The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-08-04
HIS COUNTRY HOME.

Il have come 10 get the KEY which nm
dcrsta 81 Mr. Ames left here when he move
away" said the young man.
oh, yes" said the old lady. "Step righI
IN and III get it for you"
| a large cat made friendly advances. and
was settled in his lap by the time the old
,aoy came back. She sank ponderously into
eer chair and looked at the young man with
kindly scrutiny. ~
Are you Mr.. John Arnold. the new
owner OF Mr.. Ames' house,"
Yes. The unhappy owner, should have
SAID few days ago, but now have changed
my mind"
lndeed?" said she. ri wonder why you
changed your mind"
We'll, III tell you about e." he said.
ieanIng back comfortably in bis chair and
stroking the purrins cat.
1 took the mortgage on the place with.
out having the slightest idea that il would
ever come into my possession. That was
1--we Years ago. For Some time Ames has
been getting behind on his interest. and |
did not look after him as I ought. 40 was
rather surprised and not little disgusted
"hen found last week that was the owner |
Of the place, and that Ames had moved |
away. did not remember much about il |
except that there was a small house on /
half an acre of land, and that it was very
lar from salable. So there I WINS with
a white elephant on my hands and no earth
ly use for him"
The old lady smiled.
Well, in q day or two I had a brilliant
idea. was sick in the winter, don't fee
real good now, and the doctor, every time
see him, tells me must get out of doors
more. My boarding place is only five
from the law Office where !
york, and when one is tired he doesn't
eel Ike walking, or even riding the {
'icycle, Just for the exercise. So it occurred
me to come out here 10 live. Get nv
wn supper and breakfast, you know. and
utter around in q garden. | can 20 into :
own on the electric cars till the roads get
ettled enough to ride my wheel" "
at noon he went to his old boarding =
lace, where he was to continue 10 take his a
miners. lie had lived with Mr.. and Mrs | /;
ustin for number OF years. and Mrs n
ustn felt a motherly soictude for him.
ne almost overwhelmed him with questions AT
10 whether he slept well, and if be had he
eaktast enough, and wasn't he very tired. d.
ID didn't he think he had better stay in
wn that night, and was the house properly N
red before he went into it. h.;
For the first week Arnold himself was ,b
lIttle doubtful about his experiment. and NO
rs. Austins fears and questions rather bo
noyed HIM, but at the end of that time
began TO get used 10 his new life, and he hi,
anne more cheerful than he had been for ON
nths. qu
'y the time the grass began to turn bo,
en- he could not have been persuaded TO wo
urn to bis old way Of living. His bouse j
med more attractive as time went on "
tdled the yard, trimmed the rose bushes eve
grape vines, and by the middle of April mir
began, with great enthusiasm. to spade Glo
a garden patch
lrs: Austin sighed and shook her head
u June came. Then, as she saw no pros. II
OF getting him back, and as she was BAN
some evenings, she took school teach. Inc
o board. She was q very pretty girl. ieGe
&c Howard by name, and She was quite PIll
ativc. Mrs Austin's dinner table was n,
~ pleasant meeting place Pr
mold was not used to girls, but it seemed DE-
IN that Grace Howard must be different 10
md she seemed sncb = -! = 49,. on
old bor Ill - ~! NO"ev"idI spirit outsi
r. tLn q" oDUu' MS mousse ms garden, have
- .ue ione ramoies he took on Sundays. the n
listened with interest to all he told her
s rural experiences
summer went by, and Arnold became IF
and more enamored Of his country meal
The Littlcfelds were constant bring
OF pleasure to him, and the two house ner.
were very neiphborlv best
m ono n;ob, 90. ,fct t
''h"'' 1uS' ou INC eC%e OF Hln Globe