Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-02-08
The Highest
Bidder
A Washington Birthday
Story

lf BY CLARISSA MACKE !
Copyright by American Press Asso- I
citation. 1911.
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| The old house looked grim and cold
in the chill light of the February day
The gray clouds lowered over its
messy roof, and the naked elms creak
ed dismally In the bitter wind The
small porch was ON line with the
ancient fence and the land stretched
away in the rear-gnarled old fruit
trees, acres Of wornout pasturage and
4 line Of dark cedars against the hori
ron.
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
VVcI Ills luT ClUthCu SuOulucI.
! Austin looked up and down the lone
~ 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 tor he demanded wrathfully. "a
poor beggar like me ought never to
marry. Well, you know, dear, it isn't
fair TO you to start out in this old
rookery"
Dorothy placed her gloved hand over
his lips. II won't hear 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 60 in.
It is bitterly cold out herew
| Austin brought out the key and
thrust 1t In the lock. "If you had only
let me come on ahead and open up
the old place. Dorothy-have 1t partly
furnished and warm fire for you
/ 4ots tut duAOA1oucu IOAOtAy .
crowding into the narrow han 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
old stun in this place. Oh, isn't that
the dearest old room, and see, Austin,
the enormous fireplacew 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 long low
room. the walls hung with an ancient
striped paper. The furniture was very
old. and its possession would have
made collector wild with Joy. A pair
of long settles, large mahogany buff
fet. great round table to match with
the accompanying chairs, were placed
on the wide polished boards now
covered thickly with dust. The large
/ fireplace contained brass andirons. and
on the >chimneypiece were brass can
dlesticks-a long row Of them-a dozen
In all.
Lets have fire at once" suggested
Dorothy eagerly. I'VE can make this
room our headquarters till we are
settled"
ut will be fine and dandy when
spring comes" said Austin obviously.
''but don't know what you're going
to do in the meantime. Dorothy. Here
It is the 22d Of February. and April is
q long way of. Won't you be lonely ?"
! Dorothy smiled away his wistful
glance. Lonely where you aref" 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
| broilers"
IF we only had $780," he sighed,
everything would come out all right"
| "Come to the garnet 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 in here from the hall"
Together they mounted the steep
stairs to the low attic. redolent Of
cedar shingles. where innumerable
/ wasps crawled stickily to and fro.
''There are chests and chests and
chests! Let me peep inside this old
hair covered one. Austin: I'm sure 1t
belonged to some eighteenth century
belle. No. I'm not bit cold. How could
be with these great warm chimneys
/ jutting out into the garrett All"
| Dorothy's ecstatic cry was echoed
BY Austin's prolonged whistle Of
| amaxement at the beautiful garments
livulged by the lifting Of the lid Of
the hair trunk.
1.-TWO white wigs-cne for you and
one for mer' she cried delightedly.
tossing one to him and placing the
other. towering erection Of puifs and
eurls. over her own sleek hair.
Austin crnmmed on his wig just in
time to nee his wife's rosy face BEAM