Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-10-07

St{K& rgNO LET-A frame
-->-SIZsG}=S L cottage, contain
s@1@1@SG@- ing nine rooms, subdi-
@OEyssES12 OEsS1u2- vided into parlor, re-
-Z-l.aSS9@- ception and dining
y3(E room, library, kitchen
@ and four bed chambers,
%@->ESysA-, with broad halls. The
house is encircled by n veranda and stua-
ted in grove OF about three acres eX-
tent. Well and cistern on the premises:
stable and outhouses. Three squares to
station and about half q mile to electric
car line, now in course OF construction,
and which will pass place. Rent $50 per
month. Apply on the premises, Clover
syde, St. Louis County.
l am not college-bred man, just
o plain "readin' writin', rithmetic"
sort of a mortal, not given to beat
ing about the bush, but trying with
all my heart to speak and write so as
to be plainly understood. And so,
when, after writing this advertise
ment, 1 looked it over, it seemed to
express in fairly intelligent way the
desire that moved me to its compost
ton and the subsequent expenditure
of coin necessary to secure its publ
cation in the Republic. I desired to
secure tenant for my property. The
premises and the location were de-
scribed with sufficient attention to de-
tail and accuracy to enable the reader
to arrive at a decision as to whether
that was such place as he or she
might have in view for residential
purposes. The rental was set out as
distinctly as my knowledge of the
English language would permit me to
state in words or figures. These pre-
liminaries disposed of, there remained
for me nothing to do but reflect upon
the bereavement by which I, con-
firmed bachelor, found myself in pos
session of something for which [ had
no earthly use, and to trust to the
power Of the press for measure of
assistance in the preservation of that
possession or its disposition in man
ner satisfactory from financial and
personal standpoint.
1t was plain that city raised as l
had been 1 could not reside content
edly in such place. was ignorant
of the management of house or the
control and guidance of corps of
servants. The location was against
my taking up my abode there. 1t was
too retired and quiet, decidedly. The
ten days L had spent there while the
carpenters, painters and decorators
were putting the place in shipshape,
were the most lonesome and dismal in
all my experience. The nearest neigh
hny oh tttrn
had he been next door it would not
have relieved the isolation, for he and
his family extinguished the lights and
retired at O'Clock, '1eaving the world
to darkness and to me-"
In an old-fashioned rocker would
sit for hours, my reverie only dis
turbed by the rattle and roar of pass
ing train and the accompanying bark
of every dog on the circuit, these dy-
ing away and intensifying the solitude
and loneliness.
l have said that I was n plain
speaking man and plain writing one.
Perhaps, in the interest of truth,
should qualify that statement by add
ing that 1 thought was until the re-
suits of my rushing into the want col
umns of q metropolitan newspaper
disabused my mind of tho idea. My
appeal to house hunters met with
generous response. They came singly,
in pairs and quartets, in crowds.
Every train bore a delegation of them.
Not all house-hunters are demented,
not by any manner of means. But
goodly percentage of those who fav-
ored Cloversyde with their presence
on that beautiful Sunday just a year
ago to-day were, am bound to think,
weak mentally. Either this, or there
was gigantic conspiracy among the
guild to harass and annoy me, and
thus add to the embarrassment of the
predicament in which 1 found myself
through this sudden acquisition of
landed property. To particularize:
The first person to call was a pudgy,
red-faced gentleman, who, after he
had toiled up the hill and relieved
himself of snort or two, requested
to be shown over the place. When we
had returned from the inspection my
caller protested that there was no
sewer connection.
How under the shining sun there
should be such thing with the near
est sewer five miles away is beyond
my feeble comprehension, but that he
did expect it and came out there pur-
posely to realize his expectations. the
manner in which he mopped his bald
head and grunted left no margin for
doubt. AS he bade me good day and
waddled down the hill to take the next
train cityward fancied I could detect
phantom sever connections in the
heated atmosphere above his head.
The next train landed half dozen
cranks, who iostled each other in their
anxiety to reach me. As they wedged
their way through the gate and along
the gravel walk there was fire in their
eyes.
Another tour of inspection and then
the jargon commenced. An old fellow
in glasses EXPRESSED his astonishment