Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-09-07

here. utCiuiCu
Mrs. Barclay, who
had spent most of the afternoon uiia''
ing on the advantages OF their couh'
try home. Snow, isn't this better thah
being cooped up in the hot ,cityT
"Yes, this is very pleasant" muir
INJURED Helen, who had cOnscientiousiy
played the part of an admiring' en-
thusiastic guest.
"How about mosquitoes" Warren
was scratching his ankle.
"Oh. Howard will leave that screen
door open! But they're no worse than
they are in town. Mr.. Phillips was out
last Sunday-he said he'd been almost
eaten up in his apartment"
The cooling darkness had relieved
somewhat the glaring heat OF the day.
but the air was still close and sultry.
and the breeze" of which Mrs. Bar
clay boosted. had to be necessarily
stirred by palm-leaf fans.
Barclay, what time did you say
that train wentT Warren reached
over to knock the ashes from his
cigar.
swell, tomorrow I've got to get the
seven-forty, hut you don't have to go
that early. Why don't you take the
eighteen"
"Oh. no. wen go in with you" sup
pressing yawn as he glanced ut MS
watch by the dim light from the din
ing room.
"Wouldn't you like to see the Gel
lar before you go up?" suggested Mr..
Barclay. "You won't have time In
the morning"
"Oh. I'd love to-" lied Helen. won
dering If she could marshal her over
worked adjective to a proper apprecia-
ton of the cellar.
Since their arrival on the noon train
Mrs. Barclay had dragged her through
every room In the house. expatiating on
the comforts and cOnveniences. OF her
home, while Helen had kept up con-
tinuous murmur Of:
"How attractive! How very con-
venient! You really have a charm
Ing house! Oh. what delightful
view! Yes, this is such a pleasant
room! What lovely big closets! on
what a cheerful maids room"
When she had gushed over the kitch-
en-. pantry. back porch and garden, she
felt she had done her full duty, but
here was the cellar still to be eX.
plored.
"Howard, don't you want to show
Mr.. Curtis the furnace?'
Sure" her husband rose with alac
rity. "We've got about the best and
simplest thing In furnaces. Kept the
whole house warm last winter witt
only ten TONS"
"Why, that's very little" ventureC
Helen, who knew absolutely nothing
about coal. but who was trying tt
cover warren's unresponsive silence
as with evident reluctance he lait
down his cigar.
"Yes, the PetersOns just below here
used over fifteen. And their house |:
much smaller-but it's poorly built
That's one thing about this house
it's exceptionally well built"
"The walls are so thick" contrib
uted Mrs. Barclay. "its n very eas!
house to keep warm" Then as sh'
gathered up the porch cushions. 81
may rain tonight-we'd better TAX
these in"
Through the dining room, on
through the pantry. and they mad
their way down the steep. marrow
steps into the damp, musty-smellinl
cellar.
"Oh, what lovely large cellar!" en-
Unused Helen. almost before the ligh
was turned on.
"This is only half Of it," proudly
"The stOrerOom and laundry are owe
here"
While Mr.. Barclay demonstrated I
Warren the admirable points Of tn
now cold and empty furnace. Mrs. Bar
clay showed Helen the storeroOm.
you've no idea what 1t saves in ic
bills. We really don't need an icebO
at all. Most cellars are damp an
moldy-but this Is always so perfect
dry"
As the darkened streaks on tn
cement wall were OOzing dampnes:
Helen refrained from commenting o
this statement.
Here's my jelly closet" drawing
curtain back from some rough shelve
On which were a few glasses and jar
In a nervous effort to conceal Wal
ren's silent boredom. Helen admire
everything In extravagant terms. Sh
was tired and sleepy, and her fee
ached from the heat and a new pal
of pumps, but there was no releas
until they had seer every corner an
convenience" OF the cellar.
In the laundry. the patent washin
machine, the double wringer, even th
revolving clothes rack had to he den
onstrated and glOwingly commende'
A fiounce Of Helen's thin gown VIZ
, snagged on a nail Of an empty sna
box, and there were several smudg,
on the pink Wilderness of her bTcksEI
o pumps, yet her gushing enthusiasts
, was undampened.
As Warren's unresponsiveness gre
more marked. the more profuse IN
superlatiye became her admiring g
a carnations.
1t was after ten before they fnsI
. escaped and made their way up to u
a guest room. followed by Mrs. Barclay
} assurance that they would sleep we
in this spure country air."