Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-30
The Daily Novelette,
Where Washington Stopped
By Jane Osborn
T YDA was sitting out before the old :

crisp pink frock that first attracted the
eye OF Robert Dawes as he motored
slowly along Cedar street in search Of
sights to see.
Then he noticed that the house
seemed very old. He stopped his aged
roadster and stood before LYDIA Jones.
LYDIA knew in a minute that he was
college student and at sixteen LYDIA
dreamed Of nothing more thrilling than
to be noticed by q student. He made
it clear. however, that 1t was the house
that had attracted him.
Excuse me-" he said, but I'm
looking over the land for a new line
Of sightseeing buses. I'm to be the
20 out to the battle-ground beyond
and we want TO find some points OF
interest to make the passengers think
they. are getting their moneys worth
on the way. I heard that there was a
house along here somewhere that was
once the headquarters OF Washington
or Lafayette or some one. It may bs
on the next road. But this house looks
as II It was Colonial. This road is
much better than the one beyond, 40
Ia like to come down this way. You
don't happen to know IL Washington
ever did stop at this house, or Lafay.
cite or any onc?'
LYDIA was fascinated with the way
the young man spoke. His speech was
decidedly more cultivated than that of
Aunt Chloe Jones or any Of her neigh
| bors that formed the world in which
LYDIA Jones lived. As speeler OF the
new line Of sightseeing buses the young
stranger would perhaps pass by her
house two or three times week. If
he decided that IL was not worth while
perhaps she would never see him again.
She did not answer his question di.
rectly.
! IF it is the house--if some one in
teresting did once stay there you'd
come by often--two or three times q
week?' she said.
Yes and Robert Dawes found him
self looking intently into the puzzling
depths of LYDIA blue eyes. II am n
student, but I shall have time to take
the tour two or three afternoons a
week, and that is as often as they will
need to run It. They hove sent me out
now to work up the Information for
my lecture
Il sec," said LYDIA slowly, and she.
too. was surprised and ashamed Of her
self when she realized how intently she
was studying the shadowy depths of
the young mans gray eyes. "Well. !.
I think this is the house---1 wouldn't
be at all surprised If twas. 1t Ger.
tainly looks like that sort OF house.
doesn't It? You never saw such sag.
ging floors or such crooked windows,
/ think-I'm almost certain that Wash
ington and Lafayette and-and Daniel
Webster and John Hancock and Paul
Revere and lots Of other people used
TO stop here quite often. In fact.
know the room where Paul Revere used
to sleep" LYDIA Jones paused to see
how the stranger was taking her story.
She did not explain that old Aunt Chloe
had once had a dog named Paul Revere.
| who used to take long winters maps in
the back par!or. Now you'll come BY,
won't you?'
And that is how it happened that
whenever the sightseeing buses went
out to the famous battle-ground they
made Il turn up Cedar street and stop
ped for n full two or three minutes
to gaze upon the dilapidated old house
where Lafayette and Washington had
That is the tradition Robert Dawes
some one in the party to rave over the
adorable carved doorway or the
quaint little dormer windows and
quite often some one of the passengers
would say What n pretty girl that is
out there sweeping the porch
1t did not take Aunt Chloe Jones
long to observe that the sightseeing bus
always stopped before her door.
You might think this was Bunker
Hill Monument or Old South Church
or something to see the way that bus
always stops here. What in goodness
sakes is there to rubber at? I'm going
to step out and tell that impertinent.
looking young man to move on some
one Of these days
Hes a college student put in
LYDIA.
What do YOU know about him -
snapped back the indignant aunt. And
LYDIA said something about simply
thinking he looked like one as Il matter
Of self defense. A few days later
Chloe had more to say on the same sub
ject.
"Do YOU know what that young
whippersnapper says about this
louse?" she demanded Il heard down
at the store. Some one was in there
that had been on the ride. and she said
that that young fellow said that this
mouse Hdu UttIl w uSHiHBtoH Ielu =
quarters, or something like that. Such
impudcnce It's old enough. dure say.
but guess none OF the Joncses would
have wanted to let lot Of common
soldiers into their house, giving them
selves n lot Of notoriety like any com
mon folk
, Aunt Chloe sputtcred from time tt
. tine and made remarks about the i'm
pertinent Young man VINO lectured or
the sightseeing bus, but she was nm
successful in keeping her pretty niece
from appearing three times in the wees
in front of the house when he bU'
. stopped. Always the impertinent youn:
, man lifted his hat politely when h,
! saw her. Once in while when Aun
Chloe wasn't home LYDIA accepted tn,
L young mans invitation to get into th'
: car and ride as far as the battle-ground
, , and hack. 1t was only matter Of hal
, an hour. And though Robert Dave
=, had to go on with his lecture and hat
; little time to speak 70 the pretty cir
beside him in the bus, it was quite pail
that these two Young folk were yer,
t happy TO be in each others company
4 One rainy day when there were no pas
sengers for tho sightseeing ride ROber
n Dawes, dispensing with the chauffeur
@ ran the big bus out just the same.
n LYDIA Jones saw him coming and raj
out of the house. calling to Aunt Chic
. that she would he back before lons
u Then the two, Lydia and Robert Dawes
G rode on together to the old battle
Z ground.
: AS soon us they were out of sight o
h prying eyes on Cedar street Rober
d stopped the car under the protectio