The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-11
TO RENT---ROoMS
By Kenneth Herford.
hOF COURSE we can do it. Why
nnf 2''

vas the end of it.
But" ventured, "the work. Think
cf the work"
give me something to do when you are
way"
This with certain cutting tone, as
much as to say. 'and you are away
most Of the time"
"Very well" | agreed, ''it shall be
as you say. Wen take the house and
you can rent the four rooms if you
want to-"
"And just think" she went on. Wen
ret all the rent back. Then we will
get our shelter for nothing"
please don't call our home shelter =
begged. whereat she offered: well.
what else is it2 We are sure of food.
You make enough a week to get that
some weeks; and the shelter is all that
remains for me TO think Of"
VERY we'll" said l, well move"
And we did.
Three days later. after the carpets
had been cut over and mating had
been bought for the hall bedroom up
NlulIHs We NNit Slluk at ltuHl
Ileasantly-housed al 23l Sunny street.
Hanging the pictures and learning
the ins and outs of the gas furnace had
tired Susan, so we agreed to put off plac-
ing the advertisement in the paper un-
I'll the following sunday The Satur-
day night before. we walked down TO
the office and gave the young man be
hind the counter S. cents in exchange
for slip saying that we had taker
about an eighth Of an inch Of space for
one day-in the paper of the following
morning.
Susan went about il all enthusiast
ically, and she was up al the first cry
of the newsboys the next morn
ing and into my pocket for :
nickel to buy that paper. She
locked through it twice by the fnin'
light of the north window before she
found the advertisement We had placed
the night before. and when sh. did she
appeared as pleased with herself, with
l., and with the world in general, as a
child in the second grade with n new
slate.
But it's awfully little, don't you
think, Reuben" she asked.
| looked at the three lines. 1t did
look little, but | would not have dis
couraged Susan for the world. "Oh,
there'll some one see it," | ventured.
But | want great many to see it, y
she went on. Il want great many to
come so that we can select from them,
l wouldn't have ordinary people in
the house for the world"
To tell the truth, | had no idea that
in the city of Detroit there would be
very many people who would see those
three lines advertising the rooms we
had to rent, but | held my opinion to
myself, only venturing to remark to
Susan. standing there by the window in
the half light: You'll see
And she did, and that before the day
was out.
We were at breakfast. The chops
' ere excellent, the rolls done to n turn.
and the coffee nearer like mothers than
any Susan ever before had made The
doorbeR rang Nov. who in the world
can that be?" exclaimed Susan, drop
ping her fork on the plate before her
with n clatter.
at may be your brother" l sug-
gested
1T isn't either" she disagreed.
Whereat l suggested that one of the
best means of learning who it was
would be TO answer the bell.
The idea seemed to impress itself
upon Susan's mind favorably, for she
did as suggested.
l listened. mouthful of chop poised
on the tip of my fork in mid air.
"Ges," | heard Susan say to the per
son at the door. "wc have rooms to rent.
DO you desire to look at the furnished
ones or the unfurnished ones?"
l smiled. Apparently the person
wished the latter. for Susan took him
or her along the hall to the door at the
end, There was silence for a moment,
followed by confusion of voices, il
seemed TO me, and then the front door
closed and Susan came back into the
dining room.
She sat down near the register, not
at the table, though ! wanted another
cup OF coffee,
What is it?" | asked.
1T was a man." was her reply.
That being bit unsatisfactory con-
tinued: What did he want?''
Rooms"
"Didn't he like ours?"
He Gid until | told him they were
heated with natural gas, and then he
started for the door. He said his wife
cousin was asphyNiated by natural gas
once and that his wife wouldn't live in
a house where II was used"
"Did he say anything else2"
"Yes, he asked if this was a boarding
house, | wouldn't have had him any
way, he seemed so snappy and never
said one thing about the pretty shades
we put up in there"
well, there will be others" 1 said,
encouragiugly. and poured second
cup of coffee for myself.
And there were. They began COM