Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-29
THE EVENING STORY
HOSPITALITY IN A NUTSHELL.
BY Belle Mandates.
Copyright 1910 by Associated Literary

PreSS.
Huddled down among some tall, an
gular poplars In valley between the
high hills was little white house with
a lean-to at the rear and big porch IN
front. Here had lived, for forty-eignt
years. a childless old couple. They
thought that their little home which
they had named "The Nutshell" the
most beautiful place in the world, and
their only lament was that so few per-
sons dropped in, or even passed by
Neighbors were remote, and their road
was not deserving of the appellatlon.
1t was not even a Overwhelmingly
a lane-and the grass grew high be-
tween two family defined wagon ruts
Where it ended and turned into a
crossread, there was such labyrinth
of underbrush, brush and foliage from
low-hanging, interlaced tree tops that
the opening was completely hidden
from view.
One afternoon as they sat on the
porch-stoop, Phineas called it his
wife. Hannah, stopped rocking sud
denly and listened.
Some ones coming" she exclaimed,
excitedly
AS SIG SDOhc, q DSduIiiui 49, .
woman on a shining, black horse came
into view.
Like picture" said Phineas, TAX
ing the pipe from his mouth.
The young lady looked admiringly
at the little place and bestowed
friendly glance upon the old couple:
81 can't let her go by" gasped Han
nah, as she started down the path.
The rider refined in her horse.
Wouldn't you like to stop a bit and
have a drink of cold MILK
Hannah spoke enticingly and appeal
inely. The answering smile was radl-
ant
indeed, | would" she replied, dis
mounting, land may | have one OF
those rosy-cheeked apples | saw in the
orchard?'
You may have a bushel," emphat-
ically asserted Phineas. as he stood up
and held out his hand. Set right
down, while tie your hoss.'
She proved to be what Hannah call
! ed "folksy" She cheerfully told her
name. where she lived and everything
that Hannah yearned to know.
WAS you goin' far?" she finally
asked.
81 wasn't going anywhere in particu-
lar. I don't know how I came to spy
| This road: it was so shut in. / don't
see how people find it,
"They don't" said Hannah, W1st'
fully. mo one comes by but the gro
Gerry man once a week, the essence
man every four weeks and once In a
while the tin man We like company
Phinny and |, and we like to have a
game, too. We taught the tin man and
| the essence man to play casino and
pedro, so they always stop; but the
! grocery man don't get the time. Once
i I stopped a stranger and called him
in. We played with dummy"
~ call that holdup," laughed the
girl.
ing up the steps. Miss
| creme" she answered.
"That was my mothers name" he
said. musingly.
Cant you stay to supper?" pleaded
Hannah 1--WE have it real early be
cause we have dinner early"
"Thank you" replied the girl.
should love to stay"
"You can telephone your folks sug
gested Phineas 1--WE have tele
phone"
at won't be necessary. | often g
for long rides"
So Phineas led the horse to the BARI
, to feed, while Irene helped to set tn
| table with blue-sprigged china an.
silver small-bowled spoons. Hannal
; made alright biscuits. There was
square of golden honey with cream L
match its hue. A silver cake baske
was heaped with thick slices of gol
and silver cake and strawberry pre-
serves, pickles and fragrant tea CON
pleted the menu.
81 never ate such delicious meal:
cried Irene, ecstatically.
"Pshaw, jest bite!" scoffe
I Phineas.
But while they were making merr
throughout the supper hour, cloud
had been gathering and a quick pa
) ter of raindrops took them all to tn
window. A storm was coming on !
earnest and in few minutes Their
was a terrific roar of thunder and tn
I rain came down in torrents.
A cts in for an all nights storm
predicted Phineas.
, You will have to stay all night
said Hannah. gleefully.
j. "Yes; ten miles in this rain and III
4 unknown roads would be too ventur
some even for me-, replied lren
going to the telephone and informin
her mother of her safekeeping.
Presently the telephone rang aga
). The message was for Irene.
d THAT wasn't your folks" chuckle
: Phineas, as she hung up the receive
How did you guess"
Your tone was so different
9 Wasn't it your beau?" asked Ha
# nah timidly.
Y-es-no-almost my beau" laught
S Irene. He asked me TO wait here
a morrow until he rode over and
could ride home together
Then we can have game!' sa
e Hannah, hopefully.
8. Eyes: he shall stay for sever
st games"
It In the morning the sun was shinil
brightly, and after breakfast, viii
n Phineas fed the cattle, Hannah chul