Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-10
CHAPTER III.

When Lizzie Crunden left school her
father had definitely retired from bust
ness. 1t had taken a long time to wind
up his affairs, to withdraw his capital
from bricks and mortar, dispose of his
yard. stock in trade. etc, and lapse into
private life But now, on Lizzie's re-
turn. he had been completely out of bust
ness for two months.
He had retired wisely. In Medford the
builders trade had fallen to nothing. The
seemed content with its present size and
Importance. There was, in fact, no pos
sibility of continued expansion. All the
open ground had been covered with the
modern red-brick villas. No more ground
was available. There were left only the
crown woods and common, and my Lady
Haddenhams land; and these, it went
without saying. would never be available
for building enterprises. Any chance big
job such as the new wing to WAGE S
brewery, or Selkirks domed halls always
went to some interloping London firm 1t
was the hour to stop work, fold. your
hands and sit tight on your savings.
Lizzie on this last return from East
bourne, found some slight changes at
Kings cottage. Nearly all tokens of an
office had gone from the big room: the
brass plate had been taken from the outer
door. and the screw holes had been plug
ged and retouched with paint in so good
and workmanlike manner that no
stranger could guess the plate had ever
been there LizZie's bedroom was newly
and prettily painted and papered. and
poor mammals never-used drawing room
y WaS a oaF fne a" ear sRy @
Councillor Holland of Holland Brothers,
in Bridge street. 1t reminded him too
painfully of the gentle, kindly helpmate
he had lost.
You see, Liz, what 1 mean. I couldn't
have borne ito come into the room and
find all the things the same-and her gone.
haven't been in-not twice in these four
years. It'll be your room now. Lizzie, and
ii shall be done to your tast--
But Lizzie was in no hurry-a~ays put
off the consideration of a fresh furnishing
scheme, and the room remained empty.
He was proud of his daughter. and he
asked her quite seriously l. the house was
good enough for her.
Il am we'll to do. | can afford better
house-a much better house-if you wish
it."
'Oh, no." cried Lizzie Il wouldn't live
anywhere else for worlds"
Wouldn't you, my dear? Well, l do
like the old place myself"
He was obviously gratified by receiving
this assurance that King cottage was
not only good enough for him, but good
enough for his woll-educated daughter.
linen, leHlalNGlS, lie plOpDSSu lldl
some well-educated matron or Spinster
should engaged as lady-companon for
Lizzie
Il have been thinking of it, Liz. Doesn t
it seem to you the right thing? / mean
real lady-like Miss Blackburn. If she
was free-not to teach you, my dear, but
to i've here with us and go out for walks
with you.
But Lizzie said no most emphatically.
and papa seemed once more gratifed and
immensely relieved Nevertheless. he con-
scentiously argued the question.
Sure 1t doesn't Seem right to your
Right to have some stupid stranger al
ways between us! Oh. dad. il would b.
simply odious. You would hate ii as much
as I should
My dear said Mr.. Crunden at last. Il
should abomnate ii. But Ia gladly sup
port anything that was right and proper
for your sake"
Lizzes bright eyes filed with tears as,
linking her arm in her fathers. she
walked with him in the old garden and
talked with him thus. The garden was no
longer a wilderness; trees had been Sc
verely pruned the grass was shorn, new
gravel was on the trim paths, and flowers
were coming on nicely in the now weed
less beds and border. The summer hous ?
was gay and tritie sticky with new paint
and varnish.
Il have spent tidy bit of money out