The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-20
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
Who Are the Men Who've Rented Mrs.
Durkses House7

Who Are the Men Who'vs Rented Mrs.
purkse's House?
| My answering kiss was blinded in a
swift rush Of tears. Tears of loving
| gratitude for the mother heart at last
| opened wide to me without reservation.
but also tears OF sorrowful bitterness
against the man so beloved Of US both
/ Oh, I'm so excitedi" Twittered Mrs.
Durkee. What do you think, Madge?
I've rented my house!"
/ You can't expect me to be glad of
I that" I returned, smiling at the little
woman's manner. whatever am go
ing to do when you've gomez"
! We were seated in my neighbor's
pleasant sunny, living room. an i'm
Imense room running the whole length
of one side Of the house. At the rear
some French windows opened out to a
long, arched arbor of old lilac bushes,
just now in full bloom.
My words We're not at all idle ones.
felt decidedly gloomy at the thought
of Mrs. Durkee moving away. She had
soothing charm for tired and frayed
nerves that few women possess. I have
grown to have a very real affection
for her, and often when things are
depressing at home I steal over to
her home for few minutes chat with
her.
Not even the departure of Alfred,
her idolized son, for Plattsburg had
altered the outward placidity of the
little woman. I strongly suspected, nay
knew, that she had her hours of
fGethsemane and GoIgothia, but save
for certain faint heaviness and red
ness of her eyes there was never any
outward trace of them.
Whatever would l do with this
house if stayed?" she retorted smil-
ing. But I know you'll miss me-
although you can't feel as lonely as I
shall without you. But I'm glad you
will" she dimpled 1T wouldn't be
very good recommendation for me II
we had been neighbors and close
friends SO long and you didn't miss
me-would it, now?"
I laughed at my little friends
whimsicality
An Air of Mystery
IF that's al '-ou need for a recon-
mendation 1t will be a good one" I
assured her. "But, tell me, who are to
be my new neighbors? I'm sure shall
L
think of some strange woman using
your things and sitting here"
''You won't have to think of It." she
returned gayly. Il don't believe there
will be a woman around the place
not even a servant. It's to be a bach
elor establishment, my dear. What do
you think OF that? And such distin-
guished looking men!"
She put her head to one side and
eyed the sock she was knitting with
tantalizing air. smiled to myself, for
knew my little friends weakness
for making a mystery out of her bits
of news. knew that she would be dis
appointed if I didn't quiz her concern
ing her tenants.
How very thrilling!" I exclaimed,
and was rewarded by the gratified
little smile that played around her
pretty childIike mouth. Tell me all
about it this minute!"
Had They Met Before
Welt" she drew a long breath and
laid her knitting in her lap, sure
sign that her subject was an absorb
ing one to her; you know 1 made |
up my mind the minute ALI told me |
he was going to Plattsburg that I |
would try to rent the house furnished. |
I'm going to follow Alf around just |
as long as can, and the minute I get |
the house off my hands I'm going |
straight to Plattsburg. OF course, 1 |
put an advertisement in the New York |
papers, and, curiously enough, the |
same Sunday I had mine in, found |
this advertisement in every New York
paper"
She fumbled in her knitting bag, in
which, squirrel like, she kept all sorts
Of odds and ends beside her knitting, |
drew out an advertisement clipped
from paper. and handed it to me.
There was nothing unusual in the
phrasing of it.
Wanted-By two gentlemen, one
an elderly invalid, with one serv-
ant, furnished house with grounds
in quiet country or suburban
neighborhood within smile rad
ius Of New York, Long Island pre-
ferred. Address, X . Y. T., N. Y.
Seminal.
I read it through, and couldn't
account for the queer, tinkling feeling
If excitement that crept over me. 1t
vas as if something warned me that
his innoucuous piece of paper held
something of vital interest to me.
did You ever know of anything so
666 quickly relieves Colds, Con-