Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-10-13
A DEAD
GIVEAWAY
BY ESTHER VANDEVEER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

furnished house, the owner Of which
went to the country. The lady OF
whom we rented asked us If we would
object to keeping her parrot. l tolt
her l would make myself personally
responsible for the bird. called Clip
and she need feel no anxiety about
him whatever. She was much relieye d
at this, for it would have given her o
great deal Of trouble to take him with
her, and he was very valuable bird.
Two or three days after the owners
departure and our entrance to the
premises a young man called at the
house and asked for Miss Barrows. d
young lady member of the family OF
whom we rented The maid told him
that they had all gone away, but could
not tell where: so l went downstairs
to give him the information.
He told me that he was an old friend
of the Barrows family; that he had
been out Of town and was much disap-
pointed that they had gone away, be-
cause he had counted on having them
in the city to visit when most persons
were away. AS 1t was. he should be
very lonely. He had especially counted
on using the library. He said all this
SO promptly that / felt it incumbent
upon me to say to him that he would
be welcome to use the library when
ever he liked. He thanked me very
much and departed.
There Is an unwritten. unspoken
language between the sexes. and Mr..
Binder was talking it all the while,
especially with his eyes. l knew per-
fectly well that he cared nothing
about the books. but wished to make
my acquaintance. And 1 doubted not
that he knew l understood his real
purpose. Had 1 not felt toward him
something akin to what he felt to-
ward me there would not have been
any such understanding between us.
Several days later when l was dress
ed for the afternoon Mr.. Binder call.
ed and asked for me. l went down
to see him. and he told me he had
taken advantage Of my kind permits
sion to read in the library. l knew
very we'll that he had called to see
me. But told him to make himself
at home among the books and return
ed to the upper floor. AS l expected.
he soon called for the maid and told
her to ask me If would kindly come
down and help him find a book he
wanted. consented. but the book
was not in the library. He had made
sure that it wasn't there before send
ing for me.
He began to talk about books so in
terestingly that sank into seat and
listened to him. / was charmed with
his knowledge Of any subject he
touched upon or 1 suggested. The re-
suit was that the afternoon passed
without his reading a word. devoting
1t all to conversation with me. though
l confess he took the first opportunity
to switch Off from literature and had
the art to set me to talking. In 9TH
er words. he was not only good talk
er, but a good listener And l some.
times think that good listener is
more entertaining than a good talker
Mr.. Binder called three times dur.
ing the first week to use the library.
Two OF these visits were taken M
with me. Then one day he said that
my Kindness to him. stranger. need
ed some acknowledgment and asked
me to go with him to the theater.
accepted. of course. During the even.
ing he read to me a passage from
letter from Miss Barrows. THANK our
tenants in my behalf for permitting
you to use the library, but hope Gin
VIII not be disturbed from his Gus
tomary habitation"
The meaning of these words about
zip was that his cage usually hung in
the library. l told Mr. Binder to as.
sure Miss Barrows that Clip had not
been moved.
Inc result Of Mr.. Binder using the
library was what might have been OK.
pected from the f1rst-a love affair be-
tween him and me. And l confess II
was very strong love affair. He told
me that the moment he had seen mo
at the time of his first call he knew
tnat was the woman he wanted for
a wife. And he blessed that meeting
because he had intended to marry q
woman whom he supposed he wanted
ana had not known what love was tiu
he met me.
mat was the summer of nv life.
gave myself up to the enjoyment of n
new born love. and when the season
drew to close and our lease was
ABOUT to expire I mourned our anticj.
pated departure.
The library was used for the living
room and the day the Barrowses ar.
rived we all went In there together
why she did 1t don't know. but Miss
barrows asked Mr.. Binder ~ no
couldn't call that day for a Is O'Clock
Tea. He came and before he left !
was made aware Of her object in osk.
ing him. While we were all In tho
room together Miss Barrows wen, mn
10 G1p's cage. Clip was delighted n
see her and made n great fiutter.
Hello. Gip." she said: shave tbav
oeen good to you while we have been
lwayr Deeh
kiss me. Ethel" squawked The
parrot. tue
My name Is Ethel.
GOO by. One more"