Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-04-26
A SUMMER by THE SEA.
Bessie Bolton was delighted.

rive minutes ago De>sius was In ulS-
pair--and her gentle sister Eola re-
flected all her moods like human look
ing-glass.
Eolia Bolton had not been we'll. Ii
was not exactly decline, but she had
lost her appetite, and grown pale, and
coughed, and Bcssic's quick affections
had taken alarm at once.
miss Bolton ought to go into the
country" the doctor said-and before
Eolia could demonstrate her sister had
given up the room they occupied in the
city, and consulted the nearest estate
agent. But il was easy to talk about
"the country" Malaria was supreme in
this place, clouds of mosquitoes drove
away the rural aspirant in another,
high fares blockadcd third, and thus
it went on, until Bessie began to think
that it was a moral impossibility TO
obey the doctors edct.
Until one day, walking sadly by the
sea shore, they came unexpectedly upon
low, rambling old farmhouse, with its
gray stone walls half covered with creep
ers, and wilderness of hollyhocks,
sweet williams, and crimson roses tan
gled together in the back yard, while
in full view upon the front battered
placard, ITO let," swung idly to and
fro in the wind.
And then it was-and thcre-that
Bessic's lead-weightcd heart gave an
upward spring.
"Eolia" she cried, "this is the very
place for us. Smell the sea air. Look
at those delicious waves creeping over
the sand below. Observe the pictur-
esque old pile, with the house leeks
growing on its roof and the vines blow
ing about in the breeze"
"I'm afraid we can't afford it, Bessie, ~
said Eolia.
Enquire at next house below" said
Bessie, deciphering the worn inscription
on the paper. "Come, Eolia, come; I've
a presentiment that we shall meet ex-
actly what VIC want here"
The next house below, however, was
full mile distant, over a stretch of
slippery sand, half flooded by the foam
Of the incoming tide-it was inhabited
by deaf old woman who didn't know
she couldn't say" Was the rent
high? "She couldn't say for certain
she believed it was about So a month,
but she didn't know" Were the prem.
Uses in good repair? "She did not feel
that she could take it upon her to as
sert." Could they have the key? "Wcll,
she wasn't certain. P'raps they could.
Sometimes her old man had it in his
coat pocket, but Yes, here it was.
There was deposit to be paid-the
first months rent, if-oh, thankee, kind
ly. She was very much obliged, she
was, sure"
Bessie came running out to Eolia, tri-
umphantly waving the key over her
head.
Business is business, Eo," she cried
cxultantly. "And we arc the ladies of
the manor now. Well sleep under
that pretty sloping roof tonight"
And they did, having succeeded in
borrowing a sofa-bcdstead and two or
three chairs from ncighbor's cottage.
they wandered over the old
rooms, pecped through the dust-filmed
lattices, opened the green, three-corncr-
ed cupboard, inspecting their new prem
Uses with all the delight of day-old pro-
prietrcsses.
For Bessie colored photographs and
Eolia designed wall paper, calico pat
terms, and title decorations, and they re-
quired Studio" facing the north, and
plenty of room. They were not luxuri-
Gus butterflies, these sisters, but two
diligent working girls,
who earned their own bread, and ate it
with sense Of honest pride.
So Eolia stayed in the old house and
set it to rights, with the aid of Mrs.
Chubb's red-armed, oldest daughter, and
Bessie went up town to pack their little
store of furniture and send it down by
express. And the first night that they
sat in that little bow-windowed apart
mcnt that fronted the sea, with the case
ments all covered with red chintz the
well-worn crimson carpet on the floor,
and the merry little fire of driftwood
blazing on the hearth, they looked into
each others eyes.
81 feel better already" said Eolia.-
The very air that breathe is like
sonic. But it is so lonely"
"Who is afraid Of solitude?" cheerily
demanded Bessie, as she knelt to put a
lew pile Of wood on the fire. "You
shall see that we shall be like two
queens in palace, here, Eo. We can
AXE our work up to the city twice
week, by express; the expense here
will be trifing, and" There" cried
|Iolia, with start, 81 knew there was
omc one knocking. / heard it twice be-
ore"