Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-01-13

HEMe ago was still in
" good repair. A
broad, well-kept
lawn sloped away to a shaded carriage
drive on the west. On the opposite
side, the flower beds bloomed bright
and beautiful, genuine delight to me
from the appearance of the first snow
drop to the last chrysanthemum A
heart-shaped bed of pansies, purple,
white, velvety black and yellow, looked
out with old-fashioned primness and
dignity from the centre of the front
lawn at the passersby. AT the back of
the house were the kitchen garden.
with its trim box hedges, and the old
barn or carriage house, a sorrowful
remnant of better days. The latter
was now untenanted save by a few de-
predatory swallows and family of yell
low jackets, who had taken up their
abode in the vacant hay loft.
Our family, besides Jack and my
self, consisted of two boarders, Mr..
Prince and Mrs. Fellis and our two
servants. Mr.. Prince, who was get
ting on in years, was extremely digni-
fled, always dressed in respectable
black; he came and went about the
house as he pleased. He had been
with us for some time and Jack and /
had become very fond of him. He was
quiet and good -natured, went on oc-
cssional errands, and never failed each
morning to carry in the mail and lay it
beside Jacks plate at the breakfast
table. He had, however, two faults,
which IN my eyes were very grave,
He would never wipe his feet before
entering the house, and although had
admonlshed him several times for his
lack of thought, L had been unable to
break up his careless habit. His
favorite lounging place was the broad
Turkish couch, with its numerous pill
lows, which occupied one corner of
our cosy library. He would stop in
the doorway, look cautiously about
him, and finding the room tenantless.
would throw himself down among the
pillows; never failing to rest his un-
wiped feet upon the prettiest one of
the number.
One day, finding him there, my
wrath overcame my courtesy and | un-
tremendously dragged the pillow
from beneath his feet. NV heart
smote me Immediately for my harsh
ness as he awoke, left the couch and
walked out of the room without even n
glance in my direction. His wounded
feelings soon healed, for day or two
later [ found him comfortably en-
sconced in his cid place.
Our other boarder was a pretty
young widow, Mrs. Fellis by name.
Jack had known her before we were
married, but somehow L never felt
jealous of this acquaintance. She was
gentle and affectionate but excessively
nervous. Her dress was always of
the softest gray Black she detested.
as it was decidedly unbecoming to her
small figure. She would sit for hours
in large old easy-chair in the library,
where she and | spent most of our
time. / always fancied that she had
n good voice, though had never heard
her sing. She had an exasperating
habit OF humming certain monotonous
tune in low key at all hours of the
day.
Toward Jack and myself she was
friendly and ati'ectionate, though never
demonstrative; but when in company
with Mr.. Prince she preserved frigid
dignity, and met all his overtures of
friendship with cold rebuff. She
had peculiar fancies and queer fond
ne5ses for odd places. The old barn
was a favorite haunt, and here she
would spend hours at time, revelling
apparently in its solitude and dilapi-
dation. 1t was untenanted, as / have
said except for the swallows and
wasps who built their nests beneath
its rotting caves. Occasionallya tramp
would stray in under cover of dark
ness and claim its hospitality for the
night. What Mrs. Fellis fancied in
the place we never knew, but Jack
and L seemed powerless to prevent
her from going there.
1t was at the close of hot August
afternoon. Mrs. Fellis and | sat upon
the broad piazza behind the thick
curtain of woodbine, attempting to
keep cool. 1t was too warm even for
conversation. L dozed over my book
at one end Of the piazza and Mrs. Eel
lis nodded drowsily at the other. Mr..
Prince lay stretched at full
length beneath one of the huge