The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-08-12
Seleft Stnrp.
THEIR MAY FLIT'TING.
''The au -dac-i-ty!''

IL was uiiOi'
an y Dear Miss Betty: | have just
left the house 1t is down in the country
and near the seashore and has piazzas and
an apple orchard-in short, is an ideal
home for young married couple. Will
call tomorrow and 90 into details more
fully. Faithfully yours,
/ JAMES GRAHAM
Mrs. Brown looked up with a pleased
futter
II didn' know it had-had gone SO far,
Elizabeth" she said eagerly; "that you
were engaged When. -
''We are not engaged" sharply, "and
never will be- have thought Mr. Gra-
ham very pleasant man and have liked
him, and he has called on us quite often
lately. But their has never been word
of love spoken. And now this note! 1t
is positively insulting Mother, we must
commence packing at once and move this
very afternoon.
"Why, child, we can't in startled
dismay. st will take week at least
You know -
Il know we shall be out of this house
before night vehemently. II shall 80
and engage moving van at once to carry
our goods to the station and | will have
them taken to the little station Just beyond
the limits of the town 1t will cost few
dollars more, but it will hide all trace
of our whereabouts. Mr. Graham will be
here tomorrow to 90 into details--the pre-
sumptuous wretch I'm sorry ever spoke
to him about our plans to hire quiet place
for the summer Now, mother, you 90 and
be packing your clothes and valuables. |
shall tell the van man to be here in an hour,
and we must be ready
eyes, dear meekly, "but where shall
we 90 p
"Why, to-to-oh, anywhere. 1t
doesn really matter. Suppose we try that
little place where we had two weeks outing
last summer Orchardville, you know.
1t real country there, with solitary walks
and gardens in every yard, and country
people coming in with things to sell. Rent
must be cheap there, and by offering
enough we can get some sort of house. Or
if we can't, we'll hire part of one, or two
rooms. Anyway, we haven t time to en-
gage one ahead now.
Orchardville is where we first met Mr..
Graham, ism it p
is it? Why, yes, | believe you are
right, mother. But you know he told us
he was Just down there for few days fish
ing, and that he didn't get a bite; SO of
course, we wouldn't meet him again. Men
never 90 fishing twice in the same place
when they have bad luck. Now please
hurry, mother.
The next afternoon they were standing
o,s 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
ewes. Mrs. Brown looked tired and plain
tive
II 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.
s'We'll stay all right, mother, don't
you worry. The house was to rent, and
the key left with the postmaster for pros
pective tenants What if the owner did
write to him about an old maid who was
looking after place for some young friends,
and that he would have her come down
and see this She hasn' t put in a nap
appearance yet, nor her young friends, and
we were the first real applicants Besides,
we are in actual possession, and was
shrewd enough to force an advance rent
into the postmaster 5 hands. Now help
me swing this hammock ON the piazza here,
and then you lie down in it for an hour
rest -
Two days later they were settled and the
furniture was all arranged. Mrs. Brown
was lying in the hammock behind the
screen of vines, gazing penslvely at Eliz-
abeth, who had stopped reading and was
now contemplating the closed book in her
lap without seeing eyes. There were SOL
itary walks about the village, many of
them, and the young girl was facing the
fact that the walks represented the social
condition Of the place. The previous sum
mer's $ outing had been companionship to
make it so.
The gate latch clicked, and Mrs. Brown
was aroused by stihed exclamation from
Elizabeth. Coming up the walk was James
Graham, and beside him was an angular,
middle e-aged woman who was apparently
refusing to be convinced.
"'Taint the kind of house | want, Mr..
| Graham, she was saying shrilly, "not in
any way. There must be a bay winder in
the end for Della plants, an willers in
front for her an Tommy to sit under. She
said | needn' even look at place without
the willers.
'But let me show you through the
house, Miss Brown urged Graham. 81
am sure you will like the arrangement, and
there is fine willow in the back yard
which the young people can sit under.
There wasn't time to go to my agent after
the key, but can get in one of the windows
and open the back door from the inside.
| I'm sure -
But the woman stopped short, turned,
and started back toward the gate.
"Willers in 'front.' she repeated ag
gressively. "Thems the last words Della
said It's no use, Mr.. Graham. don t
want it.
Graham watched her through the gate
and up the sidewalk toward the station,
and then turned again to the house.
''Might as well run through it while
I'm here, they heard him say. Then,
"Why, hello; looks as if somebody lived
in the house, curtains at the windows,
and, as he came few steps nearer,
''hammocks swung on the piazza, and
Great Scott Elizabeth--Miss Brown.
You here Well, well; this is luck. >
Elizabeth was at the head of the steps
now, an odd light in her face. "Who
was that woman, Mr.. Graham ? she de-
manded
Betty Brown, queer stick, who is look
ing after house. A friend recommended
her to me as joke, and | determined to
retaliate by actually renting her the house.
You have noticed how failed. But is it