The Huttig news., 1917-09-01
THE PLAYHOUSE
 4s,s
By FANNY GRAY.

| had to do that kind of thing day after day, with not even a maid servants wage, stirred her to anger. Her fa- ther, prosperous farmer, could we'll afford to pay for 1t, as she knew, yet he seemed to think 1t was the natural and proper thing for herself and her younger sister, Florence, to scrub along, week after week, satisfied with an occasional small sum with which to buy necessities.
 When Lucy finished her work, she started to walk rather aimlessly down the road to rest and cool off. Her fa- ther had just acquired, through fore closure, piece of property of about two acres adjoining his land, on which was picturesque little cottage. As she reached place in the road oppo- site the new property she stopped to admire the tiny house and the oldfash- toned flowers bordering the walk, as well as the climbing roses over the porch.
 Just then Fred Emerson came along, and the two stood there together. Fred was hustlipg young chap. with quite bank account already. He had for some time been casting longing glapces in Lucy's direction. but. being somewhat hashful, he had not pro- gressed very far in his wooing.
 Now, as. they viewed together the snug bit of land and the house, with the For Sale" sign against the stone wall, thought of himself and Lucy In such a home rushed into his mind, and he wanted to give expression to 1t; but all he found himself saying was that It made him think of the little tea house some women had opened the summer before in Riverside.
 An idea flashed through Lucy's mind. AS soon as Fred went on. she rushed back to the farmhouse and found her mother.
 Mother, what's father going to do with the Clapp house7'
 "Why, nothin' this year that know of. Of course. he wants to sell it.'
 "Would he let me use the cottage, do you think, motherT'
 ''Use the cottage! For the lands sake. child, what for?"
 Well. I've got an Idea. You re- member when I visited Aunt Carrie last summer in Riverside2 Some wom- en set up tea house not half so pretty as the Clapp place and sold tea and things to motorists over there, and Aunt Carrie said they made a lot of money. ! could make more here be- cause it's on the state road" It took considerable persuasion to make Farmer Cutler give his consent. But, with mother on Lucy's side and Florence all eagerness, he finally gave in reluctantly.
 The girls worked with will all the next week. They cleaned out the lit- tie cottage themselves. It was in pret. ty good order already and was fur nished. There were three rooms on the ground floor. They turned the parlor, which was the largest, into the tea room proper, and made a sort of serving room of the dining room. The small piazza, they decided, would hold three tables. Mother loaned her best white and gold eggshell china. which seldom saw the light of day, and agreed to supply the first biscuit.
 Two or three days before they were ready, Lucy put sign out on the lawn near the street. announcing the opening of the tea house.
 The first afternoon she told herself they really must not expect anyone: but her heart beat high with expec- tation just the same, as she and Flor ence, in white muslin dresses and dainty aprons, waited in the cottage.
 A man and woman driving through the country in a buggy were their first guests. A motorcyclist and one large automobile party made up the list for the day. and they thought 1t very en- coura ging, even if father did sniff bit when told. Fred Emerson dropped in around six o'clock, just to cheer them mp, he said. But 1t was notice able that the cheering process lasted all through the prosperous season which followed.
 The tea house was a great success, on the whole, and when the time came to close 1t and Lucy counted up the exact profit, she was highly elated, and began at once to plan for the next year.
 Her surprise was very great when her father told her that the cottage was no longer his to dispose of. It had been sold, and she must apply to the new owner for a lease, that owner being Fred Emerson.
 For some reason, which she didn't quite comprehend herself. Lucy felt shy about going to him. But one day when she was alone at the cottage, putting away the last things for that season, Fred appeared. Lucy began at once.
 Father told me you had bought the place. Fred. I want to know if I can have it again next year, and what the rent will be-
 It isn't necessary for us to know iiS Just what words Fred told her that the house was hers on ono condition. and that he had been determined to own it and install her as mistress ever