Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-08-08
LITTLE STORIES OF LIFE
MRS. ToDD'S THREE-FLIGHTS-FRONT.
BY RICHARD BAKER SHELTON.
BY RICHARD BAKER SHELTON.

Mrs. Todd's lodging house was a
| model of its kind. 1t was on a quiet
street, yet convenient to the cars. it's
| rooms were commodious and well neat
| ed. and Mrs. Todd was the soul or
cleanliness. The dodgers. too. were IN
keeping with the house-a married
| couple, a retired school teacher, or
| two working women and several pleas
~ant-spoken young men, who made little
| unnecessary noise and paid their rent
promptly. All In all, fortune had
| smiled on Mrs. Todd since, In early
widowhood. She q taken this lodging
house as u means of livelihood. Yet
there was one grain of anxiety in her
cup of happiness.
.'Three-fights-front. at the top OF
the house, was. to all appearances. a
most desirable room. All day long the
sun shone into it n it's gave
a pleasant outlook across the chimney
pots of the houses opposite. 1t had a
new carpet and very tidy curtains. but.
despite these attractions, three
flights-front" was seldom occupied for
any length of time.
Various young men had rented 1T.
and once a young oma had stayed
in 1t for nearly three weeks. III each
case. however, the ledger had decided
to change quarters rather suddenly.
and had sought out Mrs. Todd and
more or less haltingly and shame
facedly had giYen his reason for leav-
ing. The landlady was sure, from
their actions, that they preferred to
keep the real reason to themselves.
though what it might be she was I'M
able to surmise. Many times when the
room vas vacan she herself had oc-
cupied it for a night, but nothing oc-
Cured to disturb her in the least.
After the ninth occupant of the
room had paid his rent In he middle
of the week and departed, bag and
baggage, she decided to sift h matter
thoroughly. To this end she moved up
to the front room at the top of the
house prepared to meet gr st or de-
Driving an honest woman of the rent
Of a good room. One morning. two
weeks later, she moved down again,
rather white n shaken.
II shall v sleep in. that room
again." she said to Jane, her maid of
all work, and as she would not discuss
the matter further, It was dropped.
Thereafter, when, prospective dodgers
applied to her, If no other room was
vacant, Mis-. Todd would say:
Il have one. three-fights-front, but
really I don't believe you want it,"
e them away. d
One day there came a brisk young
q and ID the~ill-starre6 room was
the only one she had, Mrs. Todd made
her usual response to his inquiry. The
young man happened to be Of the per-
sistent type. He inquired the price aEd
other particulars and ended by asking
to see the room. He seemed quite sat
isfied with 1t. In fact, he SO expressed
himself in no uncertain terms. Mrs.
Todd hesitated:
Before you take f." satd she, II
must must tell eho; you there's so'nethins--well.
.sGhost?" said the vosnr man. cheer-,
fully. III that's It, I'd IKE I o meet
him."
Mrs. Todd shook her head.
Not exactly that" she said. sStill
something decidedly unpleasant"
"Pshaw," said he, there's nothing
unpleasant about this room.' and he
handed out q weeks rent.
In this way John Knox. medical
student, began his occupancy of Mrs.
Todd's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." A week
two weeks-went past, and Nothing
unusual occurred. Tuesday of the
third week, Knox raped on the parlor
door. Mrs. Todd's face wore an INK
ious expression DIS he entered.
i've found IT." he said, laconicaliy.
What" exclaimed Mrs. Todd. mo
the-the Noise?"
,,. .Yss, "a s . s,sss1., kno. terss'y as
well, I declare!' said the landlady.
III never could locate It. How often
have you heard 'it?"g
Twice. he replied. "Ffrst time
heard II. was night before last. II
started up that Internal drone about
10. Huntedh all round before ] could
place It. Can't account for It. Can
IsyOUyA