Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-07-11
A HOUSE TO LET.

1t was advertised in tho papers after
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 irresponsibility.
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 q
man, the other woman-and they bent
their faces in its direction.
A geographical-as we'll 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-
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 a mile and half
along boxed in country lane and not
be oppressively conscious of each other.
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 and 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 q
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
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 a 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-
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 a
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 her
red lips.
"That was just the question I was
going to put to you," she answered.
"No," he said. II have merely come
from Dorchester to look at it,.
"And I have come from Cromer'
In the pause of which announcement,
a woman, i'll sunhonnet and clogs, with
that reticence which the caretaker ex-
hibits when she does not want to let the
house. slowly opened the door. She
moved back, making room for them to
enter, making at the same time q de-
predatory movement with her bare
arms. cts all very nice and convenient
like she said, indicating the tiny
drawing room Oh the right, the tiny din
ing room on the left, the lilliputian
kitchen in perspective, the narrow stair
way intervening, "furi bachelor, or a
spinster, but not fur them es is married.
For them es is married-an I fatter
myself es knows, being myself a mar
ried woman-this ERE bijou residence
amt ali, nor yet a quarter, large enough.
A man may be es fond O. his wife es
ever it is possible fur i'm to be, a wo-
man may be es fond of FER husband es
'er ever ken be, but they don't want to
be knocking up ngin each other all the
livelong day.
Here the figure in the rowan berries
summarily disappeared sinto the tiny
drawing room. The tall patrician man,
preternaturally embarrassed, strobe into
the tiny dining room, and the garrulous
caretaker was left to finish her speech
to empty benches. She imagined herself
to be woman Of singular penetration,
however. 1t was her boast that she
could grasp a situation al, 10 glance and
take it all in. Therefore she was by nc
means disconnected till flutter of skirts
smote her ear and the woman with the
rowan berries rcappeared, sthelman hay
ing gone up stairs, saying in a whisper,
with Indignation traceaHle in every
word:
'That gentleman is 9perfect stranger
to me. l have never 'seen him before
today in my life. WeHhanced to arrive
at the station together and to walk up
to the house together. And now you
can go. There is no occasion for YOU tc