The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-08-21


"Oh," he said, family. This, then,
was not his hostess. "Then think l
must be newer boarder."
81 will call Miss Matilda" said the
June Rose, incapable OF coping with
this logician. Would he come in?
Of course he would come in. He had
come to stay.
The June Rose walked across the
hall.
"Miss Matilda, another boarder has
come"
Every WE'LL" said the unsurpassed
Miss Matilda, rolling up her knitting.
81 expected him."
For Miss Matilda was not one of those
who advertise and wait. She knew
that all that would be necessary was
for her to announce that she would
take boarders. OF course, they would
come if they were once permitted.
"Good evening"" she said, politely, as
she entered the south parlor.
In half an hour they were all at the
tea table, luxuriating in the pleasant
sense of stimulating novelty. The
cold ham was pink and thin. and de-
licious, the biscuit had "risen" prop
erly, and the waffles were done to
turn. Miss Matilda was the only un-
excited person present. Things had
turned out exactly as she had intended
they should, and she was content.
| The June Rose was agreeably stimu-
lated by the prospect of more fun than
she had anticipated. Mr.. Grahame
johnson believed himself in Paradise.
And Hiram? Hiram was a surprise.
Grahame had expected lean, lank
countryman, devoted to corn; and be-
hold, he was student from a western
college, merely seeking rest and recrea-
ton in the friendly tlling of his aunt's
pastures as a diversion. Mr.. johnson
| felt q little afraid of Hiram. His name
was against him, but everything else
appeared to be in his favor. Why Mr..
johnson was not agreeably surprised at
finding the other young man attractive
seems unreasonable; but it had rea-
son.
After tea they walked in the garden
the sweet, old-fashioned rose-scent-
ed garden, and the June Rose explained
to him the programme for the season.
'I've found out her idea. She wants
to give the town bicycle. And she
means to pay for it by her boarders.
Not out of the profits, mind you, she
isn't going to charge herself with the
expenses; she is going to turn over to
the town every cent we pay her, She
says: 'Lor, child! What with all this
garden sauce, and the well, and the
apples, and the corn, it won't cost any
thing to keep you What troubles her
is the meat question. Meat in the coun-
try is dear and not always to be had
even at that. So you must tell her to-
night that you never eat beefsteak for
breakfast, but prefer just coffee and
biscuit Then we must manage to be
away a great deal at dinner time-bi-
cycling, you know"
"Together?" interrupted the young
man, joyfully.
"And then we can come home to an
early tea"-the June Rose ignored his
allusion to companionship-"and have
cold ham and sardines. You see she will
get on beautifully"
"She," murmured Grahame.
"Yes, she. It's no matter about US.
I am determined the town shall have
that BICYCLE mean, those bicycles,
for she wants two. Then we must ar
range to stay till very late in the sea-
SON"
ST WILL" assented Grahame, eagerly.
"And then, when we get ready to 60,
we must present her with our bicycles"
| At this elimination the June Rose
looked triumphantly at the newer
boarder, as if she had achieved master
piece of diplomacy.
'Well. really"
"Yes, really. We can assure her that
they are in good condition, and I'm
sure she will not mind their being
secondhand, she admires them So.
Papa is going to give me new bicycle
for Christmas, anyway; and I'm per-
fectly sure you will never be satisfied
with '96 when you see what improve
ments '97 will have; SO you see we
might as well be generous with the old
ones"
Aud INC ucAO SFCLiuS5 lIiCy "oAFASA q
little in the garden. Grahame had gen
erously lent Hiram his bicycle, and had
been astonished to see him mount it
with ease and ride away.
81 wish young Lochinvar would ride
back to the west" he thought, and he
added to the June Rose:
They're not so innocent as you think.
Hiram knows all about a bicycle"
"Hiram? Of course Hiram knows.
The only reason he hasn't his own bicy-
Gle is because he was generous and left
it to his younger brother when he came
east"
"Well, you needn't be SO sarcastic.
I haven't any younger brother to leave
mine with"
mo, you are to leave yours with Miss
Matilda. Even if Hiram can ride, the
Gown can't. Miss Matilda wants the
town to ride"
An amused fancy kindled Grahame's
imagination. He projected cartoon
for some comic weekly, representing
town Oh bicycle. Yes, he was getting
rural material for literary purposes;
only, as he thought with another in
ward smile, he was getting it, not from
the country people, but from city
visitor. However, he conquered his
smae and asked:
do you think the experiment is sue
ceeding?"
Succeeding? Of course it's succeed
ing. hope you don't mind very much