Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-10-06
Mary's Porch Tea
Room
By LAURA MONTGOMERY

Mary sat looking TRANQUILITY from her
chair by the great south window that
looked down the village street. Sc
rene smile played about her lips as she
thought of the year that had just been
finished. The occupants of the pretty,
rambling house on the corner of Main
street and the Lincoln highway had
grown steadily poorer. but the village
had not known of this except in a
vague way until the death of Marys
mother, whose pension died with her.
Then the whisper had gone about that
Mary would be obliged to sell the
house where she had lived her whole
life, dismiss Aunt Chloe, whose faith
full black hands had first handled her
when she had been born and who had
tended her ever since, have a sale of
the fine walnut furniture and start
life afresh.
"She has absolutely no income left,
and she's too frail to work for any
one" Miss Pansy had commented pitt
fully, "but she's so proud and aristo-
cratic-like that no one dares ask her
plans or try to help her.
Il went to call, intending to ask her
to move over to our house until she
had made her plans. We have plenty
of room, and l like her, but she acted
awful stiff. l guess she doesn't like
to be with people. She's lived alone
so much. The doctor stopped his car
outside and came up the walk, and
l know he intended to stop and visit
with her, but she just nodded, cool
like, and said she was feeling all right,
and asked him to take a pot of lilies
back with him for Mary Brown, who
lives next door, and before he knew 1t
he was just walking back that board
walk carrying the flower pot" 4
Tabitha laughed shortly. ''That
would have been a match long ago if
she hadn't acted so stiff; old doc is
awful friendly, and likes to mix; she'd
spoil his practice with her highland
mighty airs. Folks about here like
you to act common and nice, and let
you help them. That amt Miss
Mary's way, though she's always ready
to sit up all night with anybody who
is sick or do for them that need it.
What she ought to do is to be taker,
instead of allus trying to be giver."
Although such conversations had not
been heard by Mary, she had, never !
theless, been conscious of her neigh
bOrs' opinions, yet she had become so
shy and self-absorbed that she had |
been unable to change. Aunt Chloe
had repeated many stray bits of gossip
to her as she had served her mistress
in the cool, shaded dining room. 1t
had been the fat blue teapot In her
servants hands that had brought
about the great idea.
'Yassum. ma'am, that motor party
wanted to know where they could get
a good cup of tea. They admired your
roses and said the place looked like
a picture with the tall row of holly
hooks along the side of the house. /
tole them thar was hotel down street
but they won't git no tea there. Not
tea fit to drink" Aunt Chloe had
as she poured out the clear
amber tea into the frail blue teacup.
Miss Mary permitted her tea to
grow cold as she turned the idea over
In her mind. She had often watched
with wistful eyes the gay motor
parties that flashed past on the Lin
colin highway and vanished up the
ribbon of yellow road bordered by
flaming naples, leaving only an echo
IF laughter on the summer air.
A week later the neighbors stared
frankly as they fingered near the cor
Ter house. The narrow windows on
he west end of the house had been
.orn out and great plate-glass win
low installed. The rambler roses had
,een carefully lifted aside, and when
he work was finished the trellises
we're replaced with their burden of
lark green vines heavy with roses.
Che large gates to the grounds that
we're usually closed were propped open
md a charmingly lettered sign ap-
,rised passing parties that afternoon
ca was served within.
miss Mary's going to stay here;
he's opened a tearoOm. When l went
,ast there were two big cars stand
ng outside, empty, and | could see
AUNT Chloe, in a starched cap and
pron, passing little trays on the south
,orch," reported Pansy. II wonder If
Hiss Mary feels very badly seeing
on her porch?"
Before the cool fall days had re-
uced the number of cars Mary had ,
ut away enough money to carry her
omfortably through the winter
nonths. More than that, she discov- I
red, greatly to her amazement, that
he had found contentment. Instead
f looking on each day as a period of
Raging hours to be lived through, {,
he found herself rising earlier that
he might lose none Of the busy, hap 7
v moments. The mingling with the :
ustomers gave her new interest In 7
fe. and after her first shyness had =
Torn away she found herself talking
agerly as her guests demolished the
Iotac of tinv delicious sandwiches