of house!
Myl here's fire! and here's an old
| womanp
Miss Briggs, who had drawn her head
in from the window, stared at the three
cherry-cheeked invaders, who returned
her gaze with interest.
''Boys," said she, severely, "what are
you doing here?"
"Why," said Master Bruce Bellairs,
gdt eleven, 'it's our house. And pa
and ma are helping unpaok the cart al
the south door. And I've got redbird,
and Johnny's got brood of Brahma
chickens in basket, and Pierre has q
monkey"
"But, boys" said Miss Briggs, with g
little hysterical laugh, ''this is my
house."
"No, in amt" said the three Masters
Bellairs in chorus; ''it's ours. We've
rented it for year, and pa and ma are
unpacking downstairs.
fsIs that your pa?' said Miss Briggs
with sudden inspiration, as she pointed
to the old gentleman in the garden, whc
stood stock-stil, like the Egyptian ODE
Hsk.
s.No, indeed" said Pierre, contemp
tuously.
s.Nothing of the sort, said Johnny.
Our pa amt such guy as that,
chuckled Bruce - ,a
ST think I must be asleep and dream
ing," said Miss Biggs, as the doc
opened, and stout, blooming matrol
entered upon the scene, with kerosen,
lamp in one hand and basket of care
fully packed china in the other, Will,
from her finger depended bird-cage.
s.My good woman, said the Reverend
Mrs. Bellairs, 81 suppose you hav,
come here to see about situation. /
you can bring good reference as to char
acter-
"You are entirely mistaken, madam,
said Miss Briggs, with energy. II an
here because"
But at that moment Mrs. Ripple her
self, with Dorcas her maid, entered tn
room. Shewas tall, handsome woman
dressed in elegant mourning, and sh
used an eyeglass as she talked, an
] somehow she seemed to take up goo
deal more room than anybody else. Mrs
Bellairs set down the kerosene lam
and the bird-cage, Miss Briggs terrie
stopped barking, and the three boys il
stinctively retired behind the starch box
sfWho are you all?" said Mrs. Ripple
surveying the scene through her eye
glass. stAnd how came you to be here2
stT have taken this house." said Mis-
Briggs, with dignity.
$50 have we.h said Mrs. Bellairs.
$50 have u. declared the baldheade
old gentleman, who had by. this tim
made his way up into the rudy light {
Miss Briggs fire, and stood there, close
Iv hueeing his fiat travelling case.
"Dear mel" said Mrs. Ripple; ''thi
ia very singular. And have come her
because the house wasn't rented 6
ALL"
And then ensued a general chorus {
explanations, laughter and depreciation
whose general effect was heightened b
a single combat between Master Pierl
Bellairs' monkey and Miss Briggs te
rier.
"What are we to do?" said Mis
Briggs plaintively looking at the ha
trunks studded with brass nails.
"DoY' said Mrs. Ripple, briskly-
; sswhy, there is but one thing to do th'
see; the house is big enough for u
and half dozen families to boot. L'
| us all live here together"
81 am sure I have no objection at all
said Mrs. Bellairs.
s'Neither have L" said the old gentl
man.. setting down his flat travelling ca!
l | - ,f-