The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-13
THE EVENING STORY
.eEhis House to Rent"
(By Bryant c. Rogers.)

s'Ehis House to Rent"
(By Bryant c. Rogers.)
| When Mr.. Charles Westcott found
The had a surplus of fifteen or sixteen
thousand dollars on hand and no par
ticular place to invest it, he casually
mentioned the fact TO his aunt, MIS-
Darboy.
house on one of your vacant lots" was
the advice.
But why?"
ITO live in
But I'm without a wife,"
1.-THE wife will come after the house
is built
afraid
-Charles. you are sort of grace
less scamp" said the aunt, as she put
on a serious look twenty-five years
old, well off, cynical dawdling, hardly
! more than civil to my sex, no matter
how great their charms! Young man,
you are getting bad reputation"
Sorry, aunt, and / promise TO
change"
"Pouf!''
you don't think I'm in earnest,
but just wait. Why, tomorrow III
see an architect about the house, and
as soon as he can draw the plans the
contract shall be let"
"Oh, la Ia!''
"By George, I'm struck on the idea
of building a housed 1t will give me
something to do. I shall take my coat
right off and make things num- Brick
and stone for the material, ana m
terror finish of wood from the Holy
Land The library will be a wonder.
80 will the rest of the house, il
you have anything to do with it,"
and about the wife l am to Hnd
I can't be planning and contracting
and painting and papering and carry
/ ing the bod and be looking out for q
wife too"
Let her find herself
| GOOD old aunty! That is, not sc
very old. Just old enough to be wise
Yes. the wife shall find herself. II
fan in love with the first young lady
that steps over the threshold, and
marriage shall follow. Lord, but
who'd have thought there was SC
much romance in building a house,!
eff you've said enough foolish
things now you may CO., announced
the aunt. 81 have corns, and I've go'
to go to the chiropOdist's-
s'Fnter corns; exit romance. See
the architect before your feet are ou
of bed in the morning.
Two weeks had passed when a lady
caller at the Darboy residence re
marked:
house for sale?"
'You don't tell me he's started te
build!" was answered.
s'Why, of course. There is a cellal
being dug, and he's around bossint
things Does it mean an early mar
riage -
II can't tell you what anythinf
means in connection with Charles. He
may take a notion any day to open
popcorn palace at summer resort
Next we hear he'll be having the dir
thrown back to fill up the cellar
But this did not happen. The ar
chitect furnished the plans in tim'
and the work went on, and Mr. west
| colt stuck to his job. AS far as othel
rooms went, he left them to the ar
chitect, but the library was all his Owl
nlanniug 1t was not a room on tn
square. and neither was the length
greater than the width. It had RICH
angles and left angles and kitty-cor
ners IT had a slxylight and a fire
Mace but no windows. Mr.. Westcot
said it was his retiring den. When h
had retired therein and shut the mas
sive door. society or the police woui'
have to use a baettering ram to get
him. His collection of books mum
bercd only three volumes, but h
wasn't worrying about that One ca
go to a department store any day an
ask the person at the book counter I
recommend and send home a coupl
of thousand books! They will reac
the house almost as soon as you do.
; Charles" said the aunt one da
when he called, sis that house nearl
: done?"
when we have put up towel rae
l | in the kitchen we shall be ready 10
the grand opening" was the reply
ssWho is to select the furnishings?
my wife, of course
La la Do you still hold to wha
YOU said-that the first young lad
over the Intel should be your choice?
Il most certainly do"
But suppose she is red-headed
cross eyed and club-footed %
: my dear Aunt Darboy, the word O
a Westcott is sacred. The first thin
8 in skirts to enter the new house get
l a proposal of marriage from your
truly. If she rejects it with scorr
= don't blame me-
r The house was ready for the bach
: e1or to take UP his quarters in. bu
he hung on at his clubA Under thos
: circumstances no skirt" could Yer
well appear. Mrs Darboy Shove
certain of her friends through tn
a | ssRanch." as she called it. but the
II were either married ladies or youn
II ones already spoken for. The on
II whom her nephew was to fall in Low
II with and marry kept far away.
= Don't you see how it is % he aske
lone day eve got to resort to en
{ tfcement. Tomorrow 1 shall hang OF
a sign and coax my bird in. Wonde
IN didn't think of that before
And the next day sign readin
s9This House to Rent appeared on tn
front door. and a man was statione
on the steps to answer questions
A mile away lived the Wido
Il Glendeniug- she had daughte
MYRTLE and the house she occupie
ie was rented 1t had been rented for
year that mother and daughter migl