The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-01
was not really angry, even now-in
spite OF the report.
Systematic, persistent stacking
that waa Dicks report term after

term.
\ This Kings Cottage was pleasant,
countrined. old-world house to find In
a town. Mr.. Crunden--whosa business
| II was to know all about houses
used to tell people that, In fact, the
cottage WAS here before the town. In
the good old times. when almost all
the twenty-five miles between Med
ford and London were covered by
royal forest, the cottage was royal
lodge. In 1t, lived one OF the Kings
keepers or bailifts. That fact account
| ed for the namo. and also for the spa
cious solid Offices, as we'll as the big
A room
4 This room. sir" Mr.. crunden would
say. was employed as kind Of u
and make no doubt myself what II
now our kitchen was employed as n
| lookup. ~. I judge that by many
signs"
The house had been added to md
messed about" as Mr. crunden said,
much of the splendid old material re-
4 manned.
Look, sir. at those ceiling beams,
and the span OF the hearth. or measure
the thickness OF this wall--nn isternai
wall. mind you. We. don't build like
4 lHls noWaoays. IlVe me an OTocr 70
put up house like this, and I'd b4
frightened to take the ORDER
II people exhibited any interest IN
these matters Mr.. Crunden would show
them the inner hall and the old oak
Istaircase: /tep this way. sir'--march-
ing the visitor through the sitting
4 room where. perhaps. Lizzie and her
lgoyerness We're busy with their books.
Now, sir, I'll give you my own belief
inbout that staircase. It's Charles Two
Tor James Two. all that woodwork Is;
land I believe II, was taken bodily QUE
lof n church. 1f.you AK what church.
4 1 say the. old church that Is marked
ION all the maps up to hundred years
ago, hard by where st. Barnabas now
stands. I Judge that by many signs;
and Mr.. Bowling. the architect. he
says he wouldn't care to bet against
Be all that as II may. Mr.. Crunden
was no. Improperly proud OF his modest
+ yet comfortable home, anu little Lizzie
Z loved it.
Outwardly. II was white-wallcd. red
rooted. with deep caves. IL had two
front doors: the main door. which
4 opened into the LOBBY OF the big Office
4 room. which carried the brass plate
"R. Crunden. Builder and Decorator
which. weather permitting, stood open
all the morning to admit all comers:
and the small state door. which was
approached by the tiled path through
the narrow strip of garden behind
the white palings. Here, of this Sec
ond door. Mrs. Crunden's ceremonious
visitors knocked and rang and waited
until somebody happened to hear
them--and that was often very long
time.
Inwardly 1t was a house Of varied
charm, or so 1t seemed to Lizzie and
. / ~ IT,. - -
too big. not too sniall--no room In It
like another. full OF surprises. hiding
places; with quain-, old-faskioued fur
Z niture everywhere excsot In mamma's
drawing-roon. n that apartment all
: was new-chosen by mamma herself
. and 1t was all frankly magnificent.
Behind the house was parfect
childs garden-a long garden be-
! tween high walls, with good climbable,
g demonstrating trees In H.: such es
/ the mulberry. the walnut. the apple.
: and the pear; grass lawn, grass
| grown paths: empty potting sheds,
r neglected. broken down greenhouse
al all most useful In childish games;
3 fruit bushes turning to Jungle. flower
| borders gone to wild seed and profuse
weed: in fact. a garden unspoilt by
g too much gardener. And at the bot
$ tom of it, the summer-house. from
. which one looked out at the roofs,
r chimneys. and walls Of Medford town.
Above ell else Lizzie loved their old,
untended garden when Dick was there
Ito play with her.
: = AS years passed, Mr.. Crunden grew
!. moro stern rather than less stern. and
. iyet he found always kind words for
: Lizzie. Between her twelfth and thir-
: teenth birthdays she had, as all agreed,
!. shot up surprisingly, and was now q
toll o11l1 fNV hoy re- Nav
y scrupulous care to her costume. dress
= Ing her wisely and we'll in brown frocks
Eduring the winter and nice blue frocks
. with big white spots on them during
!. the summer Black stockings went
!. with the blue frocks, made of cotton
Mamma took pride in these neat. at
T tractive clothes. and papa was proud
: of the pre- tty, graceful girl Inside them.
? She has" said Miss Blackburn, the
morning governess. quite the aristo-
!. lcratic air. Hers is a refined type
! Iof beauty--unusually so-really and
truly"
Miss Blackburn. was nothing II not
/ genteel. She had taught in several of
:, the best houses In Medford-the Beau
!. monts', the Granyilles' ETC., OF Hill
= : Rise-and she offered this confden-
: TALLY flattering Nppinlon with a tone
]. |of authority Mi. Crunden showed
VI u WI ldCC III
1t ment, and made allowance for what he
). ), termed Miss Blackburn's buttering way.
$ But, in sober truth, his daughter was
: a pretty, winning child Her brown,
Z hair was soft and way, n1a king a full,
. wide name under the large ribbon bow
behind; her complexion was delicate.
= and the color came and went quickly
. beneath the smooth skin; her nose was
y Hong and thtn&and straight: she had
fairly marked fey ebrows. and good gray
eyes, with lots of childish fun always
Z ready to shine in them. Her manner
= to visitors was sllyly caressing and
9 to her family affectionately exacting.
= Never mind about her looks, said
]. papa rather gruffly. docs she mind
" her task, Miss Blackburn? That's
what Il think about" And as he
=. glanced at Lizzie. sitting out Of ear
= shot, It was plain that he did think
2 Of the other things also though ha
;, Knight not confess as,much.
MI fuyI-g