Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-06-29
A SUMMER BY THE SEA.

Bessie Bolton was delighted.
Five minutes ago Bessie had been III
despair-and her gentle sister Eolla
reflected all her moods like human
looking-glass.
Eolia Bolton had not been well. II
was not exactly q decline, but she had
lost her appetite, grown pale and cough
ed, and Bessie's quick affection had
taken alarnpat ouce.
''Miss Bolton ought to go into the
country" the doctor said-and before
Eolia could demonstrate, her sister had
given no the room they occupied il
the city, and consulted the nearest real
estate agent. But it was easy to talk
about "the country" Malaria reigned
supreme in this place-clouds of mus
quitoes drove away the rural aspirant
in another, high fares bloCkaded q
third, and thus it went on, until Bessie
began to think it was moral impossi-
bility to obey the doctors edict.
Until one day, walking sadly by the
seashore, they came Unexpectedly upon
4 low, rambling old farm house, with
lis gray stone walls half covered with
creepers, and wilderness of holly,
hooks, sweet williams, and crimson
roses all tangled together in the back
yard, while, in full view upon the front
4 battered placard, "To Let" swung
idly to and fro in the wind.
And then it was-and theTe-that
Bessie's lead-weighted heart gave the
upward spring.
"Eolia!" she cried, "this is just the
place for us. Smell the sea airl Look
ut those delicious waves creeping over
the sand below! Observe the pictures.
que old pile, with the house leeks grow
ing on its roof aEd the vines blowing
about in the breezep'
'I'm afraid we can't afford it, Bessie,
said Eolia.
enquire at next house below" said
Bessie, deciphering the worn inscrip
ton on the paper. Come, Eolia
conceive n presentiment that we
shall meet exactly what we want here.
The next house below, however, was
full mile distant, over a stretch Of
slippery sands 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 month
but she didn't know" Were the
premises in good repair? ''She didn't
feel that she could take it upon her to
assert" Could they have the key
"Weu, she wasn't certain. P'raps
they could. Sometimes her old man
had it in his coat pocket, but. Y es
here it was" There was a deposit to
be paid-the first months rent, if-oh
thankee, kindly. She was very much
obliged, she was sure.
And Bessie ca ne running cut tC
Eoia, triumphantly waving the key
over her head.
Business is business, Eol" she cried
cxultantly. "And we are the ladies Of
the manor nowl Wen sleep under
that pretty sloping roof tonight"
Aud they did, having succeeded il
borrowing a ofa-bedstead and two OF
three chairs from the neighbours cot
tage! Joyfully they wandered over
the old rooms, peeping through the
dust-flmed lattices, opening the green
three-cornered cupboard inspecting
btlCI1 1CN p4CI1A1bNo Will Gb4A llAS NCAiS IL
Of day-old proprietresses.
For Bessie colored photographs and
Eoha designed wall paper, calico pat
terms and title decorations, and they re-
CURED "studio" facing the north, and
plenty of room! There were no lux
urious butterflies, these sisters, but two
warm hearted, diligent-working girls,
who earned their own bread, and ate ii
with a sense Of honest pride.
So Eolia stayed in the old house tC
set it to rights, with the aid of Mrs
Chubb's red armed Oldest daughter, and
Bessie went up to town to pack their
little store of furniture and send il
down by express. And the first night
that they sat in the little bow-windowed
apartment that fronted the sea, with
the easements all curtained with chintz
the well-worn crimson carpet on the
floor, and the merry little fire of drift
wood blazing on the hearth, they looked
smilingly into one another's eyes.
Il feel better already" said Eolia
"The very air that | breathe is like a
tonic But it is SO lonely !"
"Who is afraid of solitude?" cheerily
demanded Bessie, Us she knelt to put q
new pile of wood on the fire. "You
will see that we shall be like two queens
in our palace here, Eo! We can send
our work up to the city twice week
by express, the expense here will be
trifiing, and"
''There," cried Eolia, with start, ~
knew it was some one knocking ]
heard it twice before"
"It's OLD Chubb with the fish fo1
breakfast" said Bessie, springing to hel
feet.
"No, ii isn't" said Eolia. "The fish
came half an hour ago. Bess, I'm
afraid it's Il pirate, or 4 smuggler,
or -"
'Don't be a goose, Eo," said the elder
sister, as she went briskly to the door,
and peeping out into the salt-scented
twilight, she said:
"Who's there
90 Its l." clear voice answered.
Captain Lilburn, with my traps"