The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-01
HlLLRLSE
CHAPTER |

nrunden were full of HiIl Rise--as nomethinr spacious and awe productive opcning out before you. leading you upwards to Thoughts of grandeur ana mystery.
 She would wake and look at it from her bedroom window of summermorn- lng, and childishly brood on the mag nifacance of the prospect 1t offered. A broad white road. empty as yet stiii sleepinr in the summer sunlight; with noble houses on either side' carnage rates and broad steps; white many, req may. yellow laburnum showing gany over garden wails--a wide ascending vista, closed by the stately trees Tn the grounds of Hill House, where lived inc great Sir John. This was Lizzie view of it, and Lizzie felt herself happy, lucky child because papas house stood fair and square at the pot tom of Hill Rise.
 papa Crunden was the most pros- porous, solidly respectable builder In all the town of Medford. To the awak- enfng and expanding intelligence of his little daughter, it seemed that Medforo with it's eighteen thousand inhani- 1ants, formed & vastly important city' and that papa, in his own way, was a vastly important force He was not fIIustrious and mysterious, like Sir John Vincent of Hill House--a gen. 1fennan. a baronet and what noe else, vaguely. crushingly grand. But he had his men--a small army of them; he nad xhe place they called "the yard" and the other place they called 'the works" ns we'll as this ample residence, which was called -home' or Kings Cottage" Certainly papa was not without import ance in the worlds scheme
 No one could make light of him when nc was displeased. As. for instance when he came in for the early dinner, and alancing at the clock found thai the dinner was late.
 rCama. comel" he would say. sternly and loudly. whats this? and he would open doors and call through khem. 'AEotheris Mrs. Pricet paneI What the dickens are you. all think inx about?'
 Then while he stood in tho lobby. brushing the brick dust from his clothes. or stamped to and fro about xhe big room, the household bestirred itself breathlessly Coming, Richard: comtngts called mama. in her gentle. soothing voice: Jane. the maid. clatt"r- cd with the trays and plates in the stone Jagged passage from the kitchen. Mrs. Price. the cook-housekeeper, bust Hing unseen, dished up at express hpasd
 The big room was tho one just inside Ahe front door. and 1t was used all the morning as MT. Crunden's own offi- eial room; through 1t you passed to e7te sitting room and the never used state parlor or drawing room. The east0m was to dine in the big room, but sometimes the custom was broken and they dined In the sitting room. It Wag this occasional break of the rou- tine that led to the very funny thing. when papa was thus once fussing and zzming, Mrs. Price. with g demure smile announced to him that dinner had been on the table and getting cold for the last i've minutes in the other room.
 If 60. said papa. with a quick change Of tone. it was no reason why Mrs. Price should grin like a Cheshire cat But then he laughed heartily.
 Lizzie my little fairy" he said. laughing, T cried out before I was huFt that times didn't nT'
 That was the merit of papa. He could be stern and severe-almost terrible--and then in moment cheer xnI and good tempered again. If he made your nerves shake. he did not keep them shaking--that is to say, un- less he was really angry. Then 1t was like an earthquake; the earth srsmbled.
 In these happy. days. however. he was nor often really angered. He was only holding people up to the mark guarding against slackness at home or at the yard Mrs. Price, as well as mamma. told Lizzie that her father at heart was the kindest man that ever lived. And truly he was very kind to LAzzie-kinder, much kinder than to her long legged schoolboy brother. Dick.
 He was seeking to hold Dick up to mo mark and already beginning to fail. Don't be stacker, my boy" that was what he said to Dick again and again. stick to 1t; put your back into it, whatsoever you do."
 Wher Dies came home for the hol- Brayton. papa welcomed him affection afely: but then. too soon, he would ask troublesome questions.
 We'll my boy, I hope you've done better this term. and brought home good report with you Where is Eour reportT
 At the word report" poor Mrs. Crunden always became restless, talka- tive and nervous.
 Don't trouble about that tonight. 9ather; that'll keep till tomorrow, won't ae1 Yes. have seen it Don't look at it tonight"
 Of course MT. Crunden would not wait. He must see the wrteched doc- snnent now, here, this very minute.
 Then there would be an oppressive silence. The father had laid down his pipe, was sitting in the candle light at niS bureau, solemnly reading; the son had plunged his hands in his trousers pockets, was looking at the ceiling or making facetious grimaces at his young sister; mama. miserably uncomfortable, was warning Dick by raised finger and moving lips to refrain from his impu- deElce and to bear reproof patiently: Mrs. Price, softly clearing the supper table. was too brave to hurry through the task and get safely away to the Kitchen, although she might think that 6 domestic earthquake was coming.
 well" said MT. Crunden at last. Burning from the bureau and facing his son; well, what have you got to say for yourself?'
 "oh." said Dick, with real or af- fected carelessness: they'll never make learned pig of me. They'd bet Fer give it up as a bad job"
 Then perhaps papa, for a little while looked quite terrible. e was a short, sturdy mana square block of a man, seeming strong and hard as one of his bricks set on end. He had stiff gray eyebrows, broad nose. and a stiH, short beard. His dark hair. had gone gray, but, although he was fifty, it remained thick and strong still. When