Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-09-06
THEIR MAY
FITTING
BY FRANK n. SWEET
Copyright; 1905, bp Frank H. Stcce,

VI UNf NlbtNtEs
Read thatr' she commanded hotly.
Mrs. Brown took the letter and read
Il meekls. Il was brief:
Nv Dear Miss Betty-I have just le<s
the house il Is down IN the country and
near the seazhorc and has piazzas and an
apple orehard-in short is an IDEAL home
Cor a young married couple. WIN call to-
morrow and 20 into details more fully
Faithfully yours. JAMES GRAHAM
Mrs. Brown looked up with a pleased
futter
II didn't know II had-had gone so
far. Elizabeth" she said eagerly. that
You were engaged. Nhen'-
we are not engaged" sharply, land
never will be. | have thought Mr.
Graham very pleasant man and have
liked him, and he has called on us
quite often lately. but there has never
been a word of--of love spoken. aud
now this note! II is positively insult
ing! Mother, we must commence pack
ing at once and move this very after
noon"
Why, child, we can't" in startled
dismay, 1T will take q week at least.
You know
Il know we shall be out OF this house
before night vehemently. Il shall
60 and engage a moving van at once TO
carry our goods TO the station, and
viii have them taken 20 the little sta
ton just beyond the limits OF the town.
Ii viii cost a few dollars more. but IL
will hide all trace OF our whereabouts.
Mr.. Graham will be here tomorrow to
go into details-the presumptuous
wretch, I'm sorry | ever spoke TO him
about our plans TO hire a quiet place
for the summer. Now, mother. you
go and be packing your clothes AMI
valuables. | shall tell the van man
TO he here in an hour. aud we must
be ready"
Yes. dear" meekly. but where
shall we go:'
Why. to-to- Oh. anywhere! II
doesn't really matter. Suppose we try
that little place where we had two
weeks outing last summer-orchar,l-
vile. you know. It's real country
there. with solitary walks and gardens
in every yard and country people com
ing in with things to sell. Rent must
be cheap there. and by offering enough
we can get some sort OF house. or. II
we can't, Wen hire part OF one or
rooms. Anyway we haven't time to
engage one ahead now"
"OrcharlvIlle Is where we first met
Mr.. Graham, isn't III"
'Is It: Why. yes. l believe you are
right. mother. but. you know. he told
US he was Just down there for a few
days fishing and that he didn't get
bite. SO, OF course. we wouldn't meet
him again. Men never go fishing twice
TO the same place when they have bad
luck. Now. please hurry, mother"
The next afternoon they We're stand
ing on the front porch OF a pretty
vine covered cottage. experimenting
the removal OF their goods from the
local delivery wagon. The indignation
still burned In Elizabeth's eyes. Mrs
Brown looked tired and plalntive.
Il do hope we can stay here. Eliza
beth" she sighed. but the postmaster
seemed slow in giving up the key and
wouldn't promise US the house sure"
We'll stay all right. mother, don't
you worry. The house was TO rent
and the key left with the postmaster
for prospective tenants. What If the
owner did write TO him about an old
maid who was looking after a place
for some young friends and that lie
would have her come down and see
this. She hasn't put ia an appear
ance yet. nor her young friends. and
we were the first real applicants. Be
sides, we are in actual possession, aud
/ was shrewd enough to force an ad-
vance rent into the postmaster's
hands. Now help me swing this ham
mock on the piazza here and then you
lie down in 1t for an hours rest"
Two days later they were settled and
the furniture was all arranged. Mrs.
Brown was lying in the hammock be-
hind the screen of vines, gazing pen
sively at Elizabeth, who had stopped
reading and was now contemplating
the closed book in her lap With unsee-
ing eyes. There We're solitary walks
the young girl was facing the fact that
the walks represented the social condl-
ton Of the place. The previous sum
mer's outing had been pleasant. but
there had been companionsnlp TO make
it so.
The gate latch clicked. and Mrs.
Brown was aroused by a stitied ex-
clamation from Elizabeth Coming up
the walk was James Graham. and be-
side him was an angular, middle aged
woman who was apparently refusing
to be convinced.
"'Tain't the kind Of house / want.
Mr.. Graham" she was saying shriIly.
mot in any way. There must be ba-
winder in the end for Delias plants
an willers in front for her an Tommy
to set under. She said | needn't even
look at place without the willers."
but let rue show you through the
house. Miss Brown" urged Graham.