Semi-weekly herald., 1912-07-15
THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER

"Odd, isn't it," observed Hermina
| confidentally to her guest Lydia.
! How happy and delighted mothers are
| to see their daughters married, but
when the son marries they constantly
bemoan their fate Kenneth's mother
wept for three days after our we'd
ding while my mother was all suiffca
and never let a chance slip by to say
in her proudest way, My daughter,
Mrs. Kenneth Dunlap Just as if she
had achieved great triumph in hay-
ing son-in-Nw."
"It may be the same old story Of a
daughter remaining a daughter for
the rest of her existance, but son
forgetting his filial duties after he be-
comes benedict. At any rate you're
married now for better or worse"
well, she doesn't like me any the
better, Lydia. We are as antipodal
as the north and south poles"
Not very pleasant" interrupted her
| friend, but the distance is so great
between you and your husbands rela-
| tives that there's no danger of your
conflicting often. Is that the reason
you rented this bungalow on the other
| side of nowhere?"
Yes, but don't breathe It to soul
what a rank hypocrite I am. Ken
meth hasn't the faintest idea of the
| reason and | wouldn't have him learn
of the state of affairs for all that was
in the heavens above or the earth be-
low"
Men are so credulous. Does he ad-
mire you for living on the outskirts Of
| the town."
Surely; Kenneth is most lavish in
mis- praise of my willingness to live
so far from the shopping district and
/ for the different inconvenience of the
neighborhood. He doesn't realize why
| | find the air so salubrious, why rave
over the little vegetable garden and
never murmur why the maid leaves" "
Here comes your husband now"
said Lydia looking out the window.
Married life agrees with him. He
looks as happy as bird"
Kenneth bounded up the steps Of
the house and into the room, greeted
his wife affectionately and shook
the hands of their guest heartily. en-
phasizing how glad he was of the
chance to show their hospitality.
'You look ready to explode" said
his wife. What's the news? From
your looks 1t certainly must be good
news.
Kenneth nodded his head.
| Dearest, don't try to guess; you
couldn't I ran nearly all the way to
tell you"
Don't keep us in suspense" plead.
ed Hermina. Have you inherited q
fortune?"
Kenneth, how lonely you must be
in this little suburb. Every time
passed that vacant house on the cor
ner l thought If only Hermina had
some of her own family living there
what has that to do with our good
fortune?" asked Hermina impatiently
AS she finished Kenneth gave one
long low whistle, which expressed all
degrees of surprise and amazement
"But the people who have rented
that house are not the kind you refer
to. They're our relatives. My moth.
er, father and sister"
Your parents have taken that
piace!" calculated the astonished
young wife trying to look pleased
isn't It splendid that mother will
be right here to assist in all your
domestic troubles? l wager she'll be
here more than at home" he added
enthusiastically.
81 suppose she WILL" said Lydia,
with keen look at her hostess.
Only last week your mother said
she couldn't see why we lived SO far
from town; said she didn't consider a
frame house healthy; that the market
was too far distant, and lastly, the
rent was so exhorbitant that only ex-
travagant young couples could afford
TO pay it."
You see the railroad company Is
going to build a new depot and needs
the ground" explained Kenneth,
where their house stands, SO they
paid them an enormous sum If they
would vacate Immediately"
"Why did they decide on that par
ticular house?" questioned Hermina.
when they 'phoned the news to
me, I suggested that one immedi-
ately."
"Did your mother consent immedi-
ately?"
Eyes, when l mentioned how de-
lighted you would be to have them in
the vicinity. and repeated that you
remarked the other evening when we
passed by, that green house with the
shade trees In front of 1t would be
ideal for your folks"
I'll be back In a jiffy. Just going
over to the house to look 1t over"
he answered. 'Ill bring the family
| back for dinner"
you poor girl" said Lydia, SYM
pathetically, as Hermna's face show.
| ed her chagrin and disappointment as
soon as her husbands back was
turned did you ever hear of the
science of propinquity7"
mo, never"
1T means that people often grow
like each other when they are in each
others company very often. You can