Catoctin clarion., 1921-07-28
WANTED-A GUIDE.
BY ADA MAY STEVENS.
|. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicat, }

IL was tis tHC ldult VI tiiC uot3.
He is much too impartial, AS collics are
apt to be. He spent his time indiscrm-
inately among his admirng neighbors.
Three of them had houses just like his
masters. How should he know which
was which, since all gave forth bOnes2
Were Il dog-but you shall see. For II
fellow just recovering from an attack
of nerves, TO meet things aS unstable
as this dog, and the furniture of Map'e
street, is demoraI,zing, that's what t
Is.
chose my cousins from the list If
possible visiting places, because it vas
quiet. Even the town is quiet. OF the
house one had reason to expect a
special stability. Alfred explains at
length that | have not been betrayed
but judge for yourself.
My cousin met me upon my arrival,
for it happened that had never visited
him since he moved to Westgate. We
stopped before piazza in duplicate,
passing through a duplicate door into
what afterward l found to be Il dupli-
cate hall. Except in furnishings. in
Alfred's hall was only table and n
chair. 1t was reStfully vacant: from
It's plain walls, Scalt furnishings, to
the cheerful little wife and pleasant
home atmosphere. | felt al last | had
found peace. 7 rested we'll that night
With the interest of stranger in
town. | went out next day, proud to
take my first "trip alone. | felt duly,
or unduly, elateG Returning. | ran
confidently up the steps where sat
Billy, the cat; opened the hall door
to be greeted by Major, the dog. But
the hall looked unfamiIiar; there was
a tall clock in the corner, and ii for
midable hatrack almost challenging
the way. Like Il Soldier-Or iS it Il bur
gar?-suddenly Scenting danger, |
came to tiptoe position craned to-
ward the door into the sitting room.
"Did you want to see Alfred Poser?
He lives next door" The voice was
sweet. and the head that followed it
was pretty. but | left as precipitately
as though followed by bristling war
rior with all swords drawn. There Is
little satisfaction in apolOgiZing for a
frankly bone-headed intrusion, even
to a pretty face, so | left at once, with
my apology trailing over my shoulder.
Alfred's wife has a pleasant laugh,
and the mirth of cousins is more heal
up courage once more. took back my
rash vow that | would never appear
I'm public again without q keeper, and
went down street on the following aft
erAoon.
went early and returned late. This
time left nothing to chance; | count
ed my steps from the corner to the
house. | looked first at the numbers
and then at the draperieS and house
plants in the windows. | carefully
avoided all piazZas where reposed any
Of our household pets. Then | bold
ly walked in.
Heavens! What had l done? Not
an article was familiar. BY the stairs
stood broad old-fashioned couch; n
black walnut wardrobe, and crock
cry ulnDItllu Tdth SIllllltu llplll NtD-
arate corners. The accustomed chair
where l usually draped my coat was
gone. Standing bewildered, | clutched
my failing senses and uttered the
thoughts within me:
"Have l gone mad again-where am
II Where am II" / cried, in the loud
voice ordinarily used for such crises
as calls for Help" or Fire"
AS though 1t were signal, the
lights went up. A cool voice came
down the hall, "Why, Cousin Tom, is
that you?" Then she went into spasms
of laughter Yes, Alfred's wife Is a
cheerful SOUL but | never before real
lied what a useless thing her laugh
could be. Between shrieks She
gasped:
mo wonder you don't know where
you are. Oh, Tom; you look too funny
for words-dO forgive me"
Explain Yourself" l intoned, with
~much dignity, realizing that only SO
could l bring her to herself.
"Why, you see," she laughed, "th+
things came from Alfreds father.
house while you were gone, and We
put them around at once. Isn't that
a love of couch? Truly, you don't
have to look so wild-but after yes
terday-" She was hopeless and help
less / left her.
It's all very well to soothe my feel
ings and explain things to me; anyone
In my condition can tell you just how
soothing it Is. l utterly refuse to go
abroad alone again In this town. Mean
while l find the piazza just the right
length for pacing, and l spend my
time teaching Major and Billy the de-
lights of home. In place like this,
some guide is necessary.
Congestion In Various Lands.
In Japan today one of the pressing
economic problems is the rapid in
crease Of rents. Charges for the use
of the bamboo and paper dwellings
that make up the majority of the
habtations in the cities have In
creased five-fold in the last five years
and there is much congestion.
Even in Teheran, Persia, conges-
tion has inevitably created tenement
houses. In spite of their injunctions
of religion and custom to seclude
their women, the families of many
Persian workmen use a common street
door and occupy rooms opening on
a common court. The rent is approx
mately 81 per room per month. a
price which does not appear very
small when 1t is understood that the
unskilled labnrer receives about 30