St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-04-01

papered and new heater put in. The
brute looked into that pleading, timid,
gentle face and refused.
Somewhere during the next mile c.
lestine suddenly stopped.
'sThere,n she said, so decidedly l
was frightened. 81 would take that
house."
She was looking at handsome man
sion of stone, situated in a beautiful
yard and bursting into bloom and bios
som from every window.
"Yes," said, little uncertainty,
''but isn't it a little larger than you
want 7"
Judged that it contained possibly
not more than twenty rooms.
.Ye-es," she said, "but we cOnld
close a portion of the house. Suppose
you run over and see what it rents
for"
| didn't believe it was to let.
"YOu can't tell until you find out"
said cousin Celestine, timidly.
at looks like an expensive house"
| said.
''But maybe the man is embarrassed
in business" she said, "and would be
glad to find good tenant. Don't fail
me, please" she added, and | said
would go.
did go. | rang the bell, and stated
my business. The liveried servant
shut the door in my face without a
word, and returned.
"Well 2" said my cousin Celestine.
| looked into the sweet blue eyes,
and calmly, without a blush, | said {:
"The man said he owned the house,
and did not care to rent it this season."
She sighed and said in low, tremulous
tones that she believed she could have
got it if she had gone over.
That afternoon, when we were some
where on our ninth mile, Celestine
found another house that suited her
exactly, but the rent was $40 a month,
and she didn't want to go beyond 800.
As we walked now, she leaned heavily
on my arm, and l tOttered along on
blistered feet, eagerly scanning the hOr
lion in every direction for street cars,
while Celestine could see a "TO let'
with the naked eye farther than l could
think. Her timid, trustful way grew
upon her, until she looked perfect
miracle of submissive dittidence, and
when we went home that night, in a
low, sweet voice she tore houses, land
lords and agents to pieces SO sweetly
and timidly and completely it made
YOU think of a cyclone weaving gar
lands of anemOnes and viOlets, and
breathing softly through flute to
blow six-story warehouses clear across
the Delaware river.
We went hOuse-hunting the next
day and the next day after that, and
the next day after that again for two
weeks. Celestine timidly drove me
into the happy homes of all sorts of
people to see if the houses were not to
let, "because," she said, sometimes
very particular people, who have the
best houses to let, may not like to adj
vertse them" Sometimes, in these
forays, l stumbled into the homes of
some of my acquaintances, and had to
go in and go through the hollow mock
cry of ga call' to conceal the real rea-
son of my visit, and then ! could see
my friends wondering and laughing
behind the blinds when / went guilt
| ly out and rejOined my cousin Celes-
tine. | wouldn't have believed it pos
sible that so many houses exactly alike
from drain to chimney pot, could have
so many faults, no two alike, | prOwl
ed about in cellars until l began to
smell mOldy, and l climbed stairs till
Il was knee sprung. At length, just
before | died, there came q letter from
George. Celestine read it and sighed.
"Well," she said, George is coming
home tomorrow, so | suppose there is
an end to Ouse-hunting."
"Why," l said, sternly, resolving
the minute George came home to send
myself "a telegram calling me to the
north pole on the first train, "yOu
haven't found a house yet 2"
"Oh, yes" Celestine said, in tones
so melting, that l half started to go
out and resume the search, "there is a
parsonage with the church to which
George has been called, and our things
are all there. The ladies of the church
got it ready for us when we decided to
come. But" she said, softly, probably
noticing the look of brutal amazement
that came creeping into my face, 81
thought perhaps they could let the
house to some one else if we found a
house we liked better"
"Then you don't like the parsOn-
age 2" ! managed to say.
ooh, | don't say that" she said,
sweetly. 81 have not seen it. They
didn't want us to come until every
thing was all ready"
have not seen my cousin Celestine
since she went to the parsonage. They
came out to Crmhntslwlin several
times, but the man whom | have en-
plOyed to watch at the station is vigil
liant and faithful, and so has warned
me in time to effect my escape over
into the hills of Rrddnwr. Any per-
son desiring to purchase an undivided
interest in a cousin, low voiced, sweet
tempered and fair-favored, gentle and
affectionate, charming singer and an
infallible judge of improved city real
estate, can secure a bargain by CORES
ponding with me. | cannot give a
clear title, save as to cOusinship, and
that l will quit-claim, purchaser to as
sumo all risks and encumbrances of
cousinship during the moving season.
- New York Star.