The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-25
Mildred and the
Little House
BY Mary L. Parker.
CCoppryright 1911 by Associated
nrv Pr~@S1

(Coppryright 1911 by Associated Liter
airy Pr-ss)
Let's get msrried.''
It sounds easy and casual enough,
quite as IL II were uttered on the spur
of the moment; but Tom Corbett was
far from easy and casual when he said
II.
He had been framing the proposal
kor several months, and the various
glowing sentiments which he evolved
did not sound anything like the bald
three words which he finally used.
But pretty Mildred Mckay probably
saw the volumes of eloquence pent UP
by bashfuiness In Toms adoring brown
eyes. for she said
"Al right, Tom; let's"
Tom didn't know JUST what TO do or
say next: but II wasn't very. long be-
fore he found Mildred In his arms. and
he was marveling how soft and warm
her arms were.
Naturally, after bit. they fell to
planning about the future. and found
1t an engrossfng and fascinating pas
time.
.Uncle Bob will build US q little
house on the lot west OF Mr.. Sim
mons" said Mildred. That's nice
neighborhood. and you'll be close TO
your work"
'fwill he, MildredT
On course ne Will, All teli niIl tAse
want him to.
Uncle Bob was a wealthy and child
less dabbier In real estate. and Mil
bred was his favorite niece. He paid
in various ways for being fond or
her. From the time she had been a
small girl, he was expected to side
with her against her parents: TO
avert threeteneda--nd deserved-pun-
ishment land to help get her own way
xvhny, ~ and Mra Mora nroyed unex-
pectedly stubborn.
They discussed the little house I'm
Gle Bob was 10 build, In q good-by that
lasted from the back parlor to the
front gate, and which consumed nearly
two hours In the saying. The question
of whether the singles should be plain
or strained required a caress for near
iy every shingle. When Tom finally
tore himself away from Mildred and
the front gate, the little house had be-
come a castle In the air. He sauntered
homeward through the warm, ordorous
spring night. too happy even TO whistle.
The engagement was blushingiy
confessed to Uncle Bob. who. after a
certain amount OF teasing, agreed to
build the little house. Tom and NIL
bred gravely assumed a business-like
air and spoke of mortgages and
monthly payments and similar prosy
subjects. Uncle Bob smiled quizzi-
caiiy at that and made mysterious
and delightful hints about wedding
presents.
The little house began to go up In
the vacant lot next to Simmons. Tom
went four blocks out of his way to
pass IL twice q day. Not that such q
course ever gained him a good look
at 1t. When he WAS within few
hundred feet, his face began TO Erow
hot: he seemed to have eyes all about
his head that discovered his neigh
bors-elect peertng out and smiling at
him. So he looked straight ahead
with a miserable assumption OF in
difference, FASTENED his steps and al
most ran by.
But the embarrassment OF the day
were almost swallowed up In the de-
lights of the friendly twilight Every
evening he and Mildred. and some
times Uncle Bob, went down TO the
little house and inspected It lovingly.
board by board. Mildred. sure-footed
as mountain goat--which is a
clumsy simiie for one so dainty
cIambered about the bare rafterx and
even out onto the roof. Together
they talked over the plans and sug-
gested minor changes which Uncle
Bob faithfully impressed upon the
carpenters next day.
One evening when they followed
the line of planks that led through
the hall and parlor to the dining
room. Mildred uttered little cry Of
disappointment
"Oh. Uncle Bob" she said. II
didn't want a long window at the
back OF the dining room. / wanted
one OF those high, square ones, a
buffet window. you know"
This room won't be any too light"
suggested Uncle Bob. douhtfully. You
gee. It's on the north side of the house.
and / think two large windows are
what you need"
Tom, hands in pockets. gxzed our
the empty frame. Besides. with one
of those high windows, Mildred. you
couldn't see out OF doors. And it's a
pretty view OF there
II was a pretty view. The little
house was on the crest of a hill and
the ground sloped away from their
back yard. Across a valley OF green
cry. for the many trees were now In
red-brfck automobile factory. in the
office OF which Tom earned his COM
Portable salary.
81 think the view Is horrtd." re-
piled Mildred, surprisingly. land
don't want to be looking at that ugly
old factory all the time. That's the
reason I'd like a high window
1t may be ugly. out It's the place
that is going to support U.S." Tom
spoke quietly. but he shut his lips
into straight line In a peculiar way
ne had. Mildred knew she had dis
pleased him. and that he was now
arrayed against the buffet window.
She answered emphatically. Uncle
Bob's kindly efforts could neither
stop nor turn aside the discussion
that followed. Their visit to the lit
tie house was cut short, and they
walked home In constrained silence.
After Uncle Bob had taken his de-
parture Mildred unwtsely reopened
the subject Of the window. What she
had said about the factory ranked,
though Tom tried to be fair. He was
hurt. and showed II. Mildred grew
unreasonable and then angry, The
discussion wandered away from the
window to other fields and grew ever
more bitter till Tom found himself
out In the street. homeward bound,
with his ring In his pocket and a
throbbing pain in his heart.
The next day he would have tried
to patch up their differences But
when he went to the Moore home It
was to discover that Mildred had al
ready gone to visit a married sister q
hundred miles away. So Tom shut
his teeth and vowed she could stay
there until she became more sensible
about the window. He could not