The Detroit times., 1916-07-07
TheEpening Story
Their House.
Copyright. 1910. Sy W. Werner.)
Their House.

through the sleepy. tree,arched
streets OF Melton she felt assured
as to the quiet. And quiet was what
she desired. quiet IN which to rest
end forget about Roger. There was
no use In remembering, since he had
gone from her life.
Elsie was. by profession. an artist
She speno her days In a tiny top
floor studio. where she designed
postcards and Advertisements for q
living and painted wonderful land
scapes. which nobody bought, for
her souls satisfaction. She had
been perfectly happy until Roger
came. Then for space she had
been more than happy. radiant with
love, living In an ecstasy. Then.
suddenly. as Roger had come, he
had gone, after a brief and bitter
Misunderstanding and quarrel, which
left the girl writhing In an agony OF
futile regrets and vain. hopeless
longings. As she looked back on
the affair now. from a safe distance
of months. it's seemed that neither
one OF them had been TO blame. She
wondered whether Roger ever felt
as she did, or whether
Elsie's reflections were brought TO
a sudden end as her carryall drew
UP before an old iron gate In a moss
grown stone wall.
Here you are!" said the lean,
country driver. swinging down her
bags. "This Is the Thanet place;
Elsie thought the stone wall rath-
er forbidding. Once inside, how
ever. there lay before her a green
stretch OF lawn. rather neglected,
but altogether delightful. Al one
aide II ran into tangle OF shrub
berry, and far down the path was the
soft red glow OF an old brick house.
The girls artist soul thrilled with
pleasure. How perfectly delight
full" she exclaimed.
A plump. motherly person stood IN
the door TO receive her. This was
Mrs. Crane, the caretaker. She chat
ted volubly as she led the girl
through wide. cool halls to n pretty
chintz living room.
"You see the family are all dead
and gone-the Thsnets, that Is. And
their cousins that own the house
now never come here; that just
leave n TO me So they said they
shouldn't mind at all II | took a
boarder or two TO keep me com
pany.
But should think they'd love
IT," exclaimed the girl. Imagine
having such place and not staying
IN it,"
Mrs Crane smiled, discreetly and
withdrew. Sha gave the impress
sion that there was some mystery
about the place which she could not
disclose
But as the quiet days slipped by
there seemed nothing OF mystery.
only the peaceful atmosphere OF a
home In which happy people had
lived and died No other boarders
came and Elsie wandered at will
about the quaint old place. She
spent long hours lying In the deep
grass with a book. she made sketches
OF the house and orchard from vari-
ous angles. and she dreamed beside
the lazy little brook that ran at the
foot OF the hill Best OF all, how
ever. she loved TO explore the house
itself II was a large brick colo
NAL house. with square rooms and
high ceilings, furnished quantity
with the massive walnut and ma
hogany OF bygone day. In these
friendly rooms. with their svgges-
ton OF comfortable living. Elsie
found herself thinking often OF Rog-
or. She often fancied that he sat
beside her. She imagined how he
would look In the big armchair be-
fore the fireplace. dreaming. as she
had often seen him. Without real
izing II. Elsie was playing house.
like a little girl, imagining vain and
delightful things, which could never
come TO pass, only the dolls that
she played with were memories
memories OF hopes and plans now
laid aside.
Two happy weeks went by, and
still two remained OF Elsie's vaca-
ton She felt rested and more at
peace with herself than she had for
months, and yet, strangely enough,
she had not accomplished her pur-
pose. TO forget, FEATHER. she had re-
membered. But the memories be-
came more and more like dreams
creatures OF the Imagination and 30
the girl believed that they were
losing their bitterness. She felt
happy enough TO sing softly as she
went about the house.
The lark's on the wing.
The hillside's dew pearled-
she carolled-one morning as she
come into the sitting room where
Mrs. Crane was often to he found.
why. Mrs. Crane" the girl cried
in establishment. The middle-aged
housekeeper sat by the table with
her head buried In her arms. her
shoulders shaking with convulsive
sobs.
What is the natter" asked E'.ie
Isn't there something ! can do?
Mrs. Crane raised red and tear
marked face. i've had letter,