The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-16
: THE PAYING GUEST
.."..A.."..A.."..A.....A..".

-. ."..A."..
'...'V.....v'...V.... '....'v....'V.".v'....'
The Graysons were annoyed. and the,
had good reason to be. TIER expense,
insisted upon exceeding their income. i
was not the fault of the Graysons-i
was the fault Of the income. Nor coult
they find any solution to their problem
Pa Grayson had been in the same posi-
ton at the railroad Office for Is years
and the likelihood was that he would b.
there till he died. His salary was moi
elastic. 1t remained the same yesterday
today and forever. II the wants Of biz
family had been as fixed. all would have
been well. But as Marcia and Odele, the
two handsome daughters, grew older and
the social position of Mrs. Grayson be.
came more assured. it was dlftlcult-nay,
| impossible--for the Graysons to live on
| the same amount that they had In the
comfortable old days when the girls were
little and the only thought that Philip
Grayson and his wife had was to give
the little things few simple pleasures
and a common education.
1t would be unfair to accuse the Gray
sons Of extravaganza. The girls contriv-
ed their own frocks. and Mrs. Grayson
was a wonderful cook, so they managed
with minimum Of help. But still the
bills crept up till the three women came
to have feeling that they were turning
poor Pa Grayson into dray horse. They
did not like that idea. They wanted Pa
Grayson not for his power Of dragging
heavy loads, but because he was their
own dear pa.
II don't know enough to teach" COM
planned Marcia to her mother. II sup.
pose neither you nor pa would hear to
me working in store. And l haven't a
talent in the world, unless it is for being
amusing-and the only way could get
anything out Of that questionable accom-.
plishment would be to 80 upon the
stage."
"Why, Marcia" said Ma Grayson re.
proachfully, ''you really must not talk
SO recklessly. You almost shock me, my
dear"
"Oh, II I didn't quite do 1t, mamma,
you will forgive me. l feel deeply.
must express myself with vehemence.
You say we are two months behind with
the rent?
Ma Grayson nodded dejectedly.
1T must have taken u great deal Of
sympathy on your part, dear mamma"
cried Odele, kissing her mother to luke
the sting out of her words, ito succeed in
making two girls as utterly useless as we
are"
"You are far from being useless" re.
turned Ma Grayson, with dignity. "You
are simply not commercial. Your father
and I are deeply panied that you have to
be made acquainted at all with our EN-
barrassing condition"
The girls laughed at mas dignity.
They told her she was dear old goose,
and they rumpled her hair up and pulled
her tie around under her ear and leased
her till she begged for mercy.
1t was the evening of the day on which
this conversation occurred that Odele
came running down to the dinner table
with the paper in her hand.
"Listen to this" she cried. "'Wanted
"A refined and cultured home where
gentleman can live as paying guest and
where no boarders are taken.'"
"WeIl?" asked Pa Grayson rather cold
ly. He was altogether too proud for a
man with nonelastic salary.
well, dear dad, that is for us. The
paying guest was designed for our needs.
OF course you and ma would never take
boarders-not on any account. But a
paying guest'-why, 1t would actually
be distinction. He can have the big
front room with the alcove off. Marcia
and ! will be just as comfortable in the
back room, and anyway we like to get
the southern outlook. Come, be dear
ducks and let me answer this advertise
ment."
"But he might not like us, Odcle, and
then think how mortified we would be-"
objected Ma Grayson, who, 1t Is unnec-
essary to explain. was accustomed to
meet only with the polite phases of life.
laughed.
II shall answer the advertisement at !
once," she announced.
Ten days later the paying guest" nov
I'd into the Grayson second front with |
alcove. The moving was serious I'M
for he was possessed Of a
great deal Of impedimenta, including a
arge germ destroying water filter. His |
lame was Lighton Holinger. He was
~ perhaps, an inch over six feet in
,eight, very thin, trife bald, very grace.
Ill. His voice was low and musical. and
lie spoke with noticeable carefulness.
His toilet was irreproachablc. He greeted
IA Grayson with every evidence Of graf
tude.
Il cannot sufficiently thank you," he
aid, bowling low over her hand, "for
our goodness In extending your hos.
'itality to me!'
1.-THE quaint thing means to keep the
est up" Odele said to Marcia. But later
he repented her speech, for the role Mr..
1olinger had assumed did not appear a
est, or, II it was, 1t was the most deli
ate form Of comedy. Every night at din
err time he got into bis dress suit till Pa
'rayson, who had been in the habit Of
itting down in his office clothes and in a
lore or less disheveled condition, follow
d his example. Moreover, the CONVERSE
ion at the dinner table assumed a higher
one. Personalities came TO- seem little
ut of place. a trihe i'll bred. Mr.. Holm
er was fond Of talking about general
lbjects. and he was possessed Of an az.
,nishing fund Of information. which,
owcver, he refrained from hurting at
le heads Of his listeners. He merely
lid q few things well and left the inn
rcssion that he could, II be desired, talk
ing upon the subject in hand. He kept
overs upon the table; he subscribed for
lie magazines and placed them on the
brary table for the benefit Of the family.
Le took 1t for granted that every one
ould 90 to church Sunday morning and
,tually got all the Graysons in the way
doing it. He even took the church
icy would attend for granted, and as his
,nnnpiti,u pnnaorai n ho a rnm NJ I'm ont !