Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-09-14
Harmony House
The '1ood Angel" Of the
Home
By CLARISSA MACKIE


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Harmony House dwelt in the midst
Of pleasant green lawns, noble trees
and many scattered flower beds.
The rooms We're arranged In suits OF
three small bedrooms, bath and sitting
room, and to each suit the manage
ment allotted three guests" Of the
house spinsters Of fifty and over and
INDECENT childless widows.
This home" with its annual fee OF
$50 each, assured the inmates home
for life provided peace dwelt within
It's walls. In case Of dissension the
malefactor must bid farewell to Har.
mony House forever
And Harmony House had been the
gift Of Miss Keziah Todd, a peace low
ing spinster OF ample means.
Her portrait hung over the high man
telpiece In the front hall and gazed
benignantly down upon the guests OF
Harmony House, whose lives she had
tried to brighten while her own faded
away into another world.
1t was March, and there was hin,
Of spring In the sharp air, even though
the snow lay eight inches deep ovel
lawns, fields and highway.
Five o'clock Of a March afternoon
and twenty-four guests OF Harmony
House gathered in the general sitting
room on the first floor. Promptly at
Hepsy Biddle, the housekeeper, would
announce supper, and II It wasn't
Hepsy Biddle 1t would be one OF the
mattresses. Anyway. some one would
ring the supper bell.
"I hope it's Hepsy. l want to ask
her about the new lady who came this
afternoon" fused Mrs. Bennett
"I saw her." remarked Alicia Pear
son-"small and scrawny, like a little
canary"
Some one laughed.
"I wonder II she sings like one?' TIT,
tered Ellen Smith. her false teeth click
, ing in unison with her tongue.
A sharp voice broke In from the door
way, a strange voice, the voice OF the
newcomer.
"I can tell you I don't Sing like a
canaryr' It snapped. "And l don't
cackle like hen or litter like a guinea
hen! oh, good evening, Mrs. Biddle"
Over the tiny form Of the irate new,
conner Hepsy Biddle loomed Ike an
angel Of peace.
"Why, Miss Olivia, I didn't know
you had arrived! Did some one show
you your room|
1.-THE girl did," said Olivia Ladd
"And she said 1t was most supper time
80 came down."
That's right Make yourself al
home. I'll introduce you to your room
mates, and they can introduce you to
the rest"
Hepsy led Olivia up to Alicia Pear
son and Ellen Smith.
They both bowed and said, PLEASED
to meet YOU" And Olivia stared hard
at them and said pertly:
PLEASED to meet you. I'm sure"
Hepsy drifted away toward the
kitchen, and Olivia was left In the
middle Of the sitting room. with forty
eight eyes focused on her sprightly
little form.
Olivia Ladd wore black cashmere
skirt, made narrow IN the latest mode
She wore black high heeled slippers
with silver buckles. and white shirt
waist with sailor collar that showed
a stringy little throat that was culver
Ing more than its owner would admit.
! Olivia's pale sandy hair was coilet
In two small fiat circles behind hel
ears. Her blue eyes had strained
look. and there were hard little line:
around her nose and mouth.
Not one Of the women present
dreamed that Olivia Ladd had reached
what appeared to her haven OF ref
uge.
: For thirty years she had been
dressmaker. out by the day, and, hav
ing considered long and carefully how
to invest her savings she had beer
sent to the management Of Harmon!
House.
| "Tm going to do nothing for weeks
and weeks" Olivia had promised her
self. So she fixed up her wardrob'
and felt a sense Of triumph in de
scending upon the rural inmates o
Harmony House in the glory OF up L
date clothes.
4, "I shall never make clothes for an.
one exce1t myself" was another prom
ise Olivia had made. She felt rathe
forlorn In the midst Of the women
and for one instant she longed for he
tiny room In the crowded city.
! But the old fighting spirit was In her
and she tossed her head and remarked
pleasantly:
! "I suppose there's chair for me
but I don't seem to see It."
Mrs. Matte Jones laughed good ma
turedly.
"It's right behind me, Miss Ladd
I'm SO fat that shut on all tn
view. Here. Miss Amber, shove tha
chair around for Miss Ladd. Now
you sit down by me and tell me al
the news from the city"
Olivia thanked Mrs. Jones and tool
the chair. She told her about tn
snow blockade on the city streets
about the near accident on the rail
road and finally how she had droppe'
q cherished plant-a rose geranium-
on the station platform and had seel
It crushed to atoms by heavy bag
gage truck.
She spoke Of the latest and mos
thrilling news Of the war, the sinkinl
Of ships by submarines. news whicl
seemingly had not come to the ears
good natured, laughing Mrs. Jone
After the usual questions and exclam'
tions Of horror she passed on to oth'
news.
Never mind, my dear" reassure
Mrs. Jones, patting Olivia's hand. Nv
.~.~ .o,o oil huddQ<