Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-17
a LIFT LE
BACHELOR GIRL
BY Ernest DE Berls. IIauscr.

1t was an ideal retreat, the contest
little cottage, vita a lawn that was
the material reproduction of one of
the many rustic little hooks Lettie
Mansfield had often pictured in her
mind.
"How fortunate the impulse seized
me before this place was let" she
thought, as she diligently applied her-
self to the task of bringing order out
of chaos, for as yet the appointments
of her little home were in hopeless
tumble. IF the men keep bachelors
hall, when housekeeping is so utterly
foreign to the poor things, why
shouldn't girl, who would be in her
proper element? What an ideal home
this would be, if-if there was hus-
band, and, by and by, little children.
Oh, my! but / mustn't think of such
things. The cooling of sweet little
baby will never supplant the c,atter
of the typewriter in my ears; am
quite sure of that. But-ah. we'll"
She had taken framed inscription
from the table, and mounting chair
she hung it on the wall. "All things
take place by inevitable necessity
There is some consolation in that"
she thought, "if one can only school
ones self to believe it."
AS Lettie had but little time at her
command-in the morning before go
ing to work, and In the evening on
returning from it-she had not yet
found the opportunity to bestow any
attention on the exterior of the prem
ises. The dense clusters of roses and
lilac bushes trailing to the ground,
and the rank vegetation and untrim-
med shrubbery, though giving the
place an air of solemn grandeur, also
bespoke neglect, which was readily
accounted for by signboard nailed
to one of the trees. This board the
agent had neglected to remove, and
1t was to this remissness on his part
that Lettie was indebted for an adven-
ture, and the subsequent realization
| Of her most cherished hopes.
AS in Lettie's case, it was sudden
impulse that prompted Earl Stanford.
artist, with firm of photographers,
to seize bis hat very abruptly one eve
ming and betake himself to the SUI
burbs of the city. He was tired of
life at hotel. He yearnel for the
privacy, the peace and comfort. of a
home, and he determined that so far
as it lay in his power he was going to
enjoy them. He had this little cot
tage in mind as he started out, for he
had frequently passed it and it had
taken mis- fancy. If it was still to let
he would take it. and secure board
with some quiet family in the neigh
borhood.
-Lettie had not yet returned. The
shutters were closed. the sign was
still there, and the solemn ilush that
| pervaded the premises was broken
only by the drowsy murmur of the in.
sects on the lawn.
"Who owns this placer" Earl asked
of boy he found reaching over the
fence to pluck rose as he APP
| preached.
1.-THE old Dutchman that lives in
that big house on the HILL" the boy
answered, pointing to the mansion in
question. Hes as ricin as mud. He
owns nearly all the houses out here
Most Of the people that live in them
work in his wooden mill, and he own:
them, too There he comes now,
the boy added, as his eyes wandered
up the street.
Earl turned and beheld man O
huge proportions, his ponderous form
almost filing the entire seat, slowl!
approaching in buggy.
Encouraged by his good naturet
countenance. Earl accosted him.
Pardon me for troubling you." h,
said, 81 was just looking at this cot
tage of yours. ! know the proper per
son to apply to is tne agent in charge
but perhaps
"The fssent!" exclaimed the man II
contempt, his ruddy face relaxing witt
smile. IF you can find the agent
you can do more than | can. bee
hunting him for an flour. You yum
the blace?"
81 would like to rent it. provide,
we can agree on the terms
Earl was beginning to suspect tina
the gentleman had been imbibing
little more beer than was good TO
him, though he certainly proved to b
one of the most affable men he ha
ever met.
ooh. we agree" he said. six do
lar. If DOT is too much, five dolla,
Say, let you hat it tree munt 70
nudding if you keep the weeds dow1
The blaze looks like it was full {
coasts
To Esrl's eyes it looked as II
might be full of fairies.
MShumn in l got a bunch of key