Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-07-31

would conduct themselves in a manner
suggesting the undesirable relationship.
1t must be admitted that Carlton
looked shocked when Florence an
nounced her plans for paperng the
rooms. They were frescoed at present
in the most delicate and tasteful tints.
and Carlton said his sister reminded
him of those plebeian people of whom
European travellers tell who occupy
the palaces of by-gone nobility and
cover rare old carvings with the cheap.
est and gaudiest of modern wall paper.
But Florence silenced him, If she did
not convince him. by quoting:
IF she be not fair to me,
What care how fair she be?"
The clerks at the downtown shops
where she applied for aid in this latest
project, looked more aghast than had
Carlton. and Florence was almost
ready to yield the point in despair,
when the brilliant idea struck her of
making Investigations in some of the
little towns outside the city. After an
exhaustive search she returned In tri-
umph. bringing many rolls Of paper of
an exquisite design. representing blue
lady wandering beside the bluest OF
lakes. while blue willow dropped
mournfully in the background. And
this was as like the paper Florence re-
membercd admiring in her childhood
on the walls Of grandmother best
~ ~ In, n,.ti nj
responsible for them both.
I'VE are not going to consider the
idea of your staying with your friend.
Mrs. Carr, for more than two weeks.
she wrote the old lady soon after this.
1T will be better to have your goods
sent on at once. so that they may be
safely stored before you come" A few
days later grandmother's household
effects arrived. and. at the end OF the
stipulated fortnight, grandmother her.
self
In the hurry and hustle Of the big
city the shrinking old lady felt as some
shy bird might. on suddenly finding 1t.
self in a wilderness of human habita.
tions instead Of its familiar forests. She
held fast to her granddaughter's hand
as they drove swiftly along the wide
streets between rows of tall buildings
which looked to her as If they might
topple over at any moment. She shiv-
cred as she went up the steps of her
sons house. How big and grand and
forbidding it appeared. And within.
the appointments that seemed to her
simplicity the height of splendor pro-
ducei on her the same effect as con-
tinued gazing into Kaleidoscope Flor
ence saw the troubled look on the wrin-
killed. face.
Come upstairs to your own room,
dear she said, with sweet persuasive
ness.
Grandmother followed obediently.
The image of the room she had Occu-
pied on the occasion OF her last visit
was present in her thoughts. She re-
membered how thick the carpet had
been and how luxurious the draperies
at the windows. Wellington Wheeler
was not the man to give his old mother
anything but the best the house afford
ed when she made one of her rare Wis
its. 1t was cause of constant Won
der to him that she was invariably
homesick through every moment Of her
stay
Up the stairs. along the halls, through
the door which Florence held open,
Grandmother walked slowly. Once in
side the sunny south room, she caught
her breath. Her foot pressed a rag
carpet of familiar pattern, and here
and there were the rugs which her own
fingers had braided. The wall with it's
beautiful blue paper was hung with the
pictures of the faces dearest to her. On
the center table stood her reliable or
lamp, with its gaily decorated shade
Was her fancy playing her a trick, or
did that door actually open into her
own little bedroom, furnished with the
very articles on which her waking gaze
had rested every morning for such long
years? The CRATE. where the wood fire
cracked, was her own CRATE, and her
own rocker was beside it, and on the
cushion big Maltese cat purred con-
tentediy Grandmother had always
been the owner of Maltese cat until
six months previous when her pet
Star" had died. She had regarded his
taking off as providential, for she knew
that the coming of the railroad would
prove a death blow to Il cat as devoted
to home as was star" Nevertheless,
the sight of those yellow eyes. blinking
contentedly from the cushions of the
splnt- bottomed rocker, was too much
for her, and she dropped into the hear,
est chair and sobbed aloud.
What is the matter. Grandma
Don't you like it?' cried Florence
somewhat chagrined, and not a little
alarmed at the result of her plot.
Like it! How could l help liking
| it? Why, it's just coming home"
Grandmother looked about her and
an expression of wonderful serenity
and happiness shone through her tears
| In the big, unknown wilderness the
timid heart had found her own dear
nest, and there she was cOntent.-Zion'S
|