Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-12-19
HOME BEAUTIFUL
BY FLORENCE kNoWLToh.
Copyright. i.I,, Mcclure Newspaper >, Ia
dcatc.)


1t WAS an hour for dreams. hut Bar.
para Trainings thoughts were more
practical than romantic. "I'vr lust gnt
10 forget the cold. unsatisfactory fig
ures ana-tvUst that The Lord Will pro
vide. she remarked putting our the
light, and gain. wistiully through the
window. across The field. to- the row Of
lights along the shore and beyond.
where the lighthouse WAS blinking one.
tw0--oip., Two.
When the great ancestral home had
been loit TO her. tn" only living de
ScTndanr OF II fine race OF men and
women. she had been alarmed almost
sole mistress Vi suci, IN clepllnntin6
estate. Whatever could she do with u
house of 40 rooms, Al quiet. spinSter
woman like herself: She sighed
heavily. How she would have loved
{" fill every ro0Ir with children. ana a
husband, nursery maids AMI all the
paraDhcrnalia Of q real home. But
alas! She WIS thirty-two years old,
and though not bad looking. yet su DIES.
man caused her to hide her head like
the ostrich. and hey tongue became
parnlyzed completely.
Her desire TO do sotne mothcriDe
overcame every obstacle, and she soon
figured that she could have children
some one else's to he sure, bun chill
dren nevertheless. SO Che founded n
home for the mites, where they ran
wild through the big rooms. and grew
TAT anu healthy in the frsssant air
that blew In from the ocean. Fog
three months happiness prevailed.
Barbara had just finished her &c
counts. She was satisfied that her
private !ucome was sufficient to pay
food bills. nurses and cooks salaries,
and the other running expenses Of the
house. But there was not one red
cent left for clothes! How were IS
pairs of feet to be booted and IL backs
protected from the wintry blasts:
The Lord must provide" barbara
reiterated. trying to throw off all care.
"Why. what have We heref"
1t WAS little Bertha, Juggling at her
| skirt. "Miss Babs. Miss Babs, I beard
| q burglar in the house"
"Only the wind Or creaking stair.
Old houses like this are full of
sounds"
But this sound was of an opening
window ana a tumble"
| This convinced Barbara that il was
time to act. She tucked Bertha into
bed, seized her revolver, and stepping
| into the elevator, slid noiselcssly TO
the street floor. There, sllhouetted
| against the dining room windows, was
Il man.
He turned like shot when Barbara
| approached.
What's the idca?" asked Barbara,
twirlng the revolver go that 1t gilt
tered In the dim light. ,
| "Why-cr~wlly---" the intruder
slammcrcd. II hope you don't mind
roy calling at this hour?"
Mind" screamed barbara hys.
tcrically. AT nidnightY'
Il declare" murmured The man.
"She takes me Tor burglar"
What else could Dtake you for?'
Barbara snapped pecvishly. "You Ger
tainiy aren't making a social visit"
My dear Miss Fanting, as per my
usual stupidncss, I've made mess of
n kindly-intcntloned act. I'm your
neiglibor, Philip Mead"
Barbara hardly knew how TO act to.
ward the man she had heard so much
of, but had never met before. Lets
sit down and talk it over" she sug.
gested, impetuously pulling out n
chair.
"Oh. don't sit down." cautioned the
visitor, but Barbara had already struck
n hard object which caused her To lear
instantly from the chair. The mex,
t:aoi.:eat she was holding up a pntr OF