Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-04
Evening Story.
sERENA's SUMNER BoARDER.
BY Temple Bailey.
Copyright, 1913 by the Associated
Literary Press.)

Literary Press.)
There's only one way to do It,"
said Serena.
"But we couldn't, could WEI" asked
little Mrs. Blair. anxiously. I'VE
have never had any strange people In
our house"
Zone boarder isn't Strange people, -
Betty reminded her, "and I'll adver-
ltise for some dear old soul with gray
|curls, and lap dog-I should love the
dog, mumsie."
Mrs. Blair sighed resignedly.
"You never could take things Sc
riously," she said. I.
Serena smiled and ran away to get
kitchen her face lost its brightness.
IF mother only knew" she whispered
to the big yellow cat on the window
sill, IT mother only knew, haven't
money enough to pay for the adver-
|tisement."
II want to put an advertisement In
a city paper" she said to Alvin Green
that night, land / haven't any money
guess I'll have to borrow It and you
can take your pay In eggs"
"All right" said Alvin Green. He
was an old friend of the family and
kept the village store.
Mother doesn't know Just how
hard up we are" Serena explained
"but I told her we'd have to take
some one to live with Us, and finally
she agreed"
The advertisement when written
read n foY1Ows.
Board for single lady In private
family. Big first-foor bedroom open.
ing on a porch. Fresh eggs, clover
honey, brook trout, spring chickens
home cooking. Fireplace, old mahog
any, solid silver, lake view
She handed it to Alvin.
TITS the queerest advertisement
ever saw,"shS said.
Well serena told him seriously
II put that In about the, mahogany
and the silver, because nice people
like such things.
"A few days later letter came
Serena carried It over to Alvin
I.Listen to this" she cried,
"Your advertisement sounds like
peaches and cream to me-" It said
.1'm coming on Saturday night. Don't
llet any one else have that room OF
the fresh eggs, and want to corner
that honey-and will you please have
hot biscuits? III pay twenty-five dol
liars a week. Don't try to change my
price, because shall probably make
lot OF trouble and I want to bring
my dogs
Il was signed IN. P. Ayers
IrY - ar SQyd
Senera, thoughtfully.
Alvin read the note again. We'll
from the kind of English she uses, and
the way she sings around her money
! | should say she was a gay widow
and III bet the dogs are bull pups"
On Saturday night the big front bed
room was in readiness. There were
roses IN q silver bowl on the shining
mahogany dresser. There were fresf
white curtains blowing gently In TIL
soft breeze. A little fire burned OF
the hearth. For she may be cold,
said Serena, "and the evenings arr
cool"
In the dining room the table wal
-; with the fine linen and the ole
slass and silver that Mrs. Blair had
saved out Of the wreck Of her for
tunes.
"she will be here at SIX" said Ser
ena. coming in from the kitchen where
Miranda Meek presided over the stove
Serena had on a white linen skirt and
| thin blouse, and her red-brown curli
were caught up high on top OF hel
| head. 81 hope she'll be nice and thai
you will like her.
A muff1ed scream from the kitchen
started both OF them. Then Miranda
burst in. They've come In an auto
mobile. A great big red one, and
there's two dogs on the back seat, ant
man in front, and don't see an,
woman"
| 1T isn't our boarder," said Serena
pc eping out. Probably something
has happened to that poor mans ma
chine: we'd better 90 and see.
But when she reached the porch she
rave a little gasp Of dismay, for, thu
young man having descended from bill
seat. was taking out bags and rugl
and wraps!
Then he came up the walk TOWARD
Serena. ''You won't mind" he said
cheerfully, "if pile these things or
| the porch while / get the rest. I've
got such lot Of truck you know--
But your mother" stammeree
Serena when Will she be here?"
| He stared at her. Ny mother
then his eyes twinkled. ooh. you die
say something about board for
lady. But do you think was going
10 let you waste all this richness OF
woman? Why. that brook trout
took me. Where do they catch
Them
alvin Green catches ours said
Serena, stifly.
! "Now, look here" said the young
man, I'm afraid I've made you fee
badly because I wasn't my aunt or my
mother or something. But really
won't be bit Of trouble. And TIL TT,