The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-03-06
Where Did the
Flowers Come In?
By ELSIE B. MATTESON

home till the sister died and BOD 10unu
himself alone. He was at loss what
to do. He had been born in the house
and had never lived anywhere else
the thought of leaving it and going to
hotel, boarding house or bachelor
apartments was repulsive to him. lie
determined to stay where he was.
He stood the loneliness of living in
a house all by himself for several
months, then gave it up. He pre-
farred to take his meals elsewhere so
that it seemed useless to keep serv-
ant. The consequence was that every
thing grew dingy. He could not see
through the window panes since they
were covered with dirt; he considered
It useless to make his bed since there
was no one to see it except himself,
and he didn't care. Dust and cobwebs
began to appear. He wrote on a card,
"This house to let. Inquire within 6
to 8 a. M, to p. m.," and tackled it
on the front door.
Returning from business at o'clock,
he sat down in his accustomed seat by
the window, opened his evening paper,
sighed and liStlessly read the news.
About half past there came a ring
Of the door bell. Garwood slowly rose
from his chair and answered the sum-
mons. There stood a lady between
twenty-five and thirty with little girl.
On her face was a melancholy look.
The child might have been four years
- hn nf
who was not somber.
II see this house is to Lett said the
lady. "May 1 look at it?''
Certainly! Come in
Garwood showed her through the
rooms, told her what rent he expected
to get and that possession could be
given at any time.
I'm afraid" she said, ''I'd better not
take it. I should have to make the
rent by letting rooms, and if couldn't
find roomers 1 should be in trouble.
I'm not much of Il business woman. l
wasn't brought up to it. My husband
died only year after we were mar
ried and left me some money, but l
didn't know how to take care Of it,
II might take room with you my
SELF" said Bob.
"Would you?" said the widow, with
faint show Of hope.
eff were to keep one room at, say,
s25 month that would leave the rent
out but $25."
The lady caught at this, and to help
no FOL G
could see what she could do in renting
the other rooms, and he would not let
the house till he heard from her. She
departed quite comforted, and as soon
as she was out of sight he went out
and took down the notice.
GarVood waited a week for word
from the widow, when he received a
note from her stating that she had
been able to find but one person who
would agree to take room with her,
so she feared she would have to give
up the plan Of taking the house. Car
wood called to see her and said he
thought he would like to keep two adj
Joining rooms, for which he would pay
S335 a month, leaving the rental but
SIS. The widow seemed encouraged
and said that if he could give her more
time she thought she could make ar
engagements that would warrant her
taking the house. Garwood told her
not to hurry.
Not hearing from her for some time,
he called on her to learn what prog
ress she was making. She apologized
for keeping him waiting, explaining the
delay by saying that two different per-
sons whom she hoped to secure as
roomers had been undecided. How
ever presuming from his having called
that he was getting impatient she
would not keep him waiting any longer,
but give up the idea Of taking his
house. He assured her that he was not
impa tent and begged her to proceed
in her efforts. The next day he mailed
her a proposition to keep the rooms
and a bath, for which he would pay
$50 a month, and this would leave her
no rent to pay.
TO this the lady replied, acknowledg,
ing the liberality of his terms, but un-
less other roomers were in the house
with them she would not like to face
the opinion of the world by living alone
in the same house with man.
Garwood had proceeded as far as he
could in the matter and deemed the
lady right in the position she had TAX
en-. Indeed, he felt it incumbent upon
him to call and apologize for having
made proposition that looked, to say
the least, out of place. So he went to
see the lady again and explained that
he had supposed she would bring some
relative or other person who would be
glad of home without paying room
rent. The widow told him that she
was alone in the world and very lonely.
To this Garwood sympathetically re-
piled that he was in the same position.
He left assuring her that he would
not give up the plan; he would think
1t over and see if he could not find
some way out Of the matter.
The only way out of the matter was
TO rent his house to the widow with
out rent and pay all the bills. This
would not do at all without marriage,
SO he mailed her a proposal, which
was accepted.
When her acceptance had been mail
ed the widow gathered up a number of
withered flowers that had been coming
from time to time during the negotia-
tons and burned them.