Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-10-17
THEIR MAY
FITTING
BY FRANK H. SWEET
Copyright, 1905. bp NarA II. s,oss.

EEzaDeth browns eyes flashed, and
she threw the note from her angrily,
then picked 1t up at the inquiring look
Of her mother.
"Read that!" she commanded botly.
Mrs. Brown took the Letter and read
1t meekly. 1t was brief:
My Dear Miss Betty-r have Just left
the house II Ia down In the country and
near the seashore and has piaxzas and an
apple orchard-tn short. Is an ideal home
for young married couple. VIII call to-
morrow and go into details more fully.
Faithfully yours. JAMES GRAHAM
Mrs. Brown looked up with pleased
futter.
II didn't know 1t had ad gone 90
far, Elizabeth" she said eagerly. that
you were engaged. when
1--WE re not engaged sharply, "and
never Will be. have thought Mr.
Graham a very pleasant man and have
liked him, and he has called on us
quite often lately. but there has never
been word of-of love spoken, and
now this motel It 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 win take week at least
You know
II know we shall be ont OF this house
before nightr vehemently. II shall
go and engage moving van at once to
carry our goods TO the station. and I
will have them taken to the little sta.
ton Just beyond tho limits Of the town.
1t will cost few dollars moro, but 1t
will hide all trace OF our wtiereaa BOUTS BOUTS.
Mr.. Graham win be here tomorrow to
80 into details-the presumptuous
wretch! I'm eprry ever rpoke to him
about our plans to hire a quiet place
for the summer. Now, mother, you
go and be packing your clothes and
vaiuables. shall tell the van man
to be here in an houR, and we must
be ready"
Eyes. DEAR meektS ''but where
shah we goT
why, Toto Oh, anywhere4 It
doesn't really matter. Suppose we try
that little place whese we had two
weeks outing hast summer-Or Orchard
Vile, you know. IT'S real country
there. with solitary walks and gardens
In every yard and country people COM
ing tn with things 10 cell Rent must
be cheap there, and by Offering enough
we can get some sort Of house, or, II
we can't we'll hire part OF one or
rooms. Anyway we haven't time to
engage one ahead now"
"Orchardville Is whore we first met
Mr. Graham, isn't itY.
lis It? Why, yes. I believe you are
right, mother, but, you know, be told
us he was Just down there for q few
days fishing and that he didn't get q
bite, so, OF course, we wouldn't meet
him again. Men never 60 fishing twice
to the same place when they have bad
luck. Now, please hurry, mother"
The next afternoon they were stand
Ing ON the front porch OF O pretty
vine covered cottage experimenting
the removal OF their goods from the
local delivery wagon The indignation
still burned In Elizabeth's eyes Mira.
Brown looked tired and plaintive.
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 tho house sure"
"Weu stay all right. mother; don't
you worry. The house was 30 rent
and the Key left with the postmaster
for prospective tenants. What II the
owner did write to him about an old
maid who was looking after q place
for some young friends and that he
would have her come down and see
this. She hasn't put In an appear
ance yet, nor her young friends, and
we We're the first real applicants. Be-
sides. we are in actual possession, and
was shrewd enough to force an ad-
vance rent into the postmasters
hands. Now help mo swing this ham,
mock on the piazza here and then you
he down In 1t for On hours rest"
Two days later they were settled and
the furniture was all arranged. Mrs.
Brown was lying h 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 were solitary walks
about this village, many of them, and
the young girl was facing the fact that
the walks represented the social oondi-
ton Of the place. The previous sum-
mer's outing had been pleasant but
there had been companionsnip to make
It 80.
The gate latch clicked, and Mrs
Brown was aroused by stified ex.
clamation from Elizabeth. Coming up
the walk was James Graham. and be-
side him was an angular. middle aged
~ xt,ho
to be convinced.