Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-10-17
Observation-Disclosures. 49,. y
MRS. SMITHS LODGERS


When my husband died, he left me
with little money and an invalid daugh-
ter. Fortunately, our house, with its
pretty garden at the back, was left us.
Lodgers came and went and very cheer
fully added their rent payments to the
sum which | kept in an empty tea chest.
Finally there came good looking boy Of
a or so, employed on big morning pa
per during the week and until a late hour
IN Saturday upon Sunday paper.
Mr.. Ivry said his room was very nice,
and he had been under my roof two
weeks when Miss Hardy came. She
came in the evening" when, luckily, | had
just finished setting Mr.. Ivry's little
room in order. She wanted a room and
The privilege of preparing her own break
fasts and suppers, and she would be
away at her work at big milliner's dur
ing the day.
Now, every Granny of my house was
full, uness-and here the wild plan which
led to such constant watchfuness and
fIightful anxiety jumped into my mind.
told her l feared the only room | had
would be too small and too plain to suit,
but il she would like to look at it-and |
led the way to Mr.. Ivry's room.
Il will take the room," she said, with
little sigh of resignation over my
iinty price, "and l will come tomorrow
evening at about I.
And at what time will you be going
away in the morningY l asked as cas-
ually as possible.
ooh, dreadful early. l must breakfast
at 6 and be in my place at sharp.
viii you kindly let your maid call me at
half past ., for sometimes l am SO
sleepy"
| assured her that would gladly
waken her myself, being always an early
riser.
She came, and four whole days passed
before the awful possibilities of Sunday
dawned upon me. | felt that | had al
ready n sufficiently narrowing time-re-
modelling the room in the morning for
Mr.. Ivry and clearing it up in the even
ing for Miss Hardy. More than once |
had what my husband would have called
a close shave to prevent their meeting.
What with falsehood and hard work and
wcarying watchfulness, my nerves were
already becoming shaky.
How to keep Miss Hardy out of her
room from half past to half past D or
longer OH Sunday was the question. |
thought of several things, but finally had
W cast lily sell Ou MISS 11uTuN tOIlIuS-
sion. / told her that friend of mine
was coming to spend Sunday with me,
and | had no quiet corner, nothing, in
fact, but my bedroom and the kitchen,
and would she mind giving up her room
just for the day-and as early in the
morning as possible-as a special favor to
me? Miss Hardy promptly answered
"Yes."
l felt myself grow red with shame,
thinking of my deception, but still had
sufciency of scares during that time
one morning Miss Hardy, running back
for handkerchief, and, finding me wild
ly removing her effects as if engaged in a
fire drill, and only able to stammer some
thing about sweeping day" and one
evening catching me just outside her
door with the last armful of Mr.. lvry's
things, and Mr.. Ivry finding a thimble
and hatpin which | had clumsly over
looked, politely handed them to me with
out even thought of suspicion.
The time fled swiftly, and soon another
unarranged Sunday confronted me. 1t
was Mr.. Ivry's turn to be diverted from
the room.
Now, | would take bold stand and
say to him that he would be comforting
a great favor if he would find some other
room for just that day, and / would glad
ly make n suitable reduction in his rent
and be so much obliged. | made the sug
gcstion to him with fear and trembling,
but the dear boy had nothing for me but
instant compassion and ready compliance.
The next Saturday afternoon at
quarter to 6 Mr.. 1vry went away with
his dress suit case and umbrella and a
smiling goodby. But all was not over. l
was sitting in our own little room one
evening when the blow fell. When /
heard the hall door open and close and
recognized the quick step bounding up
the stairs, knew the end had come.
Evidently Mr.. Ivry had hastily re-
turned for some important forgotten
thing and tried to unlock the door. l
heard Miss Hardy utter an exclamation
and bound to tie door, which she must
have opened quite violently.
"What do you mean?" cried Miss
Uardys voice in startled intensity.
81 beg pardon, but | left began Mr..
Ivry.
you are mistaken! This is my
Excuse me, it is my room
"If you don't go away this minute, I'll
call Mrs. Smith.
"Wnl you listen a moment? 1 left
some papers here
Mrs. SMITH"
lin the inside pocket of my mackin-
tosh"-
Mrs. Smithw
THAT hangs on--or did hang an hour
ago-in the corner by the
BY this time they must have taken a
look at each other, and there came lit
tie cry from Miss Hardy.
"Philip-AIr Ivryw
Then there was such a confusion of ex-
carnations that l could distinguish moth
ing for few moments. Finally came a
few sentences in Miss Hardy's clear, but
slightly trembling, voice:
Il am here because l am at work.
Papa died n year ago. He lost all his
money, and he couldn't get over it. | am
as poor as you are now"
THANK heavenw said Mr.. Ivry very
fervently.
"At the last papa was very sorry for
for everything. He told me to see You.
But you had gone-I did not know where,