The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-12-23

.el Lol his sister curing the DAY and
early evening. No, the rooms upstairs
wouldn't do for them, and as for those
on the ground floor they had no furni.
ture.
About noon there came a man with a
little boy.
He was a widower, but he looked as
though it were not owing to any fault
of his own. While he talked with Susan
his son dug nice little hicks in the win
dow sill with a new jackknife. He
liked the rooms very much, but his wife
had left on his hands lot of dishes q nd
there appeared to be no place to hang
them or arrange them at all. Susan
told him of our large woodshed, but he
said that he could never think of 1.-The
light Of his life's" things being put out
in the woodshed, so he didn't take the
rooms.
Then there were two ancient school
teachers. They liked the rooms up
stairs, but could not see how their
piano could be moved there. Susan
couldn't either, SO they went away.
About four in the afternoon young
man and his wife came up the front
steps and rang the bell.
They wanted two unfinished rooms
and wanted them right away. They
wanted running water, stationary
wash-stand, mantel, and gas CRATE.
Those characteristics were of our rooms
exactly. From behind the curtains l
saw Susan's color grow flush with in
terest as she thought: well, they're
| gone this time, sure"
She talked with this couple a long
time. She came down dollar a
month when they faltered, and finally
when they went out the front door and
she had slammed it after them, she
came into the parlor and sank into a
chair near the table.
What was the matter with them ?"
asked.
"They didn't like the ceiling chande-
liers. They wanted wall brackets
They said if it were not for those
chandeliers they would take the rooms
at our own price"
| saw the careworn look in Susan's
eyes and began to feel real pity for her.
Poor little girl, l thought, it's shame
for her to run up and down those stairs
so much
And it was in the midst of my pity
uueXpressed that the bell rang again.
This time it was a man and his wife
desiring UNFINISHED apartments.
Susan trudged down the hall again.
She opened the doors, turned on the gas
in the crate, raised the shades and
lighted the jets. The couple were de-
lighted from the outset. They talked
of everything. They wanted to know
if Susan would put down mating in
the little bed chamber. Of course Susan
would Anything to choke off the re-
suits of that advertisement of three
| lines.
Well, they would go out and figure it
all up and would they be given the re-
fusal of the rooms until the next noon?
And this time when Susan came into
the parlor her face beamed.
''They're coming tomorrow noon,"
she said, land then there only remains
the two upstairs. Oh, Reuben. 1 do
hope"
She did not finish. The bell had tinls-
led again.
"An upstairs ROOM" heard her say.
"Yes"
They came back down after about
ten minutes. Again heard words, this
time spoken by a masculine voice of
singular gentleness. very well. l
shall move in tomorrow afternoon. |
expect my wife here in a week and if
tle second room upstairs is not rented
shall probably take that also"
Susan could hardly wait to close the
Goor after the second real renter. She
came bounding into the parlor, her
eyes as bright as two stars. "Oh, Reu-
ben!" she exclaimed, "Ive rented them.
He says he will move in tomorrow
afternoon, and, with those in the down
stairs rooms at noon, that leaves only
the one hall bedroom on the second
floor. And can rent that, too, KNOW"
"Did they leave any money to hold
the rooms?" l asked.
Her face fell for a moment. NO"
she replied. 81 never thought to ask
them" And then with more eager
ness: Butt know they'll come, for the
people who looked at the rooms down
stairs measured for the carpets and
talked about where they would stand
their table and all that, and the man
for upstairs wanted to know all about
the bathroom and the closets and if !
wouldn't even take him to meals. Oh,
I know they will come tomorrow
night"
Tomorrow" came.
At noon Susan was in a high pitch of
excitement.
No one rang the bell.
Half-past twelve.
Still no one for those unfinished
rooms.
One, two and three, yea. even four,
five and six struck on the brass clock.
And at that last hour Susan would eat
nothing.
All heard her say was: "Oh, what
liars people are"
Encouragement was written on her
face and little tears were beginning
to crowd their way into her eyes.
The reaction had come and with 1t
bitter, crushing disappointment.
And at irregular intervals people are
looking at our rooms and going away
again still. That three line advertise
men!t must have been seen by everyone
who is considering renting a room with
In the next ten years. Its mighty
strength has crushed Susan. She is not