The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-11-02
FRONT DOORS.

. -
BY Annie Eliot. s...,. . .5-.-. sass 49,.
II don't believe there are, Dot" ~
Don't believe what3'' ~. !.
There are people living in any Of
these houses" .,. - ....s.
Dot raised her eyes from her inter
minable crocheting for moment. and
glanced up and down the village street.
1T doesn't look much like it," she a.
sented. ~
We were sitting on the top ste p of the
front entrance Of an old far M house in 4
Maine village. l had been reading, but
had dropped my book, leaned my head
against the door-post, and meditated for
some minutes. had never imagined.
quiet 30 absolute save for the distant
sound, constant, soothing, and magnetic,
Of the unseen breakers rolling up the
sand below the opposite slope-as the
quiet of this Maine village street. There
were houses on every side, well-to-do
looking country houses, with elms shad-
ing their front doors and gates; but no.
body ever went in or out. no servant
maid shook a dust-cloth out Of any of
the windows nS children tumbled over
each othersin any Of the front yards
There was e dog residing opposite that
was Watching Skye, which seemed to
suggest civilization and blue ribbon and
city streets. He trotted out moment
sgo. and lay down in the road with an
air of sul]en apathy. There was no 60
ciety inside the fence, perhaps there
might be some in the highway. It al
most seems as if he was willing to, be run
over for the sake Of creating little d.
version. But he soon trotted back in q
subdued manner; the society. such @ it
is, is not to his taste. He tried feeble
bark at man in a broad hat and q Wo-
man in waterproof, but it was not q
success; he felt it was not himself.
"Dot," said I, "they talk about hard
working New England farmers-"
"Who do?"
"Oh, they-everybody. How can
they work hard in such an atmosphere
as this? In the rush and competition of
city life it is natural to work, to be &C.
cupied is ones normal condition"
tits singular how successfully some
people accustoin themselves to q nor
NAL one"
"1f one is not working hard to get
money, one must work hard to get rid
OF 1t. But here, among these silent
houses and under these elms, and within
sound of these breakers. work is ont of
place. 1t is like playing croquet Oh Sun
day-it NAV or may not be wrong, but
it is disturbing"
Ibid You make that up, or did you
just read it,"
,. II made i up. Don't you think it's
"It's not bad"
"Do you notice that whenever wag-
on drives by, it's such an event that We
watch it, from its first appearance down
the road to its final disappearance ND the
road, with the rapt absorption generally
given to an election parade at home"
I've noticed that you do"
lyon seem So much interested in my
speculations that III tell you what the
wagons have in them almost without ex-
cepti0n; two women with shade hats and
half grown boy sitting between them
and driving. The women looked at us
rather curiously, but the boy had some.
thing better to do. This 10 tho Sabbath
stiffness line, Of the country. You've heard Of
THE devil you do! Mind your game,
and I'll mind mine. The words came
through the closed door that led into
the living-room at our right.
Yes, said Dot, dryly, this is tho
Sabbath stiffness of the country" 10.
It will readily be seen by the mo $.
":reless reader of the above converse
ton that Dot was given to snubbin9 me-
ut every turn. 1 feel it only due 70 nv
selft to state that am really very
nice and very sensible; but it I had not
been we'll grounded in the fac ts of the
case, she would often have contrived to
make me feel rather foolish. This time.
however, it was difficult not to acknow-
ledge the forte Other satire, and laugh
ed. Four men were playing euchre in
the next room. They were only fellow
boarders in this oat-of-the-Way farm
house, and, as we had made out from
their conversation at the table, had
come out for some shooting. They play
ed euchre during most of their odd hours
over the lead, the play, the deal, or the
score. One Of he others tries to clear
the air by o genial laugh when words
wax too warm. but it is not effectual,
and the fourth contents himself WITH
silence till, weary with contention. he
shouts said Pass What do you say?
This brings them back TO business for
the time being.
We had been in the house two DAYS.
and We devoted much of our time to
speculations in regard to these four men.
They took not the slightest apparent
notice of us, though we took breakfast,
dinner, and supper at the same table.
and met them at every turn. =
do you think il would seem odd If
went and rang the door-bellz opposite,
and asked: Please. do any folks: live
here? And if they do, had they Just as
lief come and stand around in the front
yard few minutes each day?'
II don't know" said Dot, doubtfullv.
1T might seem odd in some places, but
perhaps here they always wait to be
II shall try it, il we stay here q week.
l must know If they always climb the
back fence, 90 as not to disturb the front
Walk, when they come to make Z real
neighborly sit-down visit, and why" !.
Why do YOU let it worry you sof' "
Because I can't help it. i've been in
this place two whole days, and l know
no more ab0ut my neighbOrs than did
the evening came-and I never want
to know anything any more except about
my nefghbors. I've laughed and been
contemptuous about the petty curiosity
OF country villages, but now-curioue! II
lived here six nOntha ia knn,,' ;,,ot