The Mineral argus., 1884-11-13

III UAIInnNUa
ing letter to her husbands consin H.
speaking the best room.
But when she got to Moon Mountain
mere vas only n little square room
I Inc fame OF the Black Spring
hau gone forth in all directions. and q
newspaper editor had promulgated an
srtlcle praising the delicious. pine
scented air and well populated trout
brooks OF the mountain, and the conse-
quence was that the farm house was
full. ~ was
But this room is too small" said
Mrs. Lonsdale, fretfully, as she looked
around.
It's all 1 have left" said Mrs. Dirk.
and L could have let it half a dozen
times over If it hadn't been reserved
for You, Cousin Naomi"
You'll take me at a reduction from
the usual prices, 1 suppose? ?" said Mrs.
Lonsdale.
81 shall charge you Just what I charge
everybody else, neither more or less"
answered Mrs. Dirk.
But I'm a relative" pleaded Mrs.
Lonsdale.
what good does that do me ?" said
the widow, fixing her blue eyes full on
Mrs. Lonsdale. My terms for a room
of this size are thirty shillings a week"
But that is too much" whined Mrs.
Lonsdale.
"How much did you expect to pay? ?"
asked Mrs. Dirk, with a curious sparkle
in her eyes.
''In this wilderness here" said Mrs.
Lonsdale, twelve shillings would
be"
eff those are your ideas we never
shall come to TERMS" said Mrs. Dirk,
But if you are really cramped for mon
ey"
my dear Mrs. Dirk" said the rich
mans wife, you have no idea of the
perpetual demands on us for money"
Il will take you for twenty-five shil-
lings." Mrs. Dirk completed her sem
tepce as if the other had not spoken.
And the bargain was completed.
Mrs. Lonsdale had not been in the
house a week before she took her hus-
bands cousin severity to task.
That horrid old man in the faded
olive-green suit has the best room
in the house," said she. "The very
best"
"Tes, said Mrs. Dirk, ''hei is my moth
er's uncle. He was always very good to
my poor husband"
"But I'm told he only pays half
price?"
''That is my affair, +" said Mrs. Dirk.
but is it true?" insisted Mrs. Ions
dale.
"Yes, it is true, +" confessed the widow.
"He is very old, and can't go up and
down stairs, so of course he must have
the frst-foor room?"
But he hasn't any property"
"He owns Carragee Farm, across
the mountains" said Mrs. Dirk, "but
nobody will rent it of him, because the
land is so rocky, and the farmhouse
was burned down last fall. when there
were so many fires in the woods. Beyond
that he has nothing"
Mrs. Lonsdale curled her lip.
''Such im%pudence," said she. mo
body has any right to live to be seventy
years of age without having laid up
some little provision for the future"
81 was thinking" said Mrs. Dirk,
"that perhaps Cousin Mortimer Ions
dale would contribute a little something
to his support, as we are equally re-
lated"
"You may be sure that he will not"
said 7 Lonsdalp Ui.h emphasis.
Every we'll, said Mrs. Dirk calmly,
"He shall never want while 1 can help
him."
The very next week, however, old Mr..
barrow was found dead in his arm chair.
And by will he had left everything he
possessed to his grand-niece, Mary
Dirk!
az wish you JOY of Garage Farml"
chuckled Mrs. Lonsdale. "Of course
you'll have to pay taxes on it, so it will
absolutely be money out of pocket"
"It was all he had to give," said Mrs.
Dirk.
Meanwhile the family was prospecting.
Sarah was engaged to marry a thrifty
young farmer of the neighborhood.
Helen was earning a good living.
Lizzy was contemplating the setting
up of a small milliner's shop on her
own accountant Rosie was in high
favor at Millingham place.
Even Mrs. LOnsdale admitted that
her grave French cook could not excel
the syllabus, creams, delicate cakes and
delicious buildings which these young
damsels compounded. with the help of
new laid eggs and country cream
I'm almost sorry u rooms are n
gagged at Saratoga" said the city lady.
Il am getting rather to like Moon
Mountain. And your table is decidedly
good Mary"
But just as she was packing her big
trunks for the removal to the Mecca of
modern fashions, Nh. Lonsdale him