The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-11-20
In the Attic.
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.

With aromatic herbs Little bags of
lavender and of dried rose leaves hung
from the rafters and mingled their del
ieatc perfume With the coarSer aroma
of sage and sweet marjoram and
thyme and summer savery
on autumn afternoons the attic was
golden With sunshine and from the
little peaked window one could see
the long white road and the blue hills
beyond
1t was To this fragrant and gold
lighted attic that Miss cynthia would
come when the summer rush WAS over
and in its peace and quiet try 10 for
get that she was worn and worried
aud Withered
At thirty-iiNc one should not be wor-
ried and withered. But hard lives do
net make for Youth and freshness. and
Miss cynthia had always drudged.
Work had been the WatChWord on the
farm, and when prosperity had come
in later Years the habit of keeping
summer boarders had become fixed,
and even after the death of her par
ents Miss cynthia had continued It.
But with September came rest and
freedom. and it was then that Miss
Cynthia sought the attic and wrote in
her diary
The diary WIS a safe outlet for her
Wees. There We're pages blotted with
the tears She had shed when she had
closed the volume OF her first romance,
and two leaves ON which she had pen
ned Il poetic swan song of affection
We're pinned together with black pin.
Miss Cynthia had old fashioned IDEAS
about love she had loved once, and
hence there could be no other affair.
1t mattcred nothing that the man IN
the ease WAS married and had grown
fat and PUFFY and uninteresting 1t
was not the man, but the idea and To
that idea Miss cynthia was true
To he sure, no second sHitor had en-
tered her life. 50 that there had been
no severe tax upon her constancy.
But the roses had gone eu Of her
cheeks when she WAS twenty, and she
had twisted her hair In an uncom
promising knot and had at that early
date given herself up Ia mourning and
to memories
You're silly" Martha Ann told her
one bright September morning rs Miss
cynthia, with her black diary i'll her
hand, prepared to ascend to the attic.
why don't You 20 out and visit and
have Il good time instead of writing in
that darl, old place.
Martha Ann was an old and priv
legged servant, but Miss cynthia would
brook no Interference with her acts of
affection
Il don't think good times are my
portion, Martha Ann" she said and
went up the stairway thoughtfully
Halfway UP she paused TO say
make good vegetable soup for
lunch. Martha Ann. I'll throw down n
bunch of my herbs Soup will taste
good on a cool day"
Love wrote Miss Cynthia in her
little book lis Of mans life n thing
apart, It's woman's whole existence
When she had rounded off the last
prim letter she bit the end Of her pen
ell and sighed and looked out Of the
peaked window
Far down the road she could see
cloud of dust Coming nearer. the
cloud showed itself the forcrunner Of
an automobile
The big machine sweryed out Of the
road and into Miss cynthia's own
drive It stopped Mt her door. and she
had to lean far out Of the peaked win
dow to see Martha In her Bingham
apron speaking to the occupant.
Miss Cynthia could not hear a word,
and she almost fell over the sill In the
effort to satisfy her curiosity. She saw
Martha Ann 90 in. and presently she
felt pull at the back of her dress
Goodness" Martha Ann said cross
~, II called and called, and | couldn't
make you hear. That man wants some
thing TO eat"
WHAT" Miss Cynthia gasped. But
he doesn't look like a tramp. Martha
Ann"
"'rramps don't ride in automobiles"
Martha Ann SMILED lie says he's
been riding all the morning. and he
just couldn't find II place to eat, and
he would he glad 10 pay for a meal.
He understood that we took boarders.
he said"
well, you go down and hurry the
Soup and make an omclet and some
hot biscuits and | will talk to him,
Martha Ann
You'd better stop in your room and
pfimp little, Martha Ann advised.
Hes awfully good looking
HE idea. said Miss Cynthia, with
dignity
She was a little sorry. however, when
she reached the sitting room that she
had not taken the girls advice, for the
man thht she greeted was big ana
blond and prosperous looking. 1t de
veioPed that he siurred his grammar,
but as he leased back in the biggest
rocking chair and talked in his hearty
voice Miss Cynthia decided that he