The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-08
THE TWO FLATS.

He had a fat and she had fiat It was
about fats they began to talk when first
they met.
Said he, ''AIins is the most convenient
little place.
''Oh, so is nine,'' said she.
81 have a charming sitting room and
little dining room. My own bedroom is
quite a regal apartment, and I have lit
tie den where I can always put fellow
up"
IT have three bedrooms, quoth she.
"But not bathroom" he said firmly.
"Now, r.
"But I have a bathrooms beauty.
Heaps of hot water. -
"Mine has a shower bath. "
81 can say I care about a shower bath. -
She became gracious. She said: you
must come and see my fat. am always
at home on Sundays
And he went. The porter kept him
waiting some minutes in the hall. He
CROPPED with aggressive caution in the pas
sage when the maid had admitted him.
and knocked over the umbrella loudly.
His smile was beautiful and bland as he
entered her drawing room.
81 am SO sorry to enter in such noisy
fashion, he said, "but it's so dark in your
passage that I could see nothing, and I'm
afraid I have knocked over lot of things
"We have the electric light, I" she replied
sharply. why was 1t not turned onP'
Perhaps something has gone wrong
with it, he said kindly. These electric
lights are not quite dependable. always
use old fashioned lamps myself.
lawfully nifty, aren't theyP' she said
laughing and holding her nose.
Il think I could give you hint about
your mantelpiece, . he said presently. 'If
you saw mine it's''-
"But haven't seen yours, you see, and
at present am quite pleased with my
-,
war.
He planned a little dinner, with the
theater afterward She must see his fiat.
Her aunt should ohaperon her, and he
would ask Heathcote-she knew Heath
cote; he was at the dinner the other night
ito make a fourth my dining room is
only a slip of a ROOM
"Ah, you should see minei" abe cried,
ungratefully.
She took him along the passage (now
ht) and flung open the dining room door.
Every hot in summer time, I'm afraid
he said doubtfulIy.
''And warm in winter
She showed him her little dodge for
summoning her paFlor maid without get
ting up from the table, her oak sideboard
picked up, a great bargain, at country
sale (''Some little bits of it really are
genuine ne said); her new blinds, her
book shelves, her escritoire with the funny
little drawers.
His whole air said, ''Wait till Wednes-
day" Wednesday was the day she was
to dine with him.
s'Oh, wish I could show him the bed
rooms" she thought. "My own dressing
table and the spare bedroom carpet would,
must, impress him. But perhaps he
would think it odd
''What I like about my fat, he said,
walking down the passage again and
shifting slightly, ''is the little hall.
have little hall with a skylight, and it
makes the whole place so light and airy"
Rather waste of room, isn't itf''
"Oh, mol I use it as a smoking room. -
'fEvery room must smell of tobacco
she said, bidding him goodby. $50 drafty
toop'
"But one doesn't bark ones shins in
it, - he said, smiling, and knocking over
the umbrella again.
She said to herself, with religious fer
vor, "Oh, will be nasty about his things
on Wednesday,
But her aunt spoiled it all. Her aunt
was prepared to be pleased with every
thing. Her aunt had no tact. She ad-
mired his room (whers they left their
cloaks), his hall, his lamps, even his hor-
rid little dining room; while her niece
wrung her hands and writhed.
Il really believe, . said the aunt, good
naturally. Il really believe like this
fat better than my nieee's."
81 couldn't live in such a placed" cried
her niece wildly, and Mr.. Heathcote stared.
His triumph disposed him kindly toward
her. He came often to her fat. He once
admired her ceilings He said the dining
room was sunny. He proposed. She ac-
oepted him. And they forgot all their
quarrels and became sentimental at once.
1.-The fat has felt little lonely some
times, . she admitted 'But nowI" She
gave him fond look.
My sitting room just wants a woman's
touch y he said. And it was an enormous
concession to make. "But now, sweetest,
it will be perfect.
''You will be able to hang all my pic
lures, . she went on. 81 have always had
an upholsterer to do it before. -
"And you shall hold the nails, darling
lyon will be able to fuss about the hot
water pipes when they go wrong" she
said. And as she added up his occupa-
tions she was delighted to find that even a
man has his uses.
My hot water pipes do not go wrong"
he said superbly.
"But mine do
"When you come to my home, love-
"When you come to mine"
81 do not think you can seriously sup
pose, dearest, that it would not be more
fitting that my fat should now be our
joint home"
MY dear boy, it would not hold US.
cit will hold US admirably. The small
bedroom shall be my dressing room, and
the hall-wel you know, the hall can be
anything"
MY dining room will dine ten people.
What should wei
mime is coy little place for two"
"But the extra bedroom, dear, and the
electric light
"a woman must give up even the cleo
trio light and cling to her husband -
'sOh, won'tl'' she said; 81 von'tP"
Thus they parted.
There are two oharmingly furnished flats
still occupied by two separate owners. One