Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-10-13

their alarming discoveries and objec
tions at me.
) Summarized, I learned that the
place was decidedly Objectionable, be
cause the rent was too high; there
were no speaking tubes in the house
the cellar was not cemented; the house
had been built to be heated by fur.
mace, and was therefore beyond the
reach of those of moderate means
there was not room enough; there was
too much room; the rooms were toe
large and would require acres OF car.
pet to cover the floors; the grounds
were so extensive that the employment
of man to care for them would be
necessary; there was no sidewalk
trains were not sufficiently numerous
it would all be nice enough for sum-
mer, but when winter comes what's q
body to do?-and so forth. Of course
the advertisement expressly described
this as frame house of nine rooms,
the grounds of about three acres in
extent, the water supply as coming
from q we'll and clstern, the railway
station as three blocks away, and the
rental rs S55 month. And yet scores
of men and women who were in search
of brick house of six rooms, with city
water, sewer connections, speaking
tubes, gas and bath, on the line Of q
street railway, came out to inspect my
property and annihilate me with their
objections to it. I thought I was a
plain-speaking, plain-writing man. I
am not.
The week passed and the house was
still on my hands. It was Saturday,
and had reached the conclusion that
l would lock up the place that even
inc, return to my bachelor apartments
in the city, and let some agent sell the
property to the first bidder and re-
lieye me from strain that was fast
putting gray hairs into my head. I had
disposed myself in the rocker on the
veranda when noticed that the early
afternoon train deposited three per-
sons on the station platform, who i'm
mediately took the path leading up to
the stretch of grassy hillside and ter
minating l! In. atmy gate. As they drew
one was al elderly gentlemen with
snowy hair aud mustache, another
man in middle life with sandy beard
and mustache and the third lady of
about twenty. They came direct to the
gate, passed through it, and were mov-
ing slowly UP the walk when I ad-
vanced to meet them. The young
lady was the spokesman. At least she
opened the interview by referring to
the advertisement as the moving
cause OF their visit. I cannot for the
life OF lle explain why thought SO,
but instantly il fixed itself in my mind
that my tenants stood before me.
Twas just bit nervous, but L gathered
myself together, and in five minutes
time we were walking together through
the house and talking pleasantly about
its arrangement, conyeniences and such
like, and then made tour OF the
grounds. When we returned to the
veranda I rendered the rocker to the
young woman, while the gentlemen
one, US I learned, her father, the other
her brothcr-and myself sat on the
steps. There would be no train to
the city for an hour, and we had am
pie time to discuss the object OF their
visit and, incidentally, such personal
affairs as are wont to develop under
such circumstances. 1t was thus that
I learned that the old gentlemen was
Virginian, upon whom the results OF
the war had fallen rather disastrously,
and whose troubles from this source
had been augmented by the death OF
his wife. His son was member OF
one of the professions and amply
equipped mentally and financially to
provide for the family, while the
daughter, reared in true Virginia fash
ion, was to he housekeeper or general
charge d'affaires. We agreed upon
terms, and it was arranged that Colonel
Kirby was to assume possession on the
following Monday. ! accompanied the
party to the station, gave them cor
dial goodby II confess it was reluc,
tant goodby gave the young LADY,,
the train sped away toward the smoke,
wreathed spires of the city, and left
me to my rocker and my reflections.
Bright and early Monday morning
procession of vans invaded Glover
syde andwhile the sturdy help was bus
lily engaged in the work of transferring
the contents to the house the Colone
and his daughter reached the place by
train. An exchange OF few compli
ments pertinent to such On occasion
ensued when I abdicated and left thu
quiet country cottage to resume lif'
in town. At the end of month
made my debut as landlord. Their
was noticeable improvement in tn
appearance of the place. The ground
looked clean, and flower beds at od'
places aud bordering the walk, CAV
evidence of womanly attention. Th
house wore home-like, hospitabl
: air, and just where I had left it sat tn
Olu fOchel. IueSe luluOo l. Ao1ASS' q
: that first call, brief one. Subse
quent visits gave opportunity for NOR
extended observations, which only EN-
! phasized my first impression that
V model housekeeper was directing maj
t ters in a certain habitation in Glover
n syde. Gradually I became consciou
4 that change had taken place in my
@ self
s Town life was fast losing its attra'
: tiveness; my thoughts turned with n
t indefnable longing to woods crownin
V the uplands through whose leai
e branches the Southern breezes playe'
J. to rivulets springing from groves, pla;
It ing along the slopes awhile, prattlil
). into groves again and dancing away
r the shaded distance. And / philos
Z phized, too. No man is bachel'
J. from choice. Either his lonely cond
9 ton is case of it-mieht-have-heen.