Connecticut western news., 1896-07-09
A HOUSE TO LET.

A HOUSE TO LET.
 It was advertised in the papers after this fashion: "A bijou residence, suit able for small family. Charmingly Situ- 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, it's 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 a man, the other a woman-and they bent their faces in its direction.
 A Ageographical-as well as 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 a half from the bijou residence in ques- ton. After that, how much fate or des- tiny had to do with it, how much man, how much woman, remains problemat- ical defy two people of the opposite sexes to walk for a mile and half along a boxed in country lane and not he oppressiyely conscious of each other. defy man possessed of the slightest moiety of taste not to pick out the vari- lus beauties of that woman if she have them and briefly tabulate them on the retina of his appreciation as he walks. I defy her, if she have a grain of that ooquetry 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 put stopping every five minutes to pick samples of them?
 Finally, the two drew up at the gar len gate, if not simultaneously almost so, 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 flora in her arms to decorate font at harvest fes- ,ival 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- ton. It occurred to him that speech was he only thing possible to save the situa- tion. He raised his hat, displaying a yrizzled but patrician head, and smiled.
 "Is the house let then2' he asked.
 The woman showed gleam of teeth ander the rich undulating curve of her red lips.
 "That was just the question was going to put to you, she answered.
 "No." he said. "I have merely come from Dorchester to look at il"
 "And have come from Cromer.
 In the pause of which announcement, l woman, in sunhonnet and clogs, with that reticence which the caretaker ex. house, slowly opened the door. She moved back, making room for them tc enter, making at the same time de predatory movement with her bare arms "It's all very nice and convenient ike," she said, indicating the tiny drawing room on the right, the tiny din ing room on the left, the lilliputiaI kitchen in perspective, the narrow stair way intervening, "fur a bachelor. or { ipinster, but not fur them es is married | For them es is married-an 1 hattel m yseh es l knows, being myself mar ried woman-this 'ere bijou residenc, ain t 'ah, nor yet quarter, large enough A man may be es fond O. his wife ei ever it is possible fur i'm to be, a wo | man may be es fond of Ter 'usband O 'er ever ken be, but they don't want tt be knocking up agin each other all th' liyelong day.
 Here the figure in the rowan berrie summarily disappeared into the tin, drawing room. The tall patrician man preternaturally embarrassed, strode int | the tiny dining room, and the garrulou caretaker was left to finish her speecl to empty benches She imagined hersel | to be a woman of singular penetration however. It was her boast that sb could grasp @ situation at glance an' take it all in. Therefore she was by n means disconcerted till 6utter of skirt | .mote her ear and the woman with tn rowan berries reappeared, the man hay ing gone up stairs, saying in whisper
 with indignation traceable in ever; word:
 "That gentleman is perfect strange to me. I have never seen him befor
 today in my life. We chanced to arriv at the station together and to walk n to the house together. And now yo
 can go. There is no occasion for you t follow me over the house. l prefer t
 look at it alone. By the bye, she add
 ed, "I should advise the owners of it t
 put it in other hands, You evidentl
 don't want to let it''
 It does not take long to look over six roomed cottage. In ten minutes tn
 man was out on the slope of garden i the rear looking idly ahead of hfI across the reach. He had seen in f1as
 through the staircase window the rows
 berries going up stairs. He caught in
 flash now the rowan berries comir down.
 Twill she go straight out by the ha door," he asked himself, Tor come in
 the garden?''
 A rustic of the silk skirts comir
 down the path toward him, glimp
 of a comedy figure silhouetted nome
 tarily against the pendent ivy, was u