The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-04-10
STORY OF H
BABBLING WOOD
By MARGARET SWEENEY

acre lot, eight-rOOm house and a goo
barn. No improvements; but it
worth double the askin' price-one 0
the best-built houses in Larchdale."
The woman, the prospective buyer
was silent. From her sea in the ca
she scanned the little white hOus,
that was for sale. She was a slendel
woman-young, dark and dignifed
With her minds eye she saw crisl
curtains behind the small, dingy
squares of window glass, and lilacs-
lilacs a-bloom on the leafieSs bush be
side the neglected doorway; and upon
the lawn, beneath a magnificent elm
tree, she saw her two small sons al
play.
The agents wise old eyes, with
swift appraisal, were measuring the
woman. Twill she buy?" he wondered.
Probably not. Women never know
just what they want-they like to
poke around. This one doesn't look
like ready money Her black coat
looks shabby. Yet, she must have
money or she wouldn't start out to
look at even this old shack. A widow,
no doubt. Well, anyway, she's a real
lady-that's easily seen"
Having thus listed the lady, the vii
lage real estate man, gray, fifty and
iorid, resumed his business.
mo country house looks it's best In
March. In three or four weeks from
now, when the trees are green, this
place will look a hundred per cent
better. 1t is worth five thousand dol
lars if it's worth a dollar, and all
they're askin' is"
who did you say owns the placer
the lady inquired.
1T belongs to the Crumper estate
Stephen Crumper's grandfather built
that house, and it is good for another
hundred years. The Crumpers were
lumbermen and you-you may be sure
that the best lumber in the land went
into the building of it,"
The agent, as he spoke, had turned
his car into the driveway, and the lady
noticed that under the light layer of
upon the path there was a thick
tangle of withered weeds and BRAN
bles.
'The house has been a long time
vacant, has it not?"
well, no, not SO very" The agent
assisted the lady to alight. "The
house is in fine condition. all newly
Dapered and-and-"
He had begun to tumble with a key
that refused to turn in the rusty lock
lady, while she waited, peered
wistfully through the murky windows.
The rooms looked inviting. The
quaint white panels and the low cell
ngs made a strong appeal to the heart
If this home-questing woman so did
he open f%ireplaces and the broad
blanks of the old floors, upon which
ay the morning sunshine.
1T is charming the lady told her
elf, land the price-the price is as
low. The house has mar
elous possibilities"
And again, before her minds eye,
lectures began to form-ires were
rackling upon the hearths; hand
oven rugs lay upon the broad planks
tanch Chairs and tables, dark and
.me-polished, stood about-there were
ooks, books everywhere, and before
cracking fire there were two small
oys, listening entranced, to a lady
stories from a Wonder Book.
"All right, madam"-the agent had
lcceeded in opening the door-'all :
ght, madam he called again. With .
little start the lady turned from the :
indow and entered the old house and, !
'%esently, as she tip-toed about, timid- :
opening chimney c%upboards, she be $
strangely troubled. !.
An ~inexplicable feeling-a sickening !
ar-had taken possession Of her. She !.
become dimly aware that the !
rents raucous voice had fallen to a !.
!
"Why," she asked herself, 'why :
is inward agitation-this %throbbing j
Use, this choking sensation, this ].
dden anxiety to get out-out into =
e sunshine? Has old wood-wood !
for more than a century-the 8
wer toto put my soul into a tur- s
oil? Has" +.
you'll like the upstairs rooms, 8
the agent whispered, as he 8
used at the foot of the narrow stair q
"; there's a fine view from every .
ndow, and there's" !.
No, no., thank you. The house is .
not just what l am looking for. =
- 3
The ancient door stood ajar and the !
", with a feeling of relief-a sense
having escaped something, she
w not what-hastily left the house.
Che short ride back to the station
S begun and ended in silence; the i
mt disappointed his morning ]
sted; the lady p~erplexed, her mind
ping for a cauSe-a reason for the 8
r that had clutched her the mo-
Mt that she had entered the old :
=
md the memory Of 1.-THE tumult