Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-05-11

,.aSSts:l ii: siisH great Brow
g;s,9EEssf ,isas. = -. House opposite
i.7sz''4Z't='s72- = ! the park.
Year in and year out that house had
stood vacant. Summer suns had woven
their threads of light through the
closed blinds; winter SHOWS had piled
their white drifts against The thresh-
old.
Some said the house was damp, 9TH
crs that it was haunted, yet others
shrewdly surmised that 1t was in liti-
cation, and couldn't show q clean
title.
But nobody knew anything for GER
tain, and when Major Trixon bought
it, aud an army Of decorators, masons,
painters and uphol:ters took possession
of it, the interest AMI curiosity of
Portville was at the eliminating
point.
That the major was bachelor was
very certain. That he was forty years
old, If not older, appeared an iucon-
trovertiblo fact. That he was i'm
mcnsely rich, rather eccentric, and de,
cidodly in want of a wife, erybody
IN town knew before the tltle-deeds of
the big house had been twenty-four
hours in the possession Of the owner.
eyes" the major had nverred, seri-
ously, when lacetiously challenged on
the subject by Mr.. Miles Rideau, one OF
his most intimate friends, 81 do want
wife. You may chAtf about ii as much
MS you please, but it don't alter the
fact Bat l went a wife, not q bundle
OF giggIes and friazes and Paris mill.
lnery."
"l'll introduce you to our first
young ladies'" said Mr.. Rideau, cheer
fully, "and then you can pick and
choose for yourself"
Major Trixon was silent.
GA regular old bachelor" said Ri
deau, to himself. "He'll never marry.
He wants perfection, and there's nc
girl living that can come up to his
standard
The ladies, rs n matter of course,
were much interested in the bluff,
brown, elderly major. Miss Serena
Silver, whose grandfather had been q
commodore, and whose genealogical
tree had more branches than star.
fish, picked ont the last gray hair from
her tresses, and plumel herself for
conquest.
"He'll want 4 lady of undisputable
birth and position" she thought.
Alice Wood, the pretty dressmaker' :
assistant, pinned on an extra blush
rose as she tripped to and fro to her
work past the windows OF the Brown
House.
"The old story of King Cophetua
and the beggnr maid is always repeat,
ing ITSELF" she thought. "And Pm
not quite beggar."
While all the beauties in Portville
frightened ~ their armor and pre-
pared to enter tho lists.
Mnjor Trixun went into society, and
society was puzzled to know what to
make of him.
Twelve shirts" said Gertrude
May, holding up her hands in dis.
may.
"Twelye shirts !" echoed Mrs. Lacey,
who was a pretty widow on promo
tion
"But, my dcars, said Mrs. Hodge,
the mother OF two dimpled, velvet
eyed beauties, "you must be mis-.
taken !"
"We'ro not, mamma, SAID Bertha.
"de really did say SO, mumsey, :"
declared Ida.
"You see, Mrs. Hedge" explained
Erminia Bruce, ''he has founded a
hospital or poorhouse or something
out West, and ho wants box made up
to send to the poor people there. And
he has asked the young ladies here
abouts to contribute twelve shirts
one each, don't you see? And they
must be made by their own hands.
$50 ridiculous. said Mrs. Hedge.
"But old bachelors always do have
their quIps and cranks." said Mrs.
Lacey, complacently, as she remem
hered "A garment of the late lamented
Lacy's wardrobe which she promised
herself to edo up" and pass on to the
Western paupers ms piece OF genuine
domestic manufacture.
"Well, girls, you'll have to get out
your work-boxes," said Mrs. Hedge.
'If it was worsted- work, now," said
Ida.