The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-03-20

ELMHURST
sy RUBY RIDLEY.

be like that. Yet I've always believed
that city-bred children were always
more or less stuck up" Matilda stop
ped, only because she had to. BY the
time she got her breath again her hus-
band was speaking.
Pooh, Matty. You amt going to
think that Of little Violet. cause I
amt going to let you. Did you say that
she was coming Thursday? Well, I'll
take a look at the calendar. Why,
that's tomorrow You'd better start
right in now making some cookies and
pies, while I finish my work In the
barn. Violet Barclay, q girl Of nine
teen, was just the opposite Of what
Aunt Matilda said about being stuck
up" Being in poor health, her mother
had decided t send Violet to her
aunt's home in the country.
Thursday morning dawned at last
and Uncle John harnessed Maggie and
drove her to the little station. At
last he spied Violet coming towards
him.
Violet greeted her uncle with an en-
thusiastic kiss on either cheek, which
quite took his breath away.
II feel better all ready, Uncle john"
she cried as they were driving home.
II knew I should the minute I got out
IF that hot, dusty city"
Three days after her arrival Violet
had donnsd her new farmerette suit
and started a garden. .
One day Aunt Matilda asked her II
she wouldn't like to visit Elmhurst.
''Why, where's that, auntie?" Violet
asked.
"Oh, it's the most beautiful house I
ever saw" replied Matilda. "There
are elms all round it and-well, I
verify believe that I should get lost
In It"
This aroused vlolet's curiosity at
once.
"Who owns it7'' she asked.
"Mr. Preston used to own 1t, but
he's dead now" was the reply. 1.-THE
sister died here, 80 he wanted to live
here; he built that house. It's for
sale, furniture and all. I heard 10th
er day that a certain Mr.. R. Roberts
intends to buy it. I hope he's nice II
he's going to live there"
"Oh, where is It, auntie3 It sounds
very interesting. Is it very far from
here1 May I go this afternoon?"
mo, Violet, It is NOT very far from
here. I thought you'd like to e it.
You'll find it easy If you keep to this
road for about one mile"
That afternoon Violet started. She
reached the place and found it more
beautiful than Matilda had said It was.
Violet wandered around under the
elms and then went toward the house.
II wonder If they keep the doors
locked" she said to herself. II sup
pose they do, but I'd love to 60 inside"
To her surprise, as she tried the
door 1t opened. Going inside, she
found herself In a large hall. T..
ut won't do any harm II I do look
around a little," she said to herself,
so she cautiously opened a door near
by. Seeing nothing very interesting In
this room, she wandered on. All the
rooms were luxuricnsly furnished.
After a while she went upstairs.
Looking in one Of the rooms she saw a
bedroom. She crossed the DON to
glance at herself In the mirror 70 as
to FIX her hair. What she saw, how
ever, was a young ma lying on the
bed and apparently fast asleep. He
was dressed In a dark blue suit. In
stantly Violet thought Of the Nj. Rob
erts Of whom Matilda had spoken
She supposed he had arrived today
and, feeling tired. had lain down.
And then to her horror she found
she had to sneeze. She started for the
door, making funny little noises. She
had just time to get out Of the room
and cover her face with her handker-
chief before she sneezed. She was
just beginning to 60 down the stairs
on tiptoe when the door opened and
the man came out laughing.
II suppose ! should have told You
that I vas not asleep" he said, but
/ heard somebody coming upstairs.
and you can imagine my surprise
when you came In. I thought I'd burst
when you had to sneeze."
Are you Nj. Roberts?" asked VI
olet.
81 am, and you
Miss Barclay" she said, smiling.
Soon they were talking as If they
had known each other all their lives.
After this they saw each other
often and 1t wal not long before Ralph
asked Violet to share his beautiful
home with him, and because she had
already begun to love Elmhurst and
also It's owner, she did not refuse
Copyright, 1915. BY Mcclure Newspapse
S~yndicate.)
Another Joan Of Arc.
Something M the feeling that the
French people have toward America
since the Yanks arrived In France is
shown Ii q Of the many interesting
little Incidents that the Rev. Q. p.
Odell,fastor Of the Second Presbyter-
Ian church, tells. Nj. Odell recently