The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-06-26
3Aiscell
To Let-Kipple Grange.

Az Lo1 AipplO VlhhSc'
Mr.. Pixlcy was real estate agent. Mr.
Pixley had had a goodly number of houses or
his list in his time, but never one so persist
emily, unalterably, perseveringly on his list
as Ripple Grange Year after year it has
figured OH his books as II desirable country
residence, TO be had on reasonable terms,
year after year it still hung hopelessly ON his
hands.
Nor was Mr.. Pixley the only real estate
agent who had wrested, SO to speak, with
Ripple Grange. Other land brokers and
rent collectors had their TRY" at it, with
equally unsatisfactory results 1t had been
advertised in newspapers and pasted up on
bulletin boards, and still it remained "Kipple
Grange-To Let"
Hang the old place!" said Mr. Pixley
vehemcntly scratching his bald head II
wish it would burn down, or blow away, OF
something! It's disgrace to business
man to keep such an eye-sore on his list
I've great mind to put old Miss Briggs into
it, TO keep ii in order until can get a better
tenant. She wants place cheap. I'll let her
have Ripple Grange for nothing"
So when Miss Briggs came tiptoeing into
the real estate oflice-a faded, melancholy
little old maid leading her lerrier-dog by its
string, and wearing green veil to neutralize
the spring winds-Mr. Pixley told her that
Ripple Grange should be hers, for the pre-,
sent, at least.
you'll probably find it lonely" said he.
81 dote on the country" said Miss Briggs
"And very much out of repair" he added
81 don't doubt bat that it will do for me-"
said the little old spinster, her faded eyes
Frightening.
Probably, also, there's ghost about the
~ MI I'll
Miss Briggs shook her head with sad
smile. Its live people am afraid Of" said
she, mot dead ones"
well" said Mr.. Pixley, Ripple Grange
shall be yours this quarter, if you will fix up
the garden little, and give the place Eoed
IN sort of look. Of course it will be for sale,
and l shall expect you to do your best for
our interests"
And Miss Briggs courtesied, and said,
Eyes, she would" and withdrew, greatly
elevated in spirit.
Upon the same day, the 25th of April, Mr..
Beggerall, the real estate agent ofDorches.
ter, let Ripple Grange to old Mr.. Hyde, who
II naturalist, and a botanist, and an entomo.
logist, to say nothing of half dozen other
tSts, and wanted quiet country home, with
woods and meadows in its vicinity, wherein
to prosecute his beloved sciences. And
Macpherson 81 Co., of Long Island, made a
bargain with the Reverend Mr.. Bellairs an
invalid clergyman, who was in search of
country air and complete repose. Mrs Bell
airs was apattern housekeeper, and gloried
in the prospect ofgrass bleaching, new laid
eggs, wild raspberries and plenty of plums
and apricots for preserving purposes.
And strangely enough, it occurred to none
of the three real estate agents to let the other
two know of his action.
"There is never any demand for Ripple
Grange" said Macpherson & Co, Indifferent
"I'll write to Pixley and old Mac when l
get time," said Beggaral.
There's no hurry about Ripple Grange"
thought Pixley. "If Miss Briggs keeps it
from tumbling to pieces, she will do very
we'll"
Meanwhile Mrs. Ripple herself, the plump
widow whose grandfather on the husbands
side had bequeathed her this imDracticable
piece of property, began to think of running
down to look at it herself, "They tell me
there's no such thing as letting it," said she.
I've mind to 60 down and see for my
self. One really pines for the country, now,
that they are selling lilac blossoms and pan.
sizes in the streets; and I'm quite sure that
change of air would do me good. I'll
take Dorcas my maid, and few cans of
peaches and sardines, and we'll pic mic at
Ripple Grange, just for the fun of the
thing"
ut never rains but it pours," saith the an.
cient proverb SO upon this windy, bloom
ing April day, when the sunny meadow
slopes were purpled all over with wild VIC
lets, and the yellow narcssus was shaking its
golden tassels over the neglected borders of
Ripple Grange, the old brick house, which had
stood empty for six good years at least, be.
came all ola sudden alive.
TWAS an ancient, widowed structure on the
edge of wood, an old red house whose
front garden tangled over with rosebriers,
and grown with the fantastic trunks of
messy pear trees, and apples that leaned
almost to the ground sloped down to the
bank of a merry little rivulet. Here the
tiger. lilies lifted their scarlet turbans in the
July sunshine, and the clumps of velvety
sweet williams blossomed first and sweetest,
Great cream-hearted roses swung against the
tumbled down stone wall, and love-in a mist,
London pride and all those rare old. fashion.
ed flowers of our ancestors ran riot, sprawl
ing across the grass grown paths, and
packing themselves into the angles of the
fence, where the honeysuckles trailed, and
The scarlet peoples looked like drops of blood.
4 NO oiI SoiuOh Vi hipplC oiduBc was ike u
horticultural show gone mad in midsummer.
And even now 1t was sweet with tufts of Gro.
Gus, blue velvet iris and daffodis, while at the
rear rose up the silent hemlock wood, still
aud scented and emerald green in the twi-
light.
Miss Briggs, with her terrier dog, her band
boxes, and her poor little hair trunks studded
with brass nails had got there carly. She
had opened the windows to let in the yellow
glow of the April sunset, kindled fire with
straight sticks on the deep tiled hearth, and
sitting on starch-boX turned upside down,
drinking cold tea, and feeding her dog with
occasional scraps of canned beef and bakers
bread.
1T seems rather lonely here" said the lit
tie old spinster to herself" land the rooms
are large and dreary looking but dare say
can hire a little furniture in the village, and
the garden is really superb. l never saw
such tulip roots in my life And the little
brook twinkling at the foot of the wall is an
idyl in itself
Miss Briggs, who had good deal of poe.
try in her starved soul, sal down the can and
reached over to look out of the window at
the golden western sky.