Middletown transcript., 1886-09-16

while could build hres IN the mornIn
and milk COWS, and think nothing Q
it. I did feel SO rich every time
remember my estate, with my fine cas-
tile in the middle of it-not in the leas
like maid-ofall-work or a broken
down school teacher.
Not much of a castle, either.
wanted to have lock on the door a
| a slight concession to conventionality
but the carpenter looked so surprised
that I did not insist. will confess tt
you. though. that I rugged up {
kind Of button arrangement to us'
nights.
81 had mighty struggle with tha
carpenter about the window, but tha
point 1 would not yield. Eight big
frames of glass let in the sunsets tc
me, 50 that | have daily glimpses o.
as much of the New Jerusalem as
lam capable of appreciating.
/ al do feel real pity for the people
who don't know from experience what
it is to be Of more value in an honest,
commercial sense than the clothes
and bread that go to sustain life.
"I have had such good garden
this summer, three kinds Of tomatoes,
two kinds Of beans, lettuce, peas,
quantities of things to eat, and l have
set out three baby apple trees and
planted lots of maple seeds"
"Do you intend to live there
alone p said in some dismay, for to
me solitary life in palace would be
utter barrenness.
"Yes, / shall have SO much to do,
fxing,up my house and cooking, that
shall not be lonely. l shall read
Goethe this Winter. 1 have never
:
had time to look out German words
with clear conscience, but the owner
Of acres can afford such Injuries as
time and leisure. When I get so
frightfully rich that I have more
money than I spend I invite shall
iased-pp discouraged women out for
breath Of life. / wish you would
come and see me. l will give you.
three kinds of tomatoes and two kinds
of beans. My berth is ready, ! see !;
goodnight I always regard this
sleeping-car business as piece of
extravaganza Oh my part, frightful
enough to warrant q smash-up by
way of judgment, but it is really
cheaper than a two-days' sick head
ache. 1 wish you would come and:
see me. Good nightl"
I thought about her during the
night and again early the next morn
ing when I stepped out of the car,
while the curtains hung straight and
still before every section but my own.
The absurdity of her invitation had
not struck me before, but as the morn
ing air cleared my thoughts laughed
to remember that she did not know my
name nor dwelling-place nor l hers.
It was extremely improbable that l
should ever know the rest of her his
tory. Indeed, as frequent repetition
Of the story proved SO interesting l
came at last to regard the young
woman as merely an insignificant fac
tor in my highly significant tale.
Five years later I stumbled upon
the sequel. It was October. and /
was stopping at a sham watering
place in Dakota, altogether charming
because Of its absolute freedom from
the first essential Of a watering place.
Tired one day from long horse
back ride, stopped at a farmhouse
on top of one of the prairie knolls,
which people there call conteaus.
NY knock was answered by my fel-
low-traveler Of the years before. She
stood in the maternal, not madonna,
attitude, child dragging her skirts
down each side. She looked radiantly
happy and recognized me at once,
whereupon I forgave the seeming in
consistency of her former confessions.
"And this is the end of it?" said.
nNo, indeed" she answered, caress-
ing both children at once. This is
only the beginning Of the middle. l
was just settled in my home five years
ago when young man came to the
door one morning and asked if he
might board there.
at told him that he might not, but
he urged the matter and finally asked
the season of my refusal, whereupon
I informed him that as I was keeping
house alone it would not be proper.
He proceeded to intimate that he was
consumptiye and on his way to an
early tomb. Then he asked for my
advice, as hadn't a chance to air my
notions since my meeting with you,
/ gave him advice-lots Of it.
"I told him that he might sit down
and die, but that Dakota was a fear
fully bleak place to be buried, and
that since he appeared to be not ex-
actly an abject pauper I should re-
commend him to buy piece of land
and dig in it, and do so much good at