The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-04-27

Ine 0DllgatlOn ID all on the Otner
side," said q voice behind me.
Turning quickly, saw a man stand
ing outside the Kitchen. his arms rest
ing on the window sill.
stood looking ut him. not knowing
what to say to him. He was IN intel
thirty years Of age. A certain sadness
was stamped upon his features. but II
change appeared to lie breathing over II
as a rift In lowering clouds. vas
standing with plate in one hand ami
dishcloth In the other gaping Mt him.
Since had nothing to say he contin-
ued: ntt
"You are the first woman who has
been In this house In thf~e years. Your
being hero has broken a spell, trust
forever"
xviii you kindly explain this fairy
born breakfastw said.
Certainly. I come here occasionally
and happened to come early this morn
Ing, having some work to do here.
Seeing q horse and conveyance. pro-
cccded with caution. Looking In at
tie library window. saw you sleeping
on the lounge. 1t occurred to me that
you would need breakfast, and set
about preparing It,. There was not
much to give you. but trust 1t suf-
feed"
1T was delicious. Now that you
have explained l trust you will listen
to my apology for trespassing Oh your
domain" And l told my story. after
which l said that l would not longer
keep him out Of his own house and
suggested that he come inside. But he
said that when a man gives up his
house to woman he has no business
there so long as she occupies it. TO
this replied that made my own con-
vcntiOnal rules. Besides, l would de-
part as soon as l had finished doing
the dishes. But he remained where he
was, and when l had finished he placed
chairs on the porch, and l feeling sure
that he had story to tell me, we sat
down for further chat. Then for the
first time l saw mOtorcar standing
before the door in which he had come.
This was his story:
II built the house for a summer resi-
dence for myself and the woman l ex-
pected to marry. She was in delicate
health, and we are prone to become
more attached to one who Is dependent
on us for comfort than one who is in
dependent Of us. We planned the place
together and while it was building
used to come out here and watch the
Undertaking. Of our conceptions. 1t
is not an elaborate place. but we spared
no pains to make it dainty.
Before 1t was finished I knew that
my beloved would not live to enjoy 1t.
She was unconscious Of the seriousness
Of her malady and continued to look
forward to our occupancy Of 1t with
happy expectation. On no account
would I break In upon this anticipa-
ton. Instead, consulted constantly
with her how we would have this and
how we would arrange that. keeping
her interested In what could never be
realized in order to shield her from the
dread truth
while the house was building con-
tined to make changes in order to pro-
long the period Of construction. In her
condition our residence here would not
be convenient. She needed the care
which she could not have here. When
the house was finished laid new
plans for the grounds. One spring
the last Of her life-we came out here
frequently, and l worked with and d.
rected men in planting and garden i'm
provements, while she lay here on the
porch and looked on, making such sug-
gestions as occurred to her.
Meanwhile my beloved was growing
more and more feeble. But not till the
day she left me did she realize that we
were to be separated; that she would
never occupy with me that on which
we had lavished so much thought and
care.
"All was finished at last. The place
was ready, and my beloveds stay on
earth came to an end. Perhaps had l
not lost an object in the completion Of
what had so long occupied me would
have borne my bereavement more
stoically. AS 1t was, became one Of
those who nourish grief. l have kept
up this place and have come here &C.
casionally as another would visit a
grave That cloud has been lifted.
When / looked In at the library win
dow and saw human being there,
sleeping, that castle of grief which l
have created tumbled about me; these
premises, which l have made tomb
of melancholy, have been restored to
what they really are"
1 listened to this recital with a SYM
pathy that / did not try to conceal.
understood perfectly the change / had
wrought. l appreciated the motive
his seeing a living woman in his home
that had led him to prepare break
fast for her. For years he had had
no one upon whom to lavish a single
kindly act. Suddenly woman ap-
peared, and he took advantage of 1t.
Indeed, he told me that the prepara-
ton Of that meal, his watching me
eat It, which he had done surreptitious-
ly, was the happiest moment that come
to him in years.
Upon examining Bob we found him
still lame, but my new friend found
the cause and removed 1t. He insisted
on Harvesting the horse to the vehicle,
and when left him he said to me:
"This will be the first day that have
ever spent here free from melancholy"