The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-12
WANTED--AN ATTIC

And. as you said the description oi life in suburb of working people was the only weak thing in the book, I am going to spend three months in a cot tage attic and get the atmosphere, MI Morris"
 The lawyer looked up from his desk and back again before he spoke. What he glanced at was a pale man Of a or 9, who looked older. His face was sensitive and was rather too sweet foi positive manliness. When the lawyer finally spoke it was to say:
 Tt will not hurt you or the book. Have you given up your trip across and to Vienna?''
 Van Vliet looked uncomfortable.
 Cant do both, can you?"
 "No-and really the book comes first If 1t Is all right but that, why not put myself in the way of making that right"
 MT. Morris thrust his hands into his pockets and walked up and down the room.
 Look here, Van, I am pretty certain the Astranhams count on your going over. It is actually a question be- tween Gwendolen and the book-be- cause Mir. Astranham intimated to me that Dbrett King wanted to join the party and we all know what Deb is after"
 A rather peculiar look came about Cecil Van Vliet's mouth.
 "So 1t is the book or the girl con- tinued the lawyer.
 A dreamy smile fitted over the face of his nearer.
 And which one is 1t. Van?"
 Then came a quick movement from the silent man and then a decisive ut- terance.
 The book then-I liked the girl. bet ter than wish did. But maybe the book can win the girl-but the book first at all hazards"
 In the sloping roof of small white cottage there. was set a deep dormer window that looked over field of em- erald wheat and on the brown clods that, later, would be covered with waving corn. On gentle slope to the left there were orchards where pink and white waves of bloom stood out against sky of the palest blue. On the hill wag an old brown house and here went on the panorama of pastoral life as before the city crept out. It was a remnant of the past century. Here the dawn smoke rose. the pen went forth to blow, the noon bell rang for dinner, the night lights glowed through the small window panes, the dog parked at the night passer Below and around this remnant farm, there were small houses, some of them mere shanties and cabins of boards and de- bris. It was the vanguard of civiliza- ton, the first roll of the wave that meant the growth of a city.
 In the attic of the white cottage Ce- cil Van Vliet had taken up his abode He left his old life behind him, as though it was a thousand miles away He wore what the college boys haG | once dubbed hand me down" and g cheap suit of that clothing. His per. sonal belongings were all in a smal | and cheap trunk. The room he oc cupied was like a dry goods box walls, floor and door of unpaintet | pine. A strip or two of rag carpetins partially covered the floor. There wa: a cheap iron bed. cheap table anC washstand covered with white oilcloth He was expected to wait on himself which meant to fill his water pitche from the cistern and make his owl bed except on Saturday when thu housekeeper from below took posses sion and cleaned things up.
 From the window at which he wrot' on a small table with wobbling leg the panorama of life unfolded to Ce cil Van Vliets wondering eyes. H. saw the daily routine of life among the great struggling masses, he say suffering, merriment, misery, deatl and the happiness of the youthful ant careless. In the small yard below tn German woman spaded and sowed seet and set out plants and vines. H often went down to help her and wa rewarded by hot bread and coffee. H took long walks and launched or dine, at wayside places. Sometimes h rode on hay wagons passing in an Thursday THE MILLS OF THE