The Calumet news., 1911-08-07
The Highest
Bidder
A Washington Birthday
Story at.
By CLARlSSAg gMAcKE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

In the chill light or the February DAY.
The gray clouds lowered over its
messy roof, and tho naked elms cre0k-
ed dismally in the bitter wind. Tho
small porch was on n line with the
ancient fence and the land stretched
away in the rear-gnarled old fruit
trees, acres Of wornout pasturage and
n line of dark cedars against the hori-
zon.
Austin Ely and his bride descended
from the station stage that had
brought them to the steps OF their
| future home. Their trunks were
dumped In the small porch, the box
of supplies that Austin had prepared
ere they left the city stood at the door,
and the stage rolled away with the
driver peering curiously back at them
over his fur clothed shoulder.
Austin looked up and down the lone
ly road with its scattering of equally
dismal houses and shivered He bent
down and gathered his wife into his
strong young arms. Dorothy, dear,
what sort Of place is this to bring
you tog' he demanded wrathfully. "a
poor beggar like me ought never to
marry. Well, you know. dear, il isn't
fair TO you to start out in this old
rookeryw
Dorothy placed her gloved hand over
his lips. IL won't hear a word against
your Uncle Bob's legacy. Just think
of owning and occupying the Oldest
house in the state! Why. tradition
says George Washington slept here
once when it was the best known
tavern on the post road. Do get out
that huge brass key and let us 90 in.
1t is bitterly cold out here!'
Austin brought out the key and
thrust it in the lock. "If you had only
let me come on ahead and open up
the old place. Dorothy-have it partly
furnished and warm fire for YOU
tut. tutg' admonished Dorothy,
crowding into the narrow hall in his
wake. "You know very well I'm per-
fectly crazy over old houses. and
would never forgive you If you denied
me the pleasure of rummaging out the
NAh oANlA lllAN liitlNC. OAl, 1911 llldl
the dearest old room, and see, Austin,
the enormous flreplacew She waltzed
gayly across the uneven floor, her teeth
chattering with the cold.
Her husband forced up the small
paned windows and threw back the
heavy wooden shutters, letting in the
cold light of day. 1t was n long low
striped paper The furniture was very
old, and It's possession would have
made collector Wild with 10y. A pair
of long settles, large mahogany buf-
fet, great round table 60 match with
the accompanying chairs, were placed
on the wide polished boards now
covered thicllly with dust. The large
fireplace contained brass andirons, and
on the chimneypiece were brass can
long row of them-a dozen
In all.
Lets have q fire at once" suggested
Dorothy eagerly 1--WE can make this
room our headquarters till we are
settled"
at will be fine and dandy when
spring comes" said Austin dubiously,
"but i don't know what you're going
to do in the meantime, Dorothy. Here
It is the 22d of February, and April IL
a long way or. Won't you he lonely?"
Dorothy smiled away his wistful
glance. Lonely where you are2" she
said. "And, besides. think of all the
chickens we're going to raise and of
all the money you're going to make
next summer with your eggs and your
broilersr
"If we only had $780," he sighed,
everything would come out all right"
"Come TO the garret with me and
see II we can't find another small
table for the south window. can sit
there and sew while you're writing at
the big secretary ] think you're going
to drag I'm here from the hall"
Together they mounted the steep
stairs TO the low attic, redolent Of
cedar shingles, where innumerable
wnsps crawlcd sticblly to and fro.
''There are chests and chests and
chests! Let me peep inside this Old !
hair covered one, Austin I'm sure IL
belonged TO some eighteenth century
belle. No, I'm not n bit cold. How could |
be with these great warm chlmneys
jutting out into the garrett? Ahr
Dorothy's ecstatic cry was echoed |
by Austin's prolonged whistle of |
Mt the beautiful garments |
divulged by the lifting of the lid of
the hair trunk.
''Two white wigs-one for you and
one for me!'' she cried dclghtedly, |
tossing one 10 him and placing the
other. towering erection Of puf's and |
rurls, over her own sleek hair.
Austin crammed on his wig just In
time to see his wifc's rosy face beam
Ing at him from under the whiteness
OF the other. simultaneously they bent
In stately greeting.
Good morrow, Mistress Washing
ton," said Austin mischcvOusly.
"Ah. Mr. Washington Dorothy
dipped splendid courtesy and sudden
" turned TO the chest. "Oh. let us put
on these perfectly gorgeous garments,
Austin. We might as well enjoy our
selves until the man brings the coal"
Dorothy slipped into blue bro
cade. admired the towering mass Of
white curls above her forehead and
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