The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-11-28

II like II aireadyE exclaimed Ailce'
~ her eager cltY.ured eyes grasped
NJ vision ~ Tidy lane with its row OF
<nAIl cottages neatly lining the street
Isn't il good 20 get q snIir Of country
AIR
Glorious We both need change
from city dust. ! get 50 sick OF the
Office every day and cooped.in fiat
every night hope the cottage Il pos
sRlc--it will be 80 disappointing after
coming way out here In Long Island. :
Helen RandOlf absorbed deeply the
freshness of the avenue Of shady trees.
She was tired. frlghtfully tired Of the
strain ot her editorial duties on one OF
the big magazines.
"Yes. ! hope 80. but the cottage itself
doesn't amount 20 much, ] can make
anything In the way OF shack com
Portable for us two SO long as there
are few walls and a roof"
Both girls were eagerly scanning the
small houses In search OF No. q.
Number nine must be the black
sheen that has wandered from the
fold" laughed Alice, "The tidiest part
OF Tidy lane doesn't seem 10 have any
number nine. oh could that darling
one over there possibly be it,
The advertisement for the small cot
tagc In Tidy lane had read Secluded
but not Isolated
Number nine certainly was Isolated.
II had rambled off the other houses IN
the lane and found for itself'a seclu-
sion TINT made the hearts of the TWO
tired city girls jump with sheer JOY.
Number nine lay in the heart OF
small grove OF pine trees and had set
tied itself down there for all the
world like bit Of the landscape that
had been created, not built.
ITS too good to be true Helen SAID
as they made their way back to the
city to pack up and take the first train
they could manage back to Tidy lane.
II love the way It's gone off by itself
and nestled In those smelly, healthy
pine trees
"And shall have few chickens in
that little coop, and you will come
home tired every evening from the Of
fee and | will be waiting for you with
good things to eat" Alice was delight
ed to the extent Of "A child over big
blue.eyed doll.
II hope you won't be lonesome all
day. dear. You know 1t will be
change for you from seeing so many
people In the city
II couldn't be lonesome If ] tried In
that cute little cottage and Tidy lane
villagers to study"
So 1t was that the two fast friends
found themselves happily ensconced
In number nine out In sunny, fragrant
Long Island,
Daily Helen Randolf took the train
to the city and the editorial chair she
was filling while the editor was away
fighting for Uncle Sam. And each day
Alice Winter fitted more joyfully into
the small cottage with its quaint sur
roundngs. The furnishings had been
a bit cold, but they were SO no longer
The garden had been trifle lacking In |
color, but few geraniums and sweet |
peas chcered 1t all up.
The owner of the small cottage had |
gone with the American expeditionary |
force 10 France. Alice realized that he
could not object 10 tho few shrubs with |
which she had ornamented the garden.
II hope he viii come back to his coy
nest" she said by way of little
prayer for the soldiers safety.
"You mustn't hurt your back digging
so much" admonished Helen often
when some new shrub greeted her upon
her return from the city. you are
not accustomed TO that kind of work.
"My digging" she cried excitedly
the next evening when her pal re-
turned, has unearthed mystery
Lcok here!" She held up a substantial
tin box. Il started TO put In that by
drangea this afternoon and was prob
ing round for soft spot to dig in and
finding one | came upon this box"
Buried treasure? | suppose 1t is
some chlld's pirate box We used to
bury them as children Nevertheless
the girls were both interested
"Child nothingr' exclaimed Alice.
ITS full to the gan Of manuscripts.
Short stories. And look at the note
that was on top"
Helen took tho quite newly typed
note aud read It's contents Farewell
to fame. Mother raised her boy TO be
a soldler-not a genius" The note was
signed philip Cheyne" and contained
no more information, The many rejec.
ton slips from all the New York maya
zines. however. told all the tale that
was necessary.
poor kid" laughed Helen her edi.
orial brain busy with the contents Of
he stories. She was Swimming them
swiftly with the trained mind Of n
reader. "Goosey," she said lovingly
o Alice. IL suppose you hadn't even
ooked at these stories"
u wouldn't know good story from
! bad one II I got your whole big
'nlary for IT," laughed Alice. Are