The Marshall republican., 1912-01-04

what had caused the tapping. 1 arose.
went to the window, threw up the
sash and. putting out my head, looked
about me. Seeing nothing. l went
back to my seat before the FIRE.
In q few minutes there came an
other tap. Turning again, I saw the
cause. The name on the hearth light
ed up the face of q young girl.
Now, I maintain that there's nothing
prettier o N earth than a pretty girl.
and when a lonesome bachelor in q
house by himself sees q pretty girls
face at his window, Illuminated by a
freight, it's the prettiest sight he ever
saw. At any rate, IL a vista Of heaven
had been opened TO me I couldn't have
been more delighted.
I whirled my chair around and sat
enraptured. The window was just
high enough from the ground and the
girl Just tall enough to show her face,
but not the rest OF her body. She
could see me fairly well by the light
Of the fre.
"Who are you" she asked. and
what are you doing hereT'
"I'm a pin pcddler. and I stopped
here for overnight"
"Ts that ALI ! thought you must be
q robber."
II suppose a robber would be more
attractive to you than a tin peddler."
"Not a nice tin peddier."
There was some encouragement IN
this. But I was curious to find out
about the house I was I'm.
"where did you come from7" I
asked.
From Just over a rise in the ground.
Our place IL hidden by trees. I saw
smoke against the sky and came TO
the hill TO ind out what II como from.
Since II was from this chimney I
thought I'd come on and SEQ who was
In the house"
I'm very glad to see you. I'm Gu
rious TO know how the premises hap
pened to be left an they are. I've been
forming theories about It. Perhaps
you can tell me which theory In cor.
rect"
"what are theyr
THAT couple" pointing 70 the picture
Of q bride and groom, "had just been
married and come to live here. Is
that sof"
"No; another couple Just married
did"
"weli. one OF that other couple
died"
"No; they're both alive"
They had a spat and separated"
mo such thing"
'Then they were separated by tlat
crusty looking old woman whose pic
ture hangs there. She o. the mother
in-law Of one Of them"
mot At all. She is my mother and
perfectly lovely"
"One more guess. One OF the other
was cxtravagunt, and that broke them
up"
you're no guessor. None Of those
guesses In right"
swell. toll me-"
my married sister lived here: that's
al. Her husbands father died and
left him a better farm. They had to
60 right or and left everything as Il
was. They've been trying TO sell this
ever since"
"what do they ask for TT"
II don't know. but I Gun ind out n
you want to buy II. Pa can tell you.
You'd better come over TO our house.
We have a spare room"
Covering tho Gre. I went with the
girl. met her father and mother and
remained the night in the house. !
spologized for breaking into the vacant
place. which they said vas under their
care, and asked them whnt II was TO
b bought for. They named q fair
price. and I told them they might
write the owner that I would buy the
property. Somewhat surprised. they
asked why ] wished that particular
property.
BECAUSE" I replied. ~ am full Of
romance"
"what did you say your business
isr' asked the old lady. she by whose
picture I had judged her to be q moth.
er-in-law.
"a tin peddler."
AAulupu.
The girl who had discovered me
laughed.
"And what are you going to do with
II after you have bought itT' asked the
old man.
Give In It,"
But you're not married. are your
put In the old woman.
"No. but I'm going to be-"
gave the girl q look. and she blush.
ed. She was the only one present who
suspected my intentions. The others
had no conception OF them.
The next morning before leaving l
shook hands with them all. the girls
hand lying in mine longer than the
others. l told them that I would be
along that way again In q week ana
II they would have a deed for the
farm and everything On It Just as II
stood I would give them q check for
It. Then ! went TO the barn. got my
tAoU md HnnuA Arua~ ThA airI I1nl-