Middletown transcript., 1894-04-21

'l like top ffat," she continued,
cit is so much lighter. and the air
seems better up here"
"You will miss the elm shaded street
before your old home in Greenwi ch,
said her husband.
"Oh, never mind thatl' she replied.
"Our parlor windows here look out on
great many treetops, and can
place my rocking chair so as not to see
the house roofs, but only the trees
above Them"
''How about the back windows?"
he asked, with doubtful smile, as he
glanced down upon the small barren
enclosure called a yard, and then across
at the rear windows Of other flats,
which fronted on the next street.
stOh! l see children at some windows,
and birds in others, and there is dear
old lady just opposite. Those are our
neighbors. But, Fred, look here! Here
is little balcony reaching from our
side dining room window across the
narrow space to the window of the
next builiing. Why is that?'
''That is fire escape, so that in
case of a fire we can make dash for
liberty over through the other peoples
window, or that they can flee over to
u.s.
e.Tben we are set here TO help each
other. We ought TO be friends" she
said, looking wistfully at the opposite
window, whose curtain was closely
drawn,
sNot much friendship betweenhats.'
commented her husband. City folks
distrust chance acquaintance, and we
must be careful ourselves. There
might be forger living below US, and
gambler across from us. We can't
take chances"
But when Lucy Bryant's pretty
rooms we're settled and made homelike,
and her happy daily routine began, as
she sat in the sunny dining room, hel
sewing she used Of en- to wonder labout
the neirhbors across the fire escape
and think how very easily they could
exchange greetings if they were ac
quainted.
Sometimes the neiehbor opened her
window for moment to set out bot
lie of milk or covered pail; but she
never by any chance glanced across
and she retired as quickly as possible
Sometimes the curtain was raised as il
10 admit light, and Lucy was tempted
to look at the pretty set dining table
the marble clock and the little sewing
stand Once as she stood a moment
making out the subject of an engrav
mo over the mantel, the neighbor tai
slender. bright eyed woman, stepped
swiftly from some corner and pulled
the curtain down with the vigor tina
sent Lucy blushing to the furthest par
of her little fiat.
,.sbe thought me inquisitive," sh'
said. holly to herself; "she doesn'
Inow how miss having neighbors'
.auor knew before how lonely one cal
he in a crowd"
Asa sort of mute apology, Luc!
now often left near her dining room
window a stand with fruit or Hower'
upon il, an open book or bit OF .s[ ~olk
and Tput her curtain high SO tha. ~
ans shs pI unknown lady looked, sh'
tHo ,. sea there was no hostility ne
M's ,s;dance of a neighborly glance
when spring came the Venae, en- .n
of sowering plants in wagons t.a TO In
citv streets for sale; ana Lucy ;
0sIs abios a walk one day. seized edo! 0pon ond
,hrifly hrlns Young geranium with pink bud quo,
anll'bs .nd hore i. up to i,er high nest put
TING it into her parlor wlno0" a. '''
prise to Fred. .or,no the di,
no room, Lucy saw on the n' nIe es'sp : ,p
ny 't .U If he neighbor's window III
hayonia in pot, we'll watefe0 ="
joying the sun. ;, ,nonpbt Lucy
"she loves flowers' 'uo'