The Republican., 1890-11-14


indeedr' said one lady as we pointed it
out to her; "but it is a perfect wilder
ness of cold draughts!'
We were silent; we could not deny it.
Matthew said something rather feebly
about cocoanut mating, but the lady
left without listening to him.
Things were getting very desperate
when one day gentleman called and
said that he had heard that we had a
house to let. Instantly we were all in
the highest state of excitement. Jane
and flew to put on our bonnets, and
The gentleman told US that his name
was Wilton; that he had seen our adver-
tisement in the paper, and that he want
ed a house some little way out of the
town, as his children were not very
strong.
"How many children have you?" in
quired Matthew.
ooh, several" replied Mr. Wilton.
els this the house? 1t looks very pretty"
We had become so accustomed to ohear
the house found fault with that our
hearts warmed to him at these words,
and we parted mutually pleased, after
showing him over the place. We heard
from him in day or two, accepting our
terms. Our house was let! We could
scarcely believe our good fortune.
We took an early opportunity of walk
ing out in that direction, and paying a
call on friend who lived in house not
far from ours. The conversation soon
turned upon our new tenants, and Miss
CaXtons words confirmed our worst
fears.
81 am so sorry you have got such a
tribe of rampaging children into your
house," she said. Il was going by the
other day, and heard a great noise, and
there were two boys crawling over the
roof of the corridor Their mother was
leaning out of the window trying to
reach them with a broom, and as one of
them got away from her he put his foot
through the glass. You never heard
such a set out as they made in your life" :"
Our hearts sank to zero. The Wiltons
had taken the house by the year, and we
did not see how to get rid of them at a
moments notice; yet before six months
much more a year-had elapsed our
poor house would be a ruin, and our
garden wilderness. 1t was not alto
gether with disappointment, therefore,
that in few months time we heard that
Mr.. Wilton had decided to leave the
neighborhood, and would be much
obliged if wewould release him from our
agreement.
We gladly consented, though with a
little outward show of reluctance. But
we could not quite understand why the
Wiltons were so eager to be off. They
had had the house remarkably cheap,
considering their requirements, and it
seemed ungrateful, to say the least.
They were no sooner gone, however,
than we found out the cause of their
haste. Our house was a wreck. The
term may seem strong one, but it is
not too strong for the truth. Both pa
per and paint were practically gone, tiles
eG tbs roof, windows broken, pipes out
q order-ettIything was f0th where
once all had been SO neat and beautiful.
We watched the builders at work this
time with very different feelings. There
was no pleasure in it now, and though
the bill was not SO heavy as it had been
before it made no difference, for there
were no funds to meet it.
What was to be done? Matthew sug-
hot cl n11 e
our capital, but that was clearly i'm
possible, for we should then have little
left to live upon. 1t was difficult
point, but as usual hit upon solution.
We would mortgage the house! Mat
thew did not altogether like the plan,
but, as he had no better one to propose,
l carried the day. The house was mort
gagged, and both bills paid off.
Months passed away, and still the
house remained inlet. One gentleman
was very much inclined to take it, but
there was no coach house. and though
we were sorely tempted to build one we
dreaded bricks and mortar too much to
venture, unless he would have taken the
house for at least seven years. A widow
lady offered to take it if we would let
her have it free for the first two years,
and we were rather sorry afterward
that we had not closed with the pro-
posal, for there seemed no chance of
anything else turning up. Meanwhile
we had to reduce our expenses daily to
meet the drain of the interest.
1.-THE next thing will be that we shall
not be able to pay our debts" said Mat
thew gloolnily, but it is always the dark
est hour before the dawn, and only a
few days after he made the remark we
had an offer that bade fair to remove our
difficulties. A gentleman and his wife
came down to stay at an hotel in the
town and look about for house. Di-
rectly l heard of it got Matthew to go
with me to call upon them, for l felt
that such an opportunity might not oc-
cur again. Mr.. and Mrs. De Courcy
were most pleasant people; one could
see at once that they had been accus-
toned to move in the very best society;
there was an ease and grace about them
that contrasted pleasantly with our local
manners. They received us most kindly
and made an appointment to see the
house.
II can hardly hope that they will take
it," said, as we walked home; but con-
trary to my expectations they were en-