Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-06-24

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looked mp at the ceiling and then
down at the big stone spittoon. He
reflected
Then he shook his head
NO" said he, l don't The hotel
don't open till June. Old Mrs,
Moxon used 10 take boarders, but she
had stroke o paralysis last month.
l dunno of no one else.
81 should be willing to pay fair
price" said Mr.. Poyntz, ''and wen
give as little trouble as possible. "
Still the postmaster shook his head.
'I-don 't-know nobody. " re-
peated he. "Here, Janey Walton
two packages and letter for your
folks, and six cents due -
A bright eyed young girl slipped for
ward from the shadowy corner where
they sold calico and canned goods at
double city prices, and counted six
cankered cents, reluctantly, from a
shabby purse.
Her cheeks were flushed, her heart
was humping like trip-hammer, as
she lifted her timid eyes to Percival
Poyntz's handsome face.
II think know of place where
you could be accommodated" she
murmured, ''if you are not too par
ticular-an old farm house with fresh
air and plenty of room. "
Mr.. Poyntz stepped forward, rails
ing his hat as he did so.
1--WE should require four bedrooms, -
said he, ''and we're fully prepared to
camp down in almost any fashion.
Would fifty dollars week for the
party be too little?"
Janey's big brown eyes dilated.
Fifty dollars week seemed a colossal
sum to girl who had lever seen more
than five dollar bill at any one time
before.
He drew out his card
'Will you favor me with the adj
dress?" said he. May call at once p
This evening"" falt5red Joney,
feeling as if she had burned ali the
bridges behind her, rat eight o'clock
It's the old Walton homestead, beyond
the mill-race, where the big elm trees
grow
And before Percival could syllable
any more questions that slim figure
had vanished
Janey Walton did not go nome by
the road, but took instead short cut
flying through budding woods, stop
ping on the edge OF Racket Brook 10
gather handful of the very earliest
violets ere she jumped airly across the
stepping-stones, climbing rude walls
like a squirrel and springing lightly
from hummock to hummock in the
marshy meadow under the hill.
SO that her cheeks and eyes were
brighter than ever when she darted
into the wide, low-ceiled keeping room
where her two elder sisters sat bemoan-
ing their hard fate.
Amelia and Philippe Walton were
widely different from their dark,
nervous-natured young sister.
Amelia was tall and fair, with frizzed
flaxen locks and expressionless blue
eyes.
Philippa was like big wan doll,
with pinky cheeks and deliberation
of movement bordering on stupidity.
Dear me, exclaimed Amelia, chow
Won do bounce into the room.
I'VE thought, said the magniied
WIN doll, "that you never we're com
ing back
There letter for Philippe, said
Janey, "from the Thackeray Maya
zine 1t looks like her story coming
back. And two parcels for Amelia p"
Declined with thanks. =" angrily
read Philippa And those packages
nre Melia's painted scarfs from the
Bureau of Work. | knew there
wouldn't be any market for them
CAS- much as there is for Your silly
stories" sharply retorted Amelia.
"Oh, dear | never would have
bought that blue serge dressif hadn't
thought
Listen, struck in fancy, abruptly.
1--WE something to tell you, girls.
We've come to point, now, where
something must be done; and Eve de
termined to take boarders.'
''Boarders.''
Miss Philippa drew herself up with
hautSur
Never" cried Amelia, emphati-
cally.
But we must live. treasured Janey.
"And there's the interest on the NOR
tgage coming due this month, and the
taxes are all behind, and the butcher
says he can't let the bill run any
higher"
eve are Waltons, said Philippa.
''Waltons, suggested Janey, must
eat and drink.
Amelia burst into tears.
'Janey never had any proper pride"
said She never! And l won't con
sent"
'But you must consent" asserted
Janey.
And then she told the two pink-and-
white maidens what she had done
Artists :" exclaimed Philippa. son
q sketching tour Oh, how delight
ful :"
Three gentlemen and three ladies,
repeated Amelia. "Oh, ! should reyel
III a little congenisl society Janey,
see here Philippa and l never will
descend to the level of boarding house
keepers. As said before, we are Wal
tons! Our grandfather was a county
judge. Buff you choose to run the
place, as it seems" with seernful
sniff you've taken the responsibility
Of things, and let these people sup