The Princeton union., 1919-09-04
HAPPY SOLUTION
BY FREDERICK CLARK.


er bag in her hand, and her dim eyes
peering anxious!y beneath her bands of
smooth white hair.
The conductor, as she left the train.
had directed her up this same street.
1.-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 plan of sacrificing
years.. In her loneliness and continual
homeliness, she had saved resoiutely,
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 a
tin box in her leather bag, the thou
sand dollars.
Culper's Home was fine one, she
thought gratefully of the pleasant
room that would be hers, and the free
dom forever from tomorrow's care.
Yet her lip trembled in an old, wistful
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
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 as she could, from home to home
But through it all, the 1000 had been
persistently boarded.
This great Home" would be a COM
fort, Of course, she could see now it's
pillars cleaning afar, but-yearningly,
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
the side Of the cottage. Ellen's heart
fluttered like the white muslin curtain
In the window such had been her own
vision of home. And as she fingered,
second little old lady came through
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.
1T was your roses that attracted
me-" she answered. Her tone was
plaintive-"I was on my way to the
Old Folks Home"
"To live?" questioned the second old
lady compassionately. Better set
down an rest Bit" she advised.
Gladly Ellen accepted a chair on the
porch.
Eyes, to live" she replied, though
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, 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. I've
| done the best I could since my hus-
| band died, but I can't carry it 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.
If 'twan't fer the payments could get
along real we'll. 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
we'll, too, just for the privilege. May
| be-" she suggested, you'd like to see
my chintz room. I fixed it up real tasty
after Abner died."
II would like to see it." Ellen an
swered eagerly.
II should think they would like to
stop here" she said. "Why-this room
Is just like what l dreamed a home
room should be, the restfulness-even
that rose peeping in through the win
dow"
"Take off 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.
IF I could only stay here always
with her." murmured Ellen.
And when she faced her, hostess
| across 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 don't even know
your name. Mine is Ellen Martini"
"Mine is Sarah Holden" the other
answered.
"Well, Sarah," Ellen went on calmly,
there's no reason why you and can't
both have the home we want, If you
are agreeable. My thousand dollars
would pay the interest on your place.
| A.. ~