Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-04-20

I'm THE top of the hill stood the big
brick house-a mansion, compared
to the other houses Of the New Eng.
land village. At the foot of the hill
nestled the tiny brown farmhouse, halt
buried in llacs, climbing roses, and
lhollyhocks.
Years ago when Reuben had first
brought Emily to that little brown cot
Itage. he had said to her wistfully:
Sweetheart, faint much of a place,
4 know, but We'll save and save, every
cent we can get, an by an by we'll 90
up to live in the big house on the
hill" And he kissed SO tenderly the
pretty little woman he had married
only that morning that she smiled
brightly and declared that the small
brown house was the very incest place
Nm the world.
But. as time passed, the "big house"
came to be the Mecca of all their
hopes, and penny by penny the saw
ings grew. 1t was slow work, though,
and to hearts less courageous the
thing would have seemed an impossi-
'Dillty. No luxuries-and scarcely the
bare necessities of ufe-came to the
little house under the hill, but every
month tiny sum found its way into
the savings bank.
Reuben never smoked. While other
men used the fragrant weed to calm
their weary brains and bodies, Reuben
ute peanuts. It had been a curious
passion Of his. from the time when as
a boy he was first presented with a
penny Of his very own, to spend all
his spare cash on this peculiar luxury {;
and the slow munching Of this pie
lbeian delicacy had the same soothing
effect on him that a good cigar or an
old clay pipe had upon his brother
man. But from the day of his mar
Iriage all this was changed; the dimes
and the nickels bought no more pea.
nuts, but went to swell the common
fund.
1t Is doubtful If even this heroic
ECONOMY would have accomplished the
1dedred end had not a certain railroad
company cast envious eyes upon the
level valley and forthwith sent long
iarms of steel bearing putting engine
up through the quiet village. A large
tract Of waste land belonging to Reu-
ben Gray suddenly became surpris-
ingly valuable, and sum that trebled
twice over the scanty savings Of years
i9rew all In night.
! One crisp October day, Mr.. and Mrs.
Reuben Gray awoke to the fact that
they were little under sixty years Of
age. and in possession of more than
the big sum of money necessary to
enable them to carry out the dreams
Of their youth. They began joyous
preparations at once.
The big brick house at the top of
the hill had changed hands twice dur.
ing the last forty years, and the pres
ent owner expressed himself as moth
Ing loath to part, not only with the
house itself, but with many Of its
furnishings; and before the winter
snow fell the little brown cottage was
sold to thrifty young couple from
the neighborfhg village, and the Grays
took up their abode In their new home.
swell, Emily, this Is Twin, now,
amt it?" said Reuben, as he carefully
let himself down into the depths Of
velvet covered chair in the great par.
lor. my! amt this meet"
"Just perfectly lovely" quavered
the thin voice Of his wife, as she
threw q surreptitiOus glance at Reu.
ben's shoes to see If they were quite
clean enough for such sacred pre-.
cincts.
1t was their first evening in thei,
new abode, and they were q little
weary, for they had spent the entire
day In exploring every room, peerins
Into every closet and trying every
chair that the establishment con.
tained. 1t was still quite early when
they trudged anxiously about the
house. intent on fastening the numer.
Gus doors and windows.
Dear me-" exclaimed the little
woman nervously, I'm most afraid ia
80 to bed, Reuben, for fear some one
will break In an steal all these nice
things"
"Well. you can cit up If you want
to-" replied her husband dryly, "but
1 shall go to bed. Most Of these things
have been here nigh on to twenty
years, an guess they'll last the night
Through" And he marched solemnly
upstairs to the big east chamber
meekly followed by his wife.
1t was the next morning when Mrs
Gray was washing the breakfas
dishes that her husband came in a
the kitchen door and stood looking a
her thoughtfully.
"say. Emily" said he, you'd ought
Ter have a hired girl 'Tain't you
place to be dom work like this now.
Mrs. Gray gasped-half terrified
half pleased-and shook her head
ibut her husband was not to- b
silenced. II
e "Well, you had-an' you've got t,
itoo. An you must buy some ne,
clothes-lots Of 'em! Why, Emil,
we've got heaps Of money now. an "