Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-24
EVENING STORY.
THEIR BRi DIAL COTTAGE.
BY Donald Allan, !,


We're engaged, but the world was re-
suburban village Of Pelham Manor
there was no great excitement. The
only two persons seriously affected
by the announcement, aside from the
principals, were Mr.. James Hepburn,
and Miss Helen Dix.
Mr.. Hepburn had been paying at
tention to Miss Glenning and had,
failed to capture her heart. Miss
Dix had been making herself as at.
tractive to Mr.. Hope as possible, but
his love had gone elsewhere. Mr.,
Hope and Mr.. Hepburn were fellow
employees in the bank and Miss
Cleaning and Miss Dix lived on the
same block and were chums. Mr..
Hepburn congratulated and Miss Dix
congratulated, and that seemed to be
the end of the affair.
The father of the happy maiden,
was not rich, but he presented her
with very fine building site. The
father of the happy young man was
not rich, but his son was to have a
certain sum of money to build the
bridal cottage. All things had gone
we'll up to this point The only diff
ference that had arisen between the
loving couple was that Arthur pre-
ferred hOllyhocks to pinks, and Prue
held to the contrary.
After the engagement has been an
nounced the lovers are free to plan
the wedding trip, the new house, and
all that, and this couple was not long
in getting at it. It was to be wood
bine cottage. That much was settled
In twenty words. It was to have a
front porch to it, and the happy wife
was to sit behind the woodbine and
dream the happy summer days away.
That was settled in forty words. Then
the trouble came. Miss Dix advised
calling in the architect who had
planned the steeple of the Methodist
church Mr. Hepburn. had said his
choice was the architect who had
planned the railroad depot. 1t was
good natured argument for few
minutes, and then came little tinge
of acidity.
"a church steeple is not a cottage,
my DEAR" observed Mr.. Hope.
Neither is a railroad depot" was
the answer.
But the depot has the look of a
Swiss Chalet"
And the church spire has sym
metry."
But my father gives me the money
to build the cottage
Mr.. Hepburn and Miss Dix realized
that the architect question would be
settled without serious trouble, and
they had something at hand when 1t
was. Miss Dix advised a bay window
on the front; Mr. Hepburn advised
two French windows instead.
"Of course we shall have front
bay window to make our cottage
chic said Prue. when plans were
next talked of.
Whats the matter with French
windows was asked They have
style and refinement at the same
time"
And thereupon ensued discussion
lasting an hour and it wasn't settled
even then. They had agreed to en-
ploy the architects who had built an
ice house for one of the local million
airer and made it look like a castle
but the window question had not yet
been decided when the bride-to-be in
nocently remarked:
Helen and were figuring on the;
parlor today"
and so were Hepburn and l." her.
finance replied
Helen and I don't like square
room We think there should be
inches in it. In that way you break
up what may be called the monotony
of it,
Hepburn has been in the finest
houses in New York. and he says all
the rooms are square We want to
be in style, don't we?"
Arthur. am surprised at your
perversity'.
"And / at yours my dear
"A parlor with-two alcoves in it
wall look cute. They will surprise as
you come upon them"
= make it all alcoges and have more
surprises
There was almost quarrel that
evening with nothing decided. 1t
was to be wood bine cottage and the
ice house architect was to draw the
plans but there were many other
things to be decided. Mr.. Hepburn
and Miss Dix didn't fail to tender
their advice daily 1t was three even
ings after the "alcove argument that
the matter was renewed.
Arthur" began Prue, Helen and
have been figuring on the dining
room today. How long do you sup
pose it must be to seat twenty-four
people at table,"
Hadn't you better hire a hall
Arthur replied. sarcastically.
There must be two feet Of room
for every person, and two feet of
spare room at the ends of the table.
That makes fifty-two feet, though
we'd better call it fifty-four. We
might have twenty-five to dinner
some time, you know"
why, there isn't a. house in town
over sixty-five feet in depth, and here
you want fifty-four feet of our cottage
for a dining room alone"
But Miss Dix was in several
houses in London when she was
abroad. and she says"
And Mr.. Hepburn was in five to
her one. All the dining rooms in
Europe are small"