Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-12


stantiy Lisbeth responded with a smile
and tossed a tiny parcel into her mother
'sA
~. "A whole new SPOOL
But you were gone too long for buy
ing one spool of thread. Whom did
yeu find to talk with?" asked Mrs.
Vim.
mo one. only met strangers The
town ID >fuli Of tourists. Isn't it odd,
mother. that people should come here,
to place which we think SO common
piace and dull? As I came out Of the
'The town hallr her mother caught
her up. What. pray. were you doing
usbeth BIT her lip. There, I've given
myself away" she said But suppose
lector Is sitting for taxes and Il" She
stopped
a troubled look crossed Mrs. Wins
face Taxes! And We have nothing to
pay them with. L:sbeth. You don't mean
1T hasn't come to that!'
Aney warned me. do not blame them.
they have shown us great deal of ia
or and We can't expect more"
But we're Winns." walled her mother,
and this house is as old as the town
itself. 1t was once a great mansion"
Mother" said Lisbeln. quietly 1.-The
town 10 full of old houses that were once
great mansions. and other people live in
them now. Look at the Bray house! Is
Z any worse for the Winns to lose their
house than 1t was for the Brays? We
haven't any money, mother-we haven't
anything hut this house and our pride
And ones worth no more than the other
-Nh the way home I've been thinking of
some way to live, to pay our debts and
the taxes I can't take another fish from
Cannor without paying him. can't ask
he groceryman for more without
20 into a restaurant and ask for a job
- a waitress. l know that horrifies you,
but the mattresses dress better than I do
md have more TO eat. And there's moth
ing else to dc here-nothing. These peo-
lie who come here to look at the rocks
md the sea and our old houses have a
treat deal of money to spend. and food
8 about all they find to buy. So they
buy food-auartities OF 1t. / saw motor
Darty eating lobster as early as this at
he Ocean House, as ! came by"
She STOPPED. From the front door came
The rat-taf-tat Of the great brass knock
- sound'Hs It's IMPERATIVE summons
through The the hopse ~ visitor" she
ter before And IN the morning, too
She ran to tie door. on the doorstep
TODD two women. equipped with marine
slasses ard notebooIs.
Good morning. said the older and
Tialner one - know this is an intru-
len but we are so teeply Interested IN
our housa We've been adr,i-ine it for
= lons tire from the outside and I won
Der II you would allow us to look around
Il bit inside We should appreciate it Sc
Lisbeth felt uncomfortable, almost
ysxed. These women. VITO obviously
We're Sightseeing. 70 come irving ard
r=ering in this, way 81 What she always
nd yet Hhat harm vcai. thay DO by
l.erely looking about? She held the doc,
Wide. "fou may come in" she answered
emily.
She led them through the rooms w.
fairs and down. There was only one
room into which she did not admit them
and that was the room with the two
sea windows where her mother sat.
The women marveied at the old. dark
carpets. with their sheafs OF once vivid
roses worn down now to delicate dim
ness. They stood silent before the old
rortraits Of Wins. long dead and gone
They stehed with ecstasy at the sight OF
the great fireplaces, where fires had not
slowed for years. One touched reverently
'he keys of the decrepit spinet. The Ole
ballroom, empty now. but once the scene
~ many a gallant assembly: the great
thanbers. where no guest ever sept; al
INC ancient magnihcence. crunblng ant
faded and furnished into uselessnesS. the!
saw and wondered at. They came at last
lack to the great front hall and turned
for last lock up the stair down which
1Sbeth VIM OF colonial tamC had 1oat
eli In hoops and brocade TO dazzle tn,
eyes Of an English earl. Lisbeth thought
of her ancestress now and smiled wist
fully. There was greater difference
Than that of mere time between the bell,
in brocade and the young girl in thread
hare serge. who was trying at once to b
courteous and to solve the problem o.
low to provide herself and her mother
with dinner presently, wher there wa,
10 money and no more available credit.
e. - -
an. My dear child. We can never thanl
.ou enough for the treat YOU have siver
U.s.
Never said the younger and NOR
vutspoken woman. But do YOU know
il ! had this house I'd open 1t to tourists
One could make quite little fortune II
one season. There are thousands of PEG
pie who would pay any sum for the SAX
Of seeing what we've seen today"
"Jane!" interrupted the other woman
chidinYiy. She glanced at Lisbeth. VIII
stood dumb with amazement at what sh
heard. They murmured adieus and slip
ped out.
The door closed behind them and Lis
beth, sinking upon the lowest step of tn
stairs. began to laugh and sob hysterical
~. They thought I was angry at he
suggestion. She thought anybody VIII
lived In this kind of house must be ahov
want of money. Oh. thank goodness
let them in. l know what to do nov
Well have money-money- But, oil
l must tell mother
An hour later the doorstep was neatl
~