The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-08-22
CHAPTER XVI-Continued.


ample female, | was curously struck
win their resemblance to a couple Of
strange dogs approaching each other
warily. | fully expected to see the
stout lady sniff she had that kind Of
a nose
How do you do" said she. I'm
Mrs. Eckstrom. l presume this is Mr..
and Mrs. Upton|
Stella nodded.
eve are neighbors." she continued,
with an air which said, "YOu are very
fortunate to have us for neighbors."
eve live in the first place toward the
village. This is Mr.. Eckstrom, and my
daughter, Miss Julia"
eve can hardly offer our hands"
said Stella. Twill you forgive US?
You see, we are making a garden, and
it's rather messy work"
You like to work in the garden
yourself, | see," said Mrs. Eckstrom.
81, too, enjoy it. l frequently pick
rose-bugs. | pick them before break
fast very early, while they are still
sleepy. l find 1t is the only way to
save my tea roses"
1.-THE early gardener catches the rose
bug-Tll remember that Stella
laughed. perhaps you would care to
see the beginnings of our little gar
DEM"
We moved down through the orchard
and surveyed the pool. | suppose it
did look bare and desolate to the out
slider who did not see it, as we did,
with the eye of faith-the, bare soil
green with grass, the lip ringed with
Iris blades. the shrubbery bordered
with a mass of blooms. At any rate.
the Eckstroms betrayed no enthusiasm.
"Mr Upton spaded all that lawn up
himself, and we made the bench to-
gether," cried Stella.
"Wen, you must like to work" said
Mr.. Eckstrom. Its so much simpler
to sic a few men on the job. Besides,
they can usually do it better
Stella and | exchanged glances, and
she cautioned me with her eyes. But
politeness was never my strong point.
Sometimes" said |, lit happens
that q chap who wants a garden lacks
the means to sic few men on the job.
Under those conditions he may, per
haps. be pardoned for laboring him
self"
There was a slight silence broken
by Stella, who said that we were go
ing to get some goldfshes soon.
1--WE can give them some out Of our
pool, can't we. father?" the other girl
said, with an evident effort to be neigh
borly. eve really have too many"
Certainly, certainly; have Peter
bring some over tonight" her father
replied.
"Oh, thank you!" Stella cried. "And
will you have Peter tell us their
names?"
Their what?" exclaimed Mrs. Eek
strom.
"Oh, haven't they names? The poor
thingsr' Stella said. Il shall name
them as soon as they come"
What quaint idea" the girl said,
with a smile. do you name all the
creatures on the placer"
Certainly" said Stella. "Come, I'll
show you Epictetus and Luella."
This was a new one on me, but L
kept silent. while she led us around
the house and lifted the plank which
led up from the sundial lawn to the
south door. Under 1t were two enor-
nous toads and two small ones.
'Those big ones are Epictetus and
Iuella." she announced, "and, dear me,
two children have arrived to visit them
since morning! Let me see."
She dropped on her knees and ex-
amined the toads carefully, while they
tried to burrow into the soil backward.
TO escape the sun. Oar callers regard
ed her with odd expressions of mingled
amusement and arlazement-or was it
pity?
A son and d.aughter-in-law, she an
nounced, rising They are Gladys
and Gaynor."
A polite smile flickered on the faces
Of our three visitors and died out in
silence. Stella once more shot glance
at me.
We turned toward the house. 'If
Won will excuse me for a few mo-
ments. | will make myself fit to brew
YOU some tea" said my wife, holding
open the door.
..That Is very kind, but We'll not re-
main today. t1Iuh, MIS-. LShStAohh
replfed. "We will just glance at what
YOU have done to this awful old house.
Tt was certainly an eyesore before you
bought it"
81 liked it all gray and weathered,"
Stella answered I'm fact. l didn't
want It painted. But apparently you
have to paint things TO preserve them.
STILL the Lord made wood before man
made paint
He also made man before man
made Clothes" said /.
A polite smile rom the girl followed
this remark. Her father and mother
seemed unaware of 1t. They gave our
beautiful living room a casual glance.
and the man took in especially the
books-in bulk.
You are one Of these literary chaps.
/ hear" he said. 81 suppose you need
all these books in your business?"
.sWell, hardly ALL" l answered.
4'Some few I read for pleasure Will
you smokef'
I offered him a cigar
sThanks, no." said he Doctors or
ce1.s l can do nothing 1 want to.
Diet and all that. Bally nuisance,
$50. Why. once used to"