The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-01-03
LITTLE GRAY HOUSE
BY HILDA MORRIS.

|
place to read and dream.
Mildred was a teacher, and she had
come to spend her long summer vaca'
tion at Willow Lake hotel. She was
a slim girl, pale and pretty, with a
soft charm that needed only rest and
fresh air to make it bloom into real
beauty.
The little gray house looked like q
haven peaceful enough for anyone. 1t
was shaded by a huge oak tree, and
the patch of lawn before it was green
and smooth as velvet. A large "For
Rent" sign decorated its front window.
Mildred climbed the steps and peered
in at the window. She saw a clean
swept room with painted white wood
work and an old white wooden man.
tel. There was q glimpse of blue
walled kitchen on beyond.
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed to herself.
'T do want to see the rest Of 1t. l
wonder"
She turned the knob softly and found
| that the door was unlocked, so she ex-
plored the quaint interior, growing
more enamored of the place at every
step.
It was not hard to find the man who
had charge of 1.-THE lived a half q
mile farther down the road.
"That's the Gordons' house." he ex.
planned "They're all dead now except
one young Teller that's moved to the
city. He wants 1t took good care Of,
and he'll rent it cheap to anybody'll
do that"
ooh, I will take good care of it,"
Mildred assured him, smiling. "Ill
even paper some of the walls"
So she got the house for the absurd
rental of 81 a month-less than half
the sum she paid for her stuffy room
in the hotel. Mildred had little fur
nlture in storage in the city. She sent
for this, and set about the process Of
redecorating the sunny rooms.
BY the time the living room was
complete, with its chintz curtains,
braided rugs and gate-legged table, it
was as delightful room as any wom-
an could wish.
There came a dusty August day
with a hint of thunder and rain in
the air There came also q letter.
most unwelcome letter to Mildred
in her little house. It was from the
principal of the private school where
she was teacher. 1t said that she
was expected to return to her post on
the 18th of September.
She lit fret was really cool for
August, and she was always ready to
light a fire at the slightest excuse be-
cause 1t looked so cozy.
Mildred sat before the fire, trying
her very best to think of some plan by
which she could escape her year at
the school. If only she could paint,
or write, or do some clever thing to
earn a living at homai The threat of
rain had become reality. 1t began to
fall in sudden torrents. AS Mildred
stood at the window she saw a man
come down the road, running. He
turned suddenly, and sought shelter
under the big oak tree before her
house. At that moment gllmmer of
lightning flashed out. Mildred rushed
to the door.
"Please come I'M" she called. "You
might be struck under that tree. 1t
isn't safe"
"All right" he called back in pleas
ant voice, and in two or three bounds
he was on the veranda, shaking him
self like a big Newfoundland.
"Fm pretty wet" he smiled. 81
hope"
But Mildred interrupted him with
sudden exclamation.
David Gordonl" she cried. "How-
ever did you come to me-hereW
81 came to see my house., he re-
Piled land you Didn't you know, MIL
dred, that I was your landlord"
"Now she said. 81 didn't. What
ever do you live at Mrs. Green's for
when you have place like this?"
"Why I couldn't live here alone" he
said, "and make 1t look like this
Goodness, Mildred, what have you done
to the old place? 1t hasn't been so
homelike-sinCe mother died !"
Mildred laughed, little ruefully.
81 know it's homelike," she said.
"And the worst of it Is I've got to
leave 1t and go back to work very
soon. I-hate to give 1t up"
David nodded, little absentlv. He
was looking Mt the brown-haired girl
in the blue gown and thinking how
lovely she was how well she fitted into
the cozy little room.
"Why don't you move in yourselfT
Mildred was saying.
81 couldn't-now," he said. ats
rented It's your house. There's just
one condition under which might live
here. That is"
She waited, wondering, her heart
curlousiy a-hutter.
THAT you will stay here with me.
Gould you marry me, Mildred, even
though / offered you nothing better
than this little house, and love"
"Oh, Davidw she whispered. 81
could And nobody in all the world
could wish for any morel"
Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)