The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-01

Do you suppose she Will take
me cheap?"
Il should imagine So"
So Mrs. Lonsdale wrote patron
izing letter to her husbands cousin
bespeaking the best room.
But when she got to Moon Noun
tain there was only one little square
room left. The fame of the Black
Spring had gone forth in all direc-
tions, and a newspaper editor had
promulgated an article praising the
delicious, pine-scented air and well
populated trout brooks of the noun
tains-and the consequence was the
farm house was full.
But this room is so small" said
Mrs. Lonsdale, fretfully.
Its all have left," said Mrs.
Dirk, 4" and / could have let it half
dozen times over if it hadn't been
reserved for you, Cousin Naomi"
you'll take me at a reduction
from the usual prices, suppose F"
said Mrs. Lonsdale.
81 shall charge you just what |
charge everybody else, neither more
nor less" answered Mrs. Dirk.
But I'm relative" pleaded Mrs.
Lonsdale.
"What good does that do me ?"
said the widow, fixing her blue eyes
full on Mrs. Lonsdale. "My terms
for room of this size are SIS a
week"
"But that is too much" whined
Mrs. Lonsdale.
"How much did you expect to
pay?" asked Mrs. Dirk with a Gu
rious sparkle in her eyes.
"In this wilderness here" said
Mrs. Lonsdale, $40 would be"
"If those are your ideas we
shall never come to terms" said
Mrs. Dirk. "But if you are really
cramped for money"
"My dear Mrs. Dirk you have no
idea of the perpetual demand on us
| for money"
Il will take you for twelve dol
lars" Mrs. Dirk completed her
sentence as if the other had not
spoken.
And the bargain was completed.
Mrs. Lonsdale had not been in
the house week before she took
her husbands cousin severely to
task.
THAT horrid old man in the fad
ed olive-green suit has the best
room in the house" said she. "The
very best
Eyes" said Mrs. Dirk, he is my
mothers uncle. He was always
good to my poor husband"
But Pm told ne only pays half
price?"
Yes" confessed the widow.
t" He is very old, and can't go up
and down stairs, so of course he
must have the first floor ROOM"
But he hasn't any property"
He ownes Carragee farm, across
the mountains" said Mrs. Dirk,
= but nobody will rent it of him be-
cause the land is SO rocky, and the
: farm house was burned down las,
fall when there were so many fires
in the woods. Beyond that he has
nothing"
| Mrs. Lonsdale frowned.
Nobody has any right to live to
be seventy years old without having
laid up some little provision for the
future" she said.
- was thinking" said Mrs. Dirk,
"that perhaps cousin Mortimer
Lonsdale would contribute little to
his support, as we are equally relat-
ed.n
"You may be very sure that he
will not, said Mrs. Lonsdale, with
emphasis.
Very well," said Mrs. Dirk
calmly. "He shall never want
while | can help him"
The very next week, however, Mr..
Darrow was found dead in his arm
chair. And by will he had left eve
rything he possessed to his grand
niece, Mary Dirk.
" l wish you Joy of Carragee
farm !" said Mrs. Lonsdale. OF
course you'll have to pay taxes on
it, SO it will absolutely be money
out of pocket"
1t was all he had to give" said
Mrs. Dirk.
Meanwhile the family was pros
pering. Sarah was engaged 20 mar
ry a thrifty young farmer of the
neighborhood. Helen was earning
good living.
Lizzy was contemplating the set
ting up of small mIlliner's shop
on her own account-and Rosie was
in high favor at Millingham's place.
Even Mrs. Lonsdale admitted that
her French cook could not excel the
creams, delicate cakes and delicious
puddines which these young dams
els compounded.
I'm almost sorry our rooms are
engaged at Saratoga" said the city
lady. Il am getting rather to like
Moon Mountain. And your table
is decidedly good, Mary. And as
for the girls, l have grown to like
them very much"
Mr.. Lonsdale himself entered as
she spoke.
We'll" said the lady airily, 'what
is the news, Mortimer ,"
Bad news" said Mortimer, in a
hoarse accent. We are ruined J
The business has gone to wreck
the cashier has fed to Belgium
and we haven't a cent to call our
own
Whereupon, naturally enough,
Mrs. Lonsdale went into mysteries,
screaming, "Oh. heavenl we are ru-
ined, ruined! My life has ended,
Mortimer might as we'll die as
starye."
When Mrs. Dirk came in, Naomi
was wildly loading her husband
with reproaches and struggling with
him. Mortimer Lonsdale stood with
something glittering in his hand.
Mrs. Dirk went up to him and took
it away with gentle authority. :.
"Give me that pistol, Mortimer, !"
said she. "Get up, Naomi, and