Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-03-19
A HOUSE TO LET.

this fashion: "a bijou residence, suit
able for small family. Charmingly stu
ated on one Of the loveliest reaches Of
the Thames. A house of unique design
and exceptional sanitary arrangements.
Sloping garden TO river. boat, boat
house, stabling, fruit garden" etc.
Yet despite the alluring character Of
this announcement, the bijou residence
went through two seasons unlet, its
notice boards leaning lower and lower
as the seasons went on over the stone
boxed fringed garden walls with pa.
thetic responsibility.
At length, simultaneously one morn
ing in late July, two people caught the
glow of that announcement from oppo-
site corners of England-the one
man, the other woman-and they bent
their faces in its direction.
A geographical-as we'll as a railway
time book-dispensation decreed also
that those two people should make their
debut simultaneously at the little way
side station, situated some mile and
half from the bijou residence in ques-
tion. After that, how much fate or des-
tiny had to do with it, how much man,
how much woman, remains problemat-
ical. I defy two people of the opposite
sexes to walk for q mile and half
along a boxed in country lane and not
be oppressively conscious Of each other.
I defy a man possessed Of the slightest
moiety of taste not to pick out the vari-
Gus beauties Of that woman if she have
them aud briefly tabulate them on the
retina of his appreciation as he walks.
I defy her, if she have grain Of that
coquetry which is said to be innate in
woman, not to display those beauties to
the best advantage for his especial de-
lectation.
And what woman ever walks along a
country road rich in wild flowers with
out stopping every five minutes to pick
samples Of them?
Finally, the two drew up at the gar
den gate, if not simultaneously almost
go, the man pushing the gate wide for
her and waiting, and they arrived face
to face under the trellised porch.
The woman had put bunch of scarlet
rowan berries in her hat, correspond
ing bunch in her waistband. She held
sufficient wild grasses and fora in her
arms to decorate font at harvest fes-
tival. Her dark gypsy face had caught a
glow from these berries; her dark eyes
shone; she was not young, the man
thought, but extremely attractive.
The sound of advancing footsteps
footsteps presumably of the caretaker-
reused him from his temporary aberra'
tion. 1t occurred to him that speech was
the only thing possible to save the situa.
tion. He raised his hat, displaying q
grizzled but patrician head, and smiled.
"Is the house let them" he asked.
The woman showed CLEAN of teeth
under the rich undulating curve of hel
red lips.
"That was just the question was
going to put to you, she answered.
"No," he said. ~ have merely come
from Dorchester to look at it. y
| "And I have come from Cromer.
In the pause of which announcement
a woman, in sunhonnet and clogs, witt
that reticence which the caretaker ex
hibits when she does not want to let thu
house. slowly opened the door. Sh'
moved back, making room for them tt
enter, making at the same time de
predatory movement with her bart
arms. "It's all very nice and convenien
like" she said, indicating the tin.
drawing room on the right, the tiny din
ing room on the left, the lilliputial
kitchen in perspective, the narrow stair
way intervening, "fur bachelor, or ;
spinster, but not fur them es is married
For them es is married-an I f1atte
myself es knows, being myself mar
ried woman-this ERE bijou residence
amt 'alf nor yet quarter, large enough
A man may be es fond O. his wife O.
ever it is possible fur i'm to be, a wo
man may be es fond of 'er 'usband q
'er ever ken be, but they don't want t.
bo knocking up agin each other all tn
livelong day"
Here the figure in the rowan berrie
summarily disappeared into the tin.
drawing room. The tall patrician man
preternaturally embarrassed, strobe int
the tiny dining room, and the garrulou
caretaker was left to finish her speecl
to empty benches. She imagined hersel
to be O woman Of singular penetration
however. It was her boast that sh
could grasp a situation at a glance ant
take 1t all in. Therefore she was by n
means disconnected till futter of skirt
smote her ear and the woman with tn
rowan berries reappeared. the man hav
ing gone up stairs, saying in whisper
with indignation traceable in ever,
word:
"That gentleman is perfect strange
to me. have never seen him befor
today in my life. We CHANGED to arriv
at the station together and to walk ri
to the house together. And now yo'
can go. There is no occasion for you t.
follow me over the house. I prefer t
look at it alone. By the bye, " she add
ed, II should advise the owners of it t.
put it in other hands. You evidentl,
don't want to let it'll"
1t does not take long to look over
six roomed cottage. In ten minutes th
man was out on the slope Of garden il
the rear looking idly ahead Of hin
across the reach. He had seen in flas
through the staircase window the rowa
berries going up stairs. He caught in
flash now the rowan berries comm
7 down.
DIR. Hands Collie Cure.