Middletown transcript., 1895-11-16

person, Mrs. Pounce, that has seer
better days." was what The house agent
said, when he handed me over the keys
"and" says he, 81 think We may trust
yo.l to take good care of our out door
steps and windows, show applicants
over the house and answer all ques.
tions."
"You may say SO, sir" says l. with
a courtesy, "there's many houses Tve
had charge Of and never fault has
been found yet. And this shan't be
the first one," says |.
"We've large business" says Mr..
Eagle, 'and if you give satisfaction,
Mrs. Pounce,n says he, as civil spoken
as possible, it's likely you'll never be
without roof to your head"
Well, my dear, of all nice houses
and I've seen many in my day-this
was the incest. Brown ,stone front,
with bay window and snug garden
planted all in box borders, hot and cold
water all through, a>little conservatory
with an arched glass roof at the rear,
and the hall floor covered with real
Milton tiles, and made you think was
walking on pictures; wall painted with
Cupids and Venuses and garlands of
flowers, the dadoes of hard wood all
throughout. Neighborhood most de-
sirable, drainage and sewerage per-
feet, and churches conveniently near.
Excuse me my dear, if it sounds like
an advertisement, but Mr.. Eagle wrote
it down for me, and never rested un-
til I'd committed it all to memory, so
could speak it off easy like, without
any stops or bitches. And this l will
say, as can't be said of all advert ise-
ments, there wasn't word in the
agents description but what the house
bore out.
And the board hadn't been up
twenty-four hours before there was a
rush to look at the house. Young
married couples as wanted to give
up apartments, old married folks as
wasn't suited with their location;
boarding-house keepers as made be-
lieve they was private families as
wanted to take few select boarders.
But the rent was put up tolerably high
and most of 'em dropped off, after I'd
named the sum.
"Never mind Mrs. Pounce, never
mind" says Mr.. Eagle, rubbing his
hands. "It's house that ther'll be
no difficulty in letting, without any
reduction of rent. just watt" says
he, "till the spring sets ili."
But, one day in trots and old gentle
man with gold spec'aclrs and A smonih
shaven face, and "business" writ in
every wrinkle of his forehead.
''This house to let ma'amy" says
he.
"Yes, sir" says I.
"Can look at it?' says he.
"Certauly, sir" says [.
/ began as smooth as oil about the
hot and cold water, tn marble foored
bathroom, and The Milton tiles, when
all of sudden he puts up two hands
in warning sort of way.
''That'll do, ma am ,"says he ''that,ll
do. I've eyes, and | can see for my
SELF"
Certainly, SIR" says l; but L won't
deny as I was took aback by that queer
dictorial way Of his.
"Any ghosts about the place ma 'am2"
says he.
"SirP" saysI.
"Ghosts," says he, out loud and
sharp. Mysterious footsteps-lurk-
ing shadows-cla chains at mid
nightp"
mercy, no, sir!" says 1, beginning |
10 feel my flesh creep all over.
s'Rats?" says he.
Certainly not" says I, "with solid |
,emented cellar floor and sealed |
boards"
''Bettles?" says he.
''Look for yourself, sir" says !, |
Dridling up a little.
81 like the house," says he, after he
had gone shifting about the drain
pipes, and peered into the coal cellar
Ind wine vault and sounded the cop
per boiler with his kruckles, just for
Ill the world as IL he was in the plumb
ing business. .'You may tell the agent
['ll take it, if he and I can come to
,erms about the rent. When shall you
zee him?n
"Most likely this afternoon, sir,n
,ays 1.
"I'll drop in at his Office tomorrow
1t nine !" says he. .I'm. going to be
says he, as composed as IL
be were saying that he was going to
AXE blue pill. A"The house viii suit
my wife's ideas. She thinks we are
going to board, " says he, with an odd
sort of chuckle in his throat, '-ssand
she's not bit pleased with the idea.
[pll be pleasant surprise for her,"
'ays he.
Well, no sooner had Ire gone than In
comes q stout, middlc.aged lady, in a
black silk dress, lows of curls on either
'ide of her face, and cheeks as red as
my abbage rose.
''I've just come from Mr.. Eagles
,fice,n says she. HE has given me
he refusal of this house, in case it
,uits me.n
81 don't know, ma'am, :, says I, ssbut
That Il 3 let already"
Let already?n says she, with . sort
II aorenm aRnk fhaf,a imroosih1olI