Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1911-07-20
SHE WAS
DISSATISFIED

Because the description Of Briar-
wood was 80 extremely alluring Hark-
ness, who for health's sake wanted q
quiet summer place, engaged II for the
season without waiting to confer with
his wife, who happened to be away
from home.
AfterwaEd he had cause to regret
this precipitancy. When he and Mrs.
Hardness arrived at Briarwood they
found the neatly furnished cottage"
supplied mostly with lickety folding
cots, broken-down wash-stands and de-.
crepit chairs. Mrs. Hardness appeared
to think this sad state Of things On.
tirely due to the fact that she had
not been consulted before the sign
ing OF the lease.
oh. well, I.ate." Hardness said.
soothlngly, I'VE came here for the SIM
pie life. The view Is beautiful and
the scarcity Of furnishings won't In.
terfere with our having q restful sum-
mer."
You won't find It very restful to
walk quarter Of a mile to the farm
spring every time We want drinking
water" she replied. "And the agent
failed TO tell you that the fireplace
smokes like-like Vesuvius."
1--WE probably won't need many fires.
Swimming in the lake will be more In
our line"
Yes, but there are so many weeds
that / shall be afraid to 60 into the
water, for I'm sure snakes hide there"
IN rake them out" said Hardness,
who had planned a complete rest
While you do thatHll work in the
garden. Though why the agent should
have called that patch OF plantain q
garden | can't see."
1T isn't much Of garden, Is TT But
there are some nice oid.fashioned
roses and the view here Is lovely"
The morning after their first night
ut Briarwood Mrs. Hardness came
30 the breakfast table looking pale
rom loss Of sleep.
Nov, Fred" she began with q
weary little smile, before I say any
thing else. I'll acknowledge that the
Briarwood view is charming. But the
most superb view In the world would
not compensate me for a night like
the one I've just been through. I
could almost believe the house "a
haunted"
'Haunted?"
Eyes. / suppose that bell which
rang at intervals all night long wasn't
audible in your room"
"a ringing bell! Why. you must
have dreamed It. There isn't even q
telephone here"
II didn't dream q bell. / heard II.
You don't know how gruesome and
weird Ii sounded"
"T'll know tonight, Kate" promised
Hardness. And he insisted upon ex-
changing rooms with her.
"Well?" she asked next morning.
II heard 1t, all right. Hardly slept
q wink. I'll get a boy and a ladder
from the farm and If that bell isn't
spook I'll find 1t or know the reason
why"
The Harnesses were relieved to
discover that the nightly disturbance
was caused by flying squirrels playing
around an old disconnected bell in
the caves, which had been used to
call former tenants Of Briarwood to
the farm for their meals.
- well, I think the agent should have
had II taken down." said Mrs. Hark-
ness.
''oh, BY the way, got a letter from
him this morning that / haven't read
yet" said her husband.
1T may be in answer to one wrote
him the first day telling him q few
facts of which he appeared not TO be
aware when he inveigled you into
coming here"
HE says" Hardness looked up from
the letter, that as you are dissatis-
ned he is glad to be able to take the
place on our hands. He says he has
a man who will buy the cottage II we
will give immediate possession"
"of course" said Mrs. Hardness, I'VE
won't give immediate possession after
the work we have done here. Why,
you've made the bathing beach fine,
and I'm getting the garden in splen-
did order"
But he wants to sell and he'll pay
US for the lease"
"oh, Fred, do let's buy Briarwood
ourselves"
Hardness looked at his wife In
speechless establishment.
you know, Fred, the view is per
iectly beautiful" she reminded him.
II said so all the time"
Eyes. that's So. agreed Hardness,
wondering In a mans vague way just
what ware the macmillan uroceae0a Of /