Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-12-17
HAPPY SOLUTION
~ FREDERICK CLARK.
H n

Ellen Martin trudged along the un
familiar village street. her rusty leath
er bag in her hand, and her dim eyes
peering anxiously beneath her bands Of
smooth white hair.
The conductor, as she left the train
had directed her up this same street
The Old Folks, Home, ut the top Of
the HILL" he said maybe some one
will give you lift
But Ellen did not care for the lift =
she was glad to be able to see the
place, walking slowly along, which was
to be her home.
Her wrinkled cheeks grew softly
pink with excitement; the trip and its
outcome had been plan Of sacrificing
years. In her loneliness and continual
LONELINESS, she had saved resolutely,
putting aside every penny that could
be spared for the assurance Of this
haven at the last One thousand dol
lars was the price .exacted for resi-
dence in the Culper's Old Folks Home ;
and Ellen had, carefully folded in q
tin box in her leather bag, the thou
sand dollars.
Culper's Home was a fine one, she
thought gratefully Of the pleasant
room that would be hers, and the free
dom forever from t0morrow's. care.
Yet her lip trembled in an old, wistful
longing. Always, had she desired above
all things. a home Of her very own.
Ellen from her youngest days, had
never known real home. There had
been the orphanage at first, and then
through the kindness OF interested
ones. course Of boarding school and
college. Later, Ellen had taught In
the schools until her health failed. and
old age found her making herself use
full MS she could, from home to home.
But through It all. the 81, 600 had been
persistently boarded.
This great Home. !" would be q com
fort, Of course, she could see now Its
pillars cleaning afar, but yearninsly.
the little old woman halted before q
neat cottage door, II was the rose
vine about the white porch which first
attracted her admiration, then, the
well,kept garden stretching back past
the side, Of the. cottage. Ellen's heart
fiuttered like the white muslin curtain
In the window such had been her own
] vision Of home. And as she fingered,
a second little old lady came through
the open door and seated herself IN q
I wide-armed chair on the porch.
''Were you looking for some one?''
she asked OF Ellen. and smiled. '
Ellen shook her head.
ut was your roses that attracted
me-" she answered. Her tone was
plaintive was on my way to the
Old Folks Home. !"
ITO liveg" questioned the second old
lady compassionately. Better set
down an rest Bit" she advised.
Gladly Ellen accepted a chair on the
X porch. FL
"Yes, to live she replied, Though
i haven't put In an application or any.
thing.like that. Thought I'd just come
right along. The last place where I've
been stopping wasn't very pleasant
Nothing like your own home. IL
there? You must be very comfortable
here"
Sudden tears rolled down the other
woman's face. 3ss7s h 5 D
1--WE all have our troubles" she said
gently, IAN mine Ia, that after all these
years I've got to leave my home. I've
done the hest could since my hus-
band died, but ] can't carry 1t on No
longer. There's a mortgage, you see;
we took It ON when he was sick. an
can't make the payments so the
man who has it Is goin' to foreclose
II 'twan't fer the payments ] could gel
along real well. My garden almost
keeps me. an, now an then there's
people who comes through town an
who'd rather sleep In my chintz room
than In the poor hotel. They pay me
| well, too. Just for the privilege May.
be-" she suggested, you'd like to see
my chintS room. l fixed 1t up real tasty
after Abner died"
II would like to see It," Ellen nm.
swered eagerly.
Il should think they would like to
stop here" she said. 'Why this room
Is just like what / dreamed a home
room should be. the restfulness even
that rose peeping in through the win
dow"
"Take of your bonnet" the other
woman impulsively invited; I'm goin'
to get you some tea"
When Ellen was alone she touched
with caressing. fingers the pink dra-
peries, the sun shining down behind
the hills flooded the room with golden
light.
.sIf coulu only stay here always
with her. murinured Ellen.
And when she faced her hostess
across a white spread table. the Ugh.
of purpose shone in her faded eyes.
.Tve been thinking-hard." sh.
said .'and I've a proposition to make
to you, Mrs.-why don't even know
your name. Mine IS Ellen Martin
Mine Is Sarah Holden" the Other
answered.
"Well. Sarah" Ellen went on calmly,
there's no reason why you and cant
both have the home we want. If You
are agreeable. My thousand dollars
would pay tile interest on your place
an the taxes. too. probably, as long
MS we both shall live; and there's lots
of little extra things we could do TO