The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-06-29
/. lK| ! !. ] / j! 4 |! 5
. TO MYCAST !
=
By PAUL cREsWIck.
(Copyright, by Joseph B. -Bowles,)

HOW, SalQ hlCLy, DIS Sne uelpeQ me 10
a second cup of tea. "Have you heard
that Nora Willis is engaged?''
/ sat down hurriedly upon the couch
close to my little malicious hostess.
"Air!" I gasped. "Give me air-and
another and stronger cup of tea!
Without milk or sugar. You have
broken my heart"
Kitty only laughed. TT was Eyre
mont" said she, unfeelingly.
l sighed-with vigor. my best
friend-that's what always happens.
He was chortling all yesterday that he
had news too good to be true. And
wouldn't listen. Now find it,
. "Well?"
"Too true to be good. All my cast
les in the clouds go tumbling."
"You shouldn't have built them in
the Clouds said Kitty, placidly. 1T
was ridiculous of you; and SO damp.
Give me rather dear little cottage,
wistaria-covered, on the good earth.
With easement windows, and a big
old-fashioned garden-full of sweet
old-fashioned flowers
/. 1T would be lonely living there all
Alone" suggested.
II didn't say all alone" retorted
Kitty. Zone might find a twin SOUL
There's generally something fishy
about twin souls" objected I. II would
sooner have more definite tenants for
your cottage. IF might make pro-
position"
"A propositions" interrupted Kitty
THAT sounds like Euclid. Don't
crowd me SO, Reggie, or I shall get
up"
Talking about a cottage" I began,
reminds me of a rather queer story.
At least, it isn't exactly story-it's
merely an episode. 1t deals with an
odd man, a very even little girl, and
a castle in the Clouds
"The opening is promising," re-
marked Kitty, smoothing out her
skirts
| The castle must first engage our
attention." said, carefully. 1T was
actually rather nice. 1t was in the
country, and it had easement windows.
I believe there were old-fashioned
flowers in the garden-and roses.
There may have been wistaria, but
I'm not positively sure The castle
was semi-detached."
How terribly prosaic! Semi de-
tached, Reggie-so that there were
two lots of people, and two pianos 60
ing! I don't like this story"
There were two lots Of people," l
agreed, but not two pianos. And the
people weren't exactly lots in either
instance. One was the very even lit
tie girl who lived with her mother,
and looked after her-and the roses.
Folks called her Honesty; and her
side of the castle was styled Honesty's
Garden. On the other side of the
close-trimmed hedge lived a man.
| only man?'
| "A man, and his books, and his pipe,
and one faithful retainer" l enumerat-
ed. He was manifestly odd, and out
of it. Nobody called to see. him; and
he didn't seem to mind. He went to
town occasionally, and always came
back laden with books. Nobody knew
how he lived-nobody appeared to
care. The faithful retainer kept the
house tidy, and chastened the dog
and the cat who also resided at the
Haven"
| WAS that the name of the castle?"
| "The name of the mans side of it, -
corrected. TT was the oldest Haven
you ever could dream Of l want you
to go over this house with me, and
tell me afterwards what you think of
it. First, there was the strange old
furniture-always smelling family of
beeswax. and tobacco smoke. Old
presses covered with china and cut
flint-glass decanters-"
Empty, trust?''
Very often empty-sometimes full, -
went on. There was a grandfath-
er's clock in the narrow hall, ticking
off the seconds in leisurely fashion.
In the dining-room a medley of an
cient chairs, rush-bottomed, beauti-
full oak table, black with age; totter-
ing oak dresser on which were ar
ranged brass cooking pans and candle
sticks, and more china. There was a
mirror opposite the window, rejecting
in tiny round frame the picture of
the garden"
"Honesty's garden?"
Part of both gardens. imagine
that, on occasion, the man could dis
tinguish Honesty, as, with long apron
and big gloves, she tended her roses
and cared for them. Inside the case
ment windows were self-colored flax
curtains, gathered back; but which
one could draw along a brass rail-
The walls were distempered in plain
fiat tints, and above the Intel of each
door was lettered a homely proverb.
Thus, in the hall over the front door
THAT thou may'st injure no man,
dove-like be; but serpent-like that
none may injure thee In the dining.
room Better a dinner of herbs and
contentment Herewith than stalled
OK and. strife withal.' Then, there
!; were book-shelves ceiling-high every.