The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-11-25

~ 10 HIS prospective tenant,
Sg0& lis to look after my three
rooms and see that they are swept and
busted"
Il understand" replied Mrs. Peter
son. THE rooms and arrangement
suit me perfectly" she went on. as
they started downstairs again, "and
shall begin to move tomorrow. 1t
VIII be so nice to step round and not
always be running into somebody. And
now Mr.. Peterson's sister is living with
us. Well, good day. The things will
begin to come after tomorrow. Good
day" Theodore Foster stood looking
after her moment, then he went into
the empty sitting-room and took the
large Apartments to Lett notice from
the front window. He carried it up
to his own room. II hope it will be
long time before l. have to see you
again." he told it as he put it in his
desk.
1t was the first time for q month
that he had felt really happy. Dur
ing that time he had tried to get a
tenant for his house, but had been ur-
able to find a suitable one. 1t had
been horribly lonely coming home at
night to a cold, echoing house. But
now he would have the Petersons
there, and he looked forward to the
day after tomorrow with Joy. He
nsed to know Joe Peterson, but he
supposed he wouldn't see much of
him, as Joe was away from the house
all the week. There were the chill
dren, too. He was fond of children,
even if he was an old bachelor. Then
he remembered that the children must
be nearly grown up by this time. Well.
young people were almost as good as
children.
1t was the next day, while he was out
taking his constitutional, that his
friend Everson saw him and crossed
the street to talk to him. $50 you
have got the Petersons?' he said. af-
ter they had walked some distance to-
gether. "Well. there's only one thing
about them that you won't like"
What's that?" questioned Mr.. Eos
ter.
"Their piano."
ooh, don't mind piano practice as
come do" said Theodore easily. In
fact, rather like it."
"You haven't lived with the Peter
sons yet" said Everson sententiously.
"You wait little. It's a terrible old
piano. I could get more music out of
brass kettle and tin pans. It's all
out Of tune, too; and, worst of all,
they keep banging away on it all the
time. It's something awful! There
are three girls who take lessons, and
they keep the old thing going about
nine hours day." Theodore's face
had heightened during this descrip-
ton. what makes them keep such
an antiquity?" was asked.
"Well, you see, they are rather poor,
and they can't afford q new one"
Theodore walked modify along az
ter his friend left him. Then sudden
ly his face frightened. 81 can arrange
matters all right" he said, and went
on more briskly.
The next morning there was consid-
cradle grumbling from the two men
who moved the Petersons' belongings,
because Mr.. Theodore Foster insisted
on helping them.
He was especially troublesome about
the placing Of the piano. He insisted
on having it on the very end Of the
load, and tied it with his own hands
When the horses started he trotted
along beside it, and they reached the
house at the same time. 1t was a raw
morning, and the men were putting
blankets on the horses, when sudden
ly there came jangling crash. They
hurried to the back of the van and
found Theodore looking in horror and
dismay at the very badly smashed pi-
ano.
ats all my fault" was all he man.
aged to say before torrent Of abuse
and oaths loud and deep overwhelmed
him,