Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-08-24


20 by Western Newspaper Union)
PASIL BROOKS looked from the
- window of his country boarding
house, on the same wearisome scene;
there were others who thought this
beautiful countryside far from weari-
some. 1t may have been that the sick
mans state of mind was responsible
for his discomfort. The doctor had as
sured him that strained nerves would
mend in the restful atmosphere.
mo pretentious retreat Of neu-
rotics," his doctor advised, "but Just
simple, wholesome country" And that
was what the man OF great business
concern found IN Sweet Briur. So far,
1t bored him ineXpressibly. From his
white-curtained high window, he saw
always, church opposite. When the
light at shutdown shone through the
stained glass, he could read there dis
tlnctly the words. Betsy Jane Nor
row."
Basil turned from the cottage win
dow to walk down the narrow stair of
the country house, and out into the
night. He went aimlessly down
crooked lane Behind old rambling
houses lay a lovely stream, silver in
the moonlight. In dooryards men sat
companlonably with their pipes. In
tiower-bordered gardens children
played. Basil felt keenly his solitary
condition. Not a friendly soul with
Ntrhn IN
And, he reflected as he walked along,
even In great New York his friends
numbered few. Could he call those
with whom he associated as the de-
mand Of business left him scant leis-
ure-friends lndeed2 Or were they
merely congenlal acquaintances? And
the young women, whom Basil had
known-well he was resigned to his
disappointment there; again, perhaps
the result of an Over-wearled mind
But in the recesses of that mind he
carried an ideal-a fair and gentle
young woman, comforting. Before him
mentally flashed well-known name,
Betsy Jane Morrow" Basil smiled,
and friendly stroller took the smile
for greeting.
How do. stranger" remarked the
old man; mice night for a walk"
Presently they came to refresh
ing picture-a small white house, shin
Ing in its neatness, an inviting garden,
ruffled white curtains at the windows
inside the glow of shaded lights.
Nov, this little place" went on the
old man, was the only decently neat
house In Tangled Row. Miss Betsy
Jane Morrow"-Basil stared-"used to
live here. An she kept 1t up til she
died an old woman. Then she willed
it to a granddaughter, on condition
that she come an live In IT, The
granddaughter was an orphan, work
ing In a city office. Only been work
Ing since her father died, an not bein'
used to It, was peeked like. But she
come out here, an land she's changed
the whole Row. Seems you can most
see the places improve, beginning near
her. Shouldn't wonder after she's
here n spell, If the Row won't be
place to be proud Of"
Basil had not hoped to be interested,
but he was. 1t may have been q per-
sonal interest In the late Betsy Jane
Morrow" "Why didn't the lady I'm
prove the place In her llfetlmeT he
asked.
The old man eagerly continued his
tale
you See" he said, Betsy Jane
was born fault-fnder. Complained
enough about her nelghbOrs' slackness,
that's sure. But that didn't seem to
stir EN- up any, so she bore with EN-
none too patient. When this young
woman comes to live In the empty
house, my sons wife says to me-we
live In the ROw-I'll have more wOr-
ryments to do this and that, to my
house an garden, | suppose, now that
a relative Of old Mrs. Morrow is go
Ing to be neighbor.' But Betsy james
granddaughter came smllin to ad-
mire the plucky old flowers in our
yard, and told us how glad she was to
have near neighbors, an how kind ev-
eryone was maxim her welcome. An
the folks got to tellin' one another all
the pleasant things she had said about
'em, like they'd told all the cOmplalnln'
things old Betsy Jane had said. And
everyone grew sort Of friendly, an
when the women got through helpin'
the new young woman with her gar
den, an Akin up her house, why, nat
urally they took to lxin' up their own
--leastways those on either side"
Basil stopped deliberately, to look
through rufiied curtains, to where in
the light Of shaded lamp could be
seen the face of young woman. The
face in the lamplight did not take from
the old mans tribute.
When the bells Of the village church
called next morning, across the mead
ows, the man Of tired nerves found
himself answering the call. There In
the light Of the colored glass window
sat the girl Of Tangled Row, Il fair and
gentle young woman with lips curved
as though I'm smile of habitual con
tent. Basll's ideal surely personfied.
a woman who could make her own
happy condition, in place Of seeking"
Basil moving down the aisle after
service, absently repeated the name OF
the memorial window-"Betsy Jane
Morrow"
The young woman Of Tangled Row
turned to him. "YOu spoke to meT
she questioned.
"The name on the window" Basil
apologized.
"AIso, my own" said the girl.
"You look like a new and happy
man." his associates told Basil upon
his return.