The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

II was just passing stammered Mr.. Exur-
ban. II wasn't thinking OF buying just yeti
The citizen looked at him with some suspicion
Perhaps you think" he said. because you
f house ~" %in "tf in repair. tell You ln sir. as arr friend md
that you're making,a mistake: When you see a
man careful q his property like am you may
"Oh. I'm sure OF that!' said Mr.. Exurban
"it's the house. where every crack lent
stopped as soon ms 1t appears, and every nail
isn't driven home as soon as II gets loose, and
Where ne owner is lever seen doing nothinc
zen In an aggrieved manner.
Quite so, quite So began Mr.. Exurhan. Be-
fore he could say more hts wife pulled him by
""ouicESi !" she whispered. III wo'ro going to
escape we've got TO hurry"
Mr.. Exurban looked around. At the house
across the way no saw u gentleman hurriedly
stoop. In front OF other houses he saw other
gentlemen standing with surh apparent uncon-
Germ to all that was going on around them that
were s~trolling up and down the sidewalk, watt
ing. In the windows of tho houses their wives
and daughters were looking out with every in
dicntion OF Intense interest In the proceedings
In the street. MIR. Exurban grabbed his wife's
there were fewest gentlemen.
Come and see mel" shouted the citizen.
Now whatever they say or do" whispered
Mrp. Exurban eIcttedly, " don't you let them
make you buy n honso!'
AS they looked back after reaching a safe
EeRlOn, Lne1 tHW lIlt BenLIcllen IDCklnp over u
the citizen. who had resumed work with his
mortar pail;
me- of the pullrrs-in in Baxter street. But. by
George! II must be worse than We suspected.
from the way they act"
There certainly must be something dread
fully wrong about the place II every one Is so
anxious to sell" replied Mrs. Exurban.
~ wonder II we couldn't get the truth out of
the real estate agent" suggested her husband.
You can see he has a kind heart by, the way
he talked about The furnace. Most likely he
would let M knnN what tho trnnhln iaN
NO" answered Mrs. Exur6au. Tho would
act just like the others, because he would think
But the idea was Mr.. Exurban's. and he was
determined to test 1t. so he Went to the Office
a charming house, a combination Of Elizabeth;
an: colonial. Qdcen Anne. early Dutch. and
and the grass was green aud tho trees shaded 1T
just enough. and altogether 1t seemed as de-
lightful a habitation as an ordinarily fortunate
man had a right TO dream OF having. There was
wns perfectly sure he could buy it. Novertle-
less the result startled him when, as a fecler
and a foundation for confidential talk. he men-
toned casually to the real estate agent that he
II didn't know that ia ever get out Of the
office without, signing something" he said
aiterward to Mrs. Exurban in describing hi.
visit. 1t seems that IL was an especial bargain,
move away
this house and those of the others were so
anxious TO sell. Mr.. EXurhan could get only
glitterinE ceneraltties from the real estate
I"Suburb Park" he said with every indication
OF convie;lop. is the finest place TO live in
around New York. | live here, except in sum-
msr, when vi | go 70 Europe with my fs,ni!y,
stay right here, replied the real estate
agent proudly. Why. do you know suburt
surrounding district owing to its sheltered posi-.
ttonI Just let me give you one of these books;
'ThQnka W said Nj Eynrhan ratnrntnD IN
the assault. or course, ! understand its
harder to keep a detached house warm than one
Don't you believe it." returned the real
estate agent; Nobody here complains of cold"
ME-. EIurban surrendered at this statement
and left full Of suspicion.
My dear" he said afterward to his wife,
you can never imagine how efficient he is rs a
real estate agent until you have seen the smooth
WAY in WHICH he tells people that"
That night the first cold snap came. and
real estate agent an injustice. He didn't know
how cold IT really was until he reached the
back and told her. She wrinkled her brows.
1t must be something else, tnen." she said.
n. haY ySsy You sr noticed many dogs running about
What do you mean p Mr.. Exurban asked in
Or" pursued Mrs. Exurban. people walk.
ing about with crutchcs ~
Lame dog and people with crutches ~ re-
"Neither have T." returned Mrs. ExurSsn
II asked because / had a school friend who
! lVeu Ill jersey. In n place Wnere there was
rheumatism. and she said that you could al
ways discover the:presence of rheumatism by
those signs. SO 1t can't be rheumatism thai
drives people from here. 1t can't he malaria
either she added. because there are MOI
enough drug stores for that"
Yet there Is evidently something" said Mr.
Exurpan. for you hardly See a souihere on the
streets at night"
They had one resource left that offered n pos.
slble chance of solving the mystery. This was
the friend upon whose ad vice they had come tC
Suburb Park. They had avoided hitherto put,
ting the strain upon friendship Involved in ask.
ing the question: but now they put the sltua.
ton plainly before him.
why does every one here want TO sell his
house ~ Mr.. Exrlrhan asked.
The friend gave n snort OF disgust.
They don't know O good thing when they
see it" he replied. They come here and SCI
and they get il NIL wrong and they can't get rid
OF 1t quick enough after it Is built"
But" argued Mr.. EXurban. " was thinking
only the other day that | could easily build on Il
lot right around the corner just the sort Of
house | wanted without the slightest Il niCulty.
The friend grabbed Air. EXuTban by the arm
" Let me tell you something better than build
Ing. ne exclaimed eagerly. -" built tins houst
myself and | know every inch of it. Their,
cheap. Lo"k, over It now. See the exposed
plumbing and -
Tue present situation of the Exurbans Is o.
follows: suburb Park is growing in charms
every day. At the same time they know TINT q
J fatal blight hangs over 1t. And they are sure
! that all The other inhabitants Of suburb Park
are cherishing the vain hope of selling them q
house. and so have entered into n conspiracy Il
conceal the awful truth from them.