The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-02-03
ma'am.m said Mr.. Dart.

= ats poor, tum Dle-uohn OK
place" said the old lady. with he
nose in the air. But il sixteei
hundred and fifty"
GOOD morning, ma'am, said Mr.
Dart. shutting the pair out on th'
door steps.
"I've a great mind to take dowr
the BILL" he thought, with ruffiec
temper and face like radish.
hadn't an idea there was so much
meanness 10 human nature. Dear
dear, there comes somebody else
two ladies. | wish they were no
ladies. | can kick a man down
stairs when he says an impertinenl
thing to me, but l don't known how
TO deal with women. All Apolia
but that nearest one is a clipper =
The ladies who now applied FOL
the privilege of seeing the house
were evidently mother and daughter
"a subdued, weak little woman in
black, and a tall, handsome girl Of
eighteen or nineteen, with brilliant
black eyes, complexion like snow
and roses, and a sipgularly naughty
way of carrying her lovely head.
Sir" began the mother. as they
were ushered into the marble-p paved
hall by Mr.. Dart, but the young la
dy interrupted her.
"Do hold your tongue, mother,
she said sharply. i can manage
matters a great deal the best. Are
you the agent of this house, sir ?"
Yes" said Mr.. Dart, with queer
expression in his eyes.
And is two thousand the lowest
rent-the very lowest? ?"
ayes"
q told you SO, DEAR" interposed
the elderly lady, meekly. Our
means will not permit
There you go again" snapped
the daughter, with your everlast-
ing cackle about means, means! I'm
sick and tired of the sound of it.
Viii you show Us over the house,
sir? ?"
Mr.. Dart obeyed, in his inmost
heart pitying the subdued mother,
who was so abruptly put down" by
her shrewish daughter While the
tall young lady swept like queen
through the passages, pausing in
each room to survey its adaptations
for the purposes to which she had
assigned il IN her mind.
/ ike the house" she said. i'm
periously, as they paused at length
in the lower hall Mother, you
must take it"
My darling" deprecated the
mother, in low voice. "two thous-
and dollars a year! and papa's sal
airy is only twelve hundred, besides
the interest we have to pay"
"Pshaw was the ungracious re-
sponse, "do have done with your
lecturing. What do | care whether
papa is pleased or not2 I'm going
to be married, thank goodness, and
get away from all your grovelings
and grumblings. A rich fool of a
husband is better than no husband
at all"
ton had faiIeh nnt17tbe .aonreyss.
. You are not sure of 1t yet, and be
sides"
"Yes. | am" said the daughter,
sharply. Don't l tell YOU he's COM
pletelv under my thumb? And do
YOU suppose would be married
from such hole as that little house
in March street? OF course you
and papa would like to have me
mortified as much SIS possible, but
I'd have YOU to know I'll not sub
NIT to il y
And turning to Mr.. Dart, who
was an unwilling and unedified lis
tener TO the conversation. she said
in a louder accent:
ave shall take the house. My
father will call and see you to-mor-
row. Let this be taken down.
And she glided away. more like
Queen Semiramis than ever, with
the meek little mother following,
look of panied perplexity on her
face.
Humph r said Mr. Dart, draw
ing a long breath, as silence once
more settled down upon his domains.
" What a tartar that black-eyed girl
is, to he surel As for taking down
the bill, with her permission, | shall
do no such thing. until I'm quite
certain the house has been let
He persisted in his resolution, ana
in consequence thereof the mansion
was besieged all day long with a
swarm Of house-hunters, each more
greedy, unconscionahle and fault
finding than the last
At sunset Mr.. Dart rushed out
ard tore down the bill
"I1l have one good nights rest, at
all events" he murmured between
his clenched teeth. What security
have | that they won't rout me out
of my bed TO know whether the wa
ter pipes 60 up TO the fourth story
or no, or whether III put in dumb
waiter without extra expense? III
paste the bill up again early to-mor-
row morning. and in the meantime
I'll dress myself in a befitting man
ner TO 90 with Harry. and call on
the young lady he admires so great
ly,"
At S o'clock precisely Mr.. Dart
was ready, in his best suit of invisi-
BILE green, with an old-fashioned ruf
fed shirt. from whose snowy plaits
flashed the glitter of diamond studs.
his gold headed cane and new kid
gloves. to say nothing of a bunch of
violets in his button-hole.
For all ladies like flowers.
thought the old bachelor, in the SIM
pIicity of his heart.
why, uncle" cried Harry Field,
eleefully, "how nice you look"
"Do II" said the old gentleman,
complacently. SWELL, / fstter my
self / am about the correct thing
Come on, nv boy, or We shall be
late"
"It's not far" sale Harry. It's
only on March street
March street. March streetT
repeated the old gentleman. =" 1t
ssms as if | had heard that name
eox,,awbcvo roocpfly y