The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-13
AUNT IoNOR's SUMMER BOARD
ERS

|
AUNT HONOR's SUMMER BOARD
ERS.
81 wish you would take them, Hon.
or" The voice was the peevish, fret
full one of the farmers wife, who had
added to her burdens in taking summer
boarders. EVERY room in my house is
full, and it would be too bad to send
them back to the city
But our poor place is not fins
enough for city people," said Honor
Eastman, looking depreciatlngly at the
blue cornfower pattern on the wall, and
then through the open window toward
the river that, winding its way between
green banks, separated her farm from
her neighbors.
Nonsense" said the other energeti-
cally. You know you've got one OF
the finest places in Michigan, Honor
and they'll pay well and not be much
bother"
Met thus with the convincing logic
of experience, Honor laid aside her
scruples and followed the example of
her neighbors. who opened their homes
to the city folk that overrun the Michi-
gan side of the lake all the summer
long. She did it hesitatinaly, regret
ting the invasion of the privacy of her
home, and looking Wistfully at her
flower beds, brilliant with the many
1 hued marigalds and petunias and holly
hooks. Il hope they won't pick them
all she said 10 herself, and then
chided her own selfshness.
Mrs. Harrington came with her small
children and large trunks filled with
pretty gowns that gave Honor the
nearest feeling Of envy she had ever
felt, The lady's husband came out on
Sunday, accompanied by tall hand
some man. whom the children called
Uncle Tom" and Mrs. Harrington in
troduced as my brother, DR.. Thomas
Haddon"
"Uncle Tom" was a favorite with his
small nephew and namesake, and that
afternoon, when Honor went into the
parlor to carry away her favorite book
OF poems from the marble top table
she saw through the window that
young gentleman perched on the porch
balustrade, looking down admiringy
at his uncle in the rustic chair, enjoy
ing his after-dinner cigar
It's jolly here, Uncle Tom" said
the boy. 1--WE have pie for breakfast,
and cake every meal, and there's an
organ instead of a piano. and the cook
comes in and says: Honor do you
want the eggs billed or scrambled for
| breakfast?' and never says, Yes,
ma'am or Miss like mammals
! The gentleman laughed, and Honor
ESCAPED undetected as a listener, but
h,,rt h. Ind
thought her guests must see that she
understood their standard Of living
| The cottage organ represented the prof
its of the berry crop, and her friends
had praised her playing until Honor es-
teemed herself a MUSICIAN.
| The next morning there was no pie
for breakfast; even the cake was re-
served for the evening meal and when
the children leased for hymns Honor
excused herself on the plea of much
housework.
In the fall when the Harrlngtons had
gone back to the city, Honor found she
had saved quite a sum above the ex-
penses OF the summer. 1t was lonely
at the farmhouse without the children.
and Honor could not think of Mrs.
Harrington's beautiful manners and
tasteful dress without feeling of Sc
cret envy. An idea came to her, but it
was too daring to be realized. "At my
time of life, too" she said to herself.
why I'm nearly thirty" But the face
that looked back from the mirror was
youthful and bright. 81 believe I'll do
it; there's nothing to hinder" she said,
and the brown eyes in the mirror
looked back with approving assurance
There was much wonder and some
comment in the rural neighborhood
when it was learned that Honor East
man nd gone to Chicago, to stay all
winter. But she went, and the letters
she received were addressed in the care
Of prominent woman's club.
In the early spring, almost as soon
as the robin redbreast came, Honor
was back at the farm, taking up the
lines of her duty where she had laid
them down in the autumn
When Mrs. Harrington wrote asking
if she could take the family again for
the summer Honor was glad, and they
came when the strawberries were ripest
and best.
DR. Haddon came the following Sun
day, and in the afternoon, as he lay
stretched in the hammock, lazily
watching the curling smoke of cigar
as it lost itself in the leafy canopy
above him, Mrs. Harrington interrupt
ed his reve1ies.
II do not understand it," she said.
Everything seems unchanged but
there is a difference 1t is more as |
would do things myself. The meals are
the same, but so nicely served Honor's
dresses are as simple, but her manners
are those of a self-possessed woman Of
the world And the daintiness of every
thing-you notice the flowers on the
table,
POOH" said her brother, looking at
his handsome, elegant sister, admiring-
ly, ITS only your good influence,
Alice"
Nevertheless, some weeks later DR..
Haddon declared that Sunday trips to
the country were too brief, that he
needed rest, and was not going back
to the city for a month.