The Opelousas courier., 1898-03-05

YYNET1K|zz.%R % s;s ! IN Il
NJ 'H"|NN~ the dust an,
heat of an early spring day; so, whe1
her aunt stopped in front of anothe
office, Sara gave a little gasp of de
spair before resigning herself to til
inevitable. That 1t was inevitable sh,
we'll knew, for Aunt Jane never dit
anything by halves, and when she wa:
house hunting, allowed no real estat,
signs to escape her watchful eye.
AS they went in, a gray haired maj
came forward to meet them with the
buslnesslike air of courtesy that Sarf
had come to consider more provoking
than rudeness. A young man at a desl
In the corner glanced up indifferently
but continued to look, with a strange
expression on his face. Sara saw him,
and conscious that her cheeks were
reddening, turned abruptly about tc
examine the cards on the bulletin
board. That one quick glance had
brought back the scenes of the pleas.
ATTEST summer Sara had ever known
the summer. when Alan Slocum had
spoiled it all by quarreling with her.
How could she ever have been so
careless as not to notice the sign over
the door? He was probably thinking
ut that very moment that her appear
ance there was q matter of her own
conniving. What a long, tiresome
talk her aunt was having with the
senior partner! Sara could catch bits
of sentences here and there, about
furnaces, calcimine, and hard wood, SO
she knew they had gone from the alb
stract to the concrete. By the time
she had read the list of houses and
flats four times over, the agent turned
from her aunt to the young man, and
Sara's heart sank as she heard his
words.
eff you have nothing else on hand,
AL" he said, IT wish you'd take these
ladies over to the Kimbark Avenue
house for me. I've got to wait for
Brooks"
The young man bowed, and, picking
up his hat, followed them out of the
Office. He ignored Sara almost COM
pletely, and, walking by her aunt, be-
gan to speak of the desirable quail
ties of Woodlawn.
SIT is very pretty here" said Aunt
Jane. II had almost despaired of
finding a house in SO popular q local
ity when my niece discovered your
sign"
~ didn't discover it," said Sara
rather hastily. "You spoke of the Of
fee"
SWELL, what difference does it make?
So much more credit to me-" her aunt
said easily. ''My sister broke hertleg
at the last minute, and lam doing her
house hunting for her," she added,
turning to the young man at her side.
Alan Slocum smiled alphabetically.
ut is extremely wearing work. he
said pleasantly. "From what part of
the city did you come, Mrs."
"Mrs. Harris" replied Aunt Jane.
"From the far north side, and it's going
to cost a small fortune to get them
moved down here, too"
Tt was something of relief to get to
The house at last.
"Hard wood in both rooms, you no.
lice, Sara" her aunt was saying. Seas
CRATE, bay window, side porch-let's
see the pantry. That turn in the stairs
will make a good place for the clock"
went on, as she started on a tour
If inspection of the second floor. Give
bed rooms. Which will you have,
"The second, I suppose" said Sara
listlessly. "Mother'l have
he front"
"There's a pretty little balcony out
'ide of your window, you see," said
Aunt Jane. +,
EYES," said Sara slowly. "a cor
iial invitation to strolling burglars" f,
II declare, you're the most provok- {
ng girl I ever saw" her aunt said /,
"After I've come all the way !
rom Edgewater to select a house for t
'ou, you might, at least, take a little 8
interest in the one I select" I
Il do, Aunt Jane" said Sara. try +,
ng to speak lightly. "I'm just tired, i
suppose" 9
"Well, you hurry along and buy the t
for home," said Aunt Jane, re- G
enting, land TIL go over to the Office g
nth Mr." :
Jarvis" said Alan, without wink 6
ag. /
Jarvis, TIL take the house, subject q
} approval, if that is satisfactory" t
Sara hurried away and bought her t
ckets for the express to the city, glad a
I q few minutes in which to collect Q
or thoughts. She walked up and 8
own outside the turnstile and tried Il
} persuade herself that she wished v
Ian Slocum in the moon rather than Il
4 the next street to her future home. $,
he gave up. trying, however, for she
'uld not think connectedly, owing to "
10 shrill cries of a newsboy and the s,
labolical whistle of a popcorn stand. $,
unit Jane hove in sight before long, Il
Id they went through the stile to- g,
Il
such a nice young rnan, that MI. d
srvis, Sara" said her aunt. "Did "
u notice him?" a
II never heard the name before /" =,
id Sara, peering up the track in the
rong direction. .'What did Won do 10
,out the house?" f.
I thought the safest thing to do 10
to take it," Aunt Jane said. .sMr. il
trvis said there were three people to dt
it this morning and five yesterday, Ii,
/ was afraid to wait" sh
They day they moved it rained-a Ia
Id, dlsheartening drizzle. that. mada ~