Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-11-28
SURREY HALL.

| the physician said that nothing but a
! long summer in the country would do
| her one particle of good. He said that
she did not need medicine; she wanted
change of scene, air and diet. Every
place where we had been in the habit of
going would have painful recollections
of poor dear Henry, and, besides, we
had always kept our house open in the
summer time and left the servants in it,
so that papa and the boys could be COM
Portable at any time they were obliged to
run up to town on business and stay over
night. Of course we always took the
children's nurse and our maid with us,
but the rest of the servants remained at
home.
But this summer it was decided to take
house in the country, so near that papa
could go back and forth with ease, as he
had some special law business on hand
that would make his frequent presence
necessary.
But where should we go? That was
the question. You see we were help
less kind of family. Years ago papa had
started us in the way of going to certain
places every summer, and so we had had
no difficulty in continuing in the old
way. Our rooms were engaged from year
to year. We knew that each year we
we've due at the shore on the 9Th of June,
and at the mountains on the 9th of August,
and that in September papa came for US
and took us somewhere 1--WE never knew
where it was to beg for two or three
weeks. But, as | said, this summer we
were all at sea, for our usual routine was
all broken up.
Mamma consulted papa in helpless
sort Of way, but he only said:
'Please yourself, my dear; I don't
care at all where we go, SO that [ can go
back and forth easily. 1 have no time to
think of establishing you anywhere, but
when you are ready to 60 and all satisfied
with the place, shall be very glad to
go along"
| was the oldest, so mamma consulted
with me. It was useless to ask Leila
what she wanted, for she didn't want
anything but to go away by herself and
die, now that Henry was gone; at least,
that is what she said. So mamma and [
consulted the papers and real estate men
whether we wanted one bedroom or
ten.
Finally, grew desperate. I put on
my bonnet and started for a new town.
through which [ had once passed, and to
which [ had been very much attracted by
the outlook from the station, a very IN
common thing in any town, large or
small.
''Shall I get what I can, mamma dear,
without consulting any further?"
Mamma was laid up with one of her
headaches that day, and couldn't go with
me.
''Certainly, my dear, am perfectly
desperate, and besides, I consider your
judgment quite as good as my own and
in my utmost heart I could not help
agreeing with her
So an hour and half later, I might
have been seen strolling the streets of
Beresford, in company with real es-
tate agent, is any one had desired to
look at me.
i'll and out, Eere and there, up and
down | went. One house was too small,
another badly situated, third had bad
drainage, until the long suffering man
wiped the perspiration from his brow,
and looked as If he would like to hold
me under the pump and pump on me I'M
til | made up my mind to take one of the
houses he had showed me.
IF you don't mind going out into the
country about a mile where you'll have
to keep horse to reach the station"
he began, hesitatingly. -
''Out in the country! Why, that is
just what wanted, but thought every
thing was occupied. I understood you
to say So.
"Well, I did say So" admitted he
frankly, 'but there's one house that you
can have. The owners gone to Europe,
and he's dreadful particular as to who
rents it. But don't think there is any
objection to you, miss" and he assumed
what he considered a very engaging
smile.
Caring little further about the former
occupant. asked no more questions, ex-
cept those necessary to my bargain. We
soon reached the place. Nothing could
have been nicer. All conveniences,
shade, fruit, water, and everything neces-
sary to the makeup of thoroughly en-