The Little River news., 1919-11-26
HAPPY SOLUTION
  By FREDERICK CLARK.

' 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, at 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 it's ! outcome had been a plan of sacrificing years. In her loneliness and continual putting aside every penny that could 1 be spared for the assurance of this haven at the last. One thousand dol i lars was the price eXacted for resi- dence in the Culper's old Folks Home and Ellen had, carefully folded in a tin box in her leather bag the thou 1 sand dollars.
 Culper's Home was a fine one, she l thought gratefully of the pleasant room that would be hers, and the free 1 dom forever from tomorrow's care. Yet her lip trembled in an old, wistful 1 longing. Always, had she desired above all things, home of her very own. | Ellen from her youngest days had never known a real home. There had l been the Orphanage at first, and then 1 through the kindness of interested 1 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 as she could, from home to home. 1 But through it all, the S1 ,0OO had been l persistently hoarded
 This great Home" would be com ! fort, of course, she could see now it's pillars gleaming afar, but-yearnngly, the little old woman halted before a neat cottage door, It was the rose vine about the white porch which first attracted her admiration, then, the ] well-kept garden stretching back past l the side of the cottage. Ellen'S heart futtered 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 l the open door and seated herself in .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 Sl,n plaintive-"I was on my way to the Old Folks Home."
 'To liVe?' questioned the second old | lady compassiOnately Better set down an rest a bit" she advised.
 Gladly Ellen accepted chair on the porch
 ''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 Eve been stopping wasn't very pleasant. Nothing like your own home, is there? You must be very comfortable here"
 Sudden tears rolled down the other woman's face.
 "We all have our troubles" she said gently, ''an mine is, that after all these years I've got to leave my home Eve done the best 1 could since my hus- band died, but 1 cant carry it on no longer. There's mortgage, you see; we took it on when he was sick, an Fl can't make the payments-so the man who has ii is goin' to fOreclose If 'twan,t fer the payments I could get 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 chintz room. l fixed it up real tasty after Abner died"
 'I would like to see it." Ellen an swered eagerly.
 q should think they would like to stop here" she said "Why-this room Is just like what I dreamed a home room should be, the restfulness-even that rose peeping in through the win dow"
 "Take off your bonnet" the other woman iiapulsively 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.
 'If I could only stay here always with her" murmured Ellen.
 And when she faced her hostess across a white spread table the light of purpose shone in her faded eyes.
 "I've been thinking-hard," she said, "and I've a proposition to make to you, Mrs.-why I don't even know your name. Mine is Ellen Martin"
 "Niine is Sarah Holden" the other answered.
 "Well, Sarah" Ellen went on calmly, there's no reason why you and can't 1 both have the home we want, if you are agreeable. My thousand dollars | yould nav thp interest on VOur nloce