Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-12-16
THEIR
ARDENT
ADMIRER
"a BY D. .. walsh,

THE MISSES RUSSELL lived In
a lovely old house surrounded
Il by an iron fence with scrolled
gateways. The house and the
ladies' had come into being at that
period when exclusion was the thing.
Very proper, very sedate, but, secret
ly, very romantic we're the Misses
Russell. They would have died be-
fore they let any one know that the
wonderful electric vlctrola played
anything but sacred music and grand
opera. Alone with the aid Of the soft
est needle they reveled In jazz and
that order Of music which may be col
lectlyely designated under one title
"0h, come, my shelk, to my waiting
arms" 1t was the same with their
literature. The bookcases were filled
with classics, the library table
groaned beneath weighty reviews, but
behind a cushion was kept the
naughty novel that made Emile and
Mlnette forget that they were waxing
old and must behave accordingly.
In their youth they had been con-
sldered too proud for the young men
who might have taken a fancy to
them, for their parents had been Of
the hlgh-nosed order. And when the
time came when they might have
chosen for themselves nobody wanted
them. So they had arrived at middle
life unmarried, but teeming with a
desire for the one thing that had been
withheld from them-romance.
my dear" Emile said to Mlnnette
one morning just after Bessie, their
ugly but efficient maid, had placed
their breakfast before them. II notice
that our new neighbors have arrived
next door. / can see from where sit
that the shades are up and people
moving about. Therei They are just
coming into the dining room for
breakfast"
Minnette turned to look and saw
through the large double windows OF
the nearby house two men sitting op-
posite each other at the table and be-
ing awaited upon by third man who
was evidently a servant.
OAb my u0uTi hluIolle UTedtHeu.
Just look at that young mani He
is perfectly handsome"
Discreetly screened by their lace
windows the two women gazed at their
next-door neighbors. The young man
was handsome in a stunning black
and-white way. He seemed full Of
vlgor, too, for he talked a great deal
with many gestures. Smllingly his
companion listened This other man
might have been the father Of the
first, for he was plain and white
haired and looked uninteresting. The
servant, too, was elderly and plain.
But the Misses Russell were only at
tracted by the delightful younger
man.
I'VE must make their acquaintance
Invite them over to dinner" Min
nette said.
Poor things, without a woman in
the housed think will have Bessie
take them a tin of her Incompatible
biscuit for their lunch" murmured
Emile.
Bessie was reluctant to present the
biscuit but at last she was persuaded
to do so by Emllie's bestowing upon
her the gift of an old gown she had
found that morning in the bureau
drawer-landsdowne, eighteen feet
around, and of a gorgeous crimson
color. 1t was a relic of younger days,
and Emile thought that 1t might be
dyed into suitability for her hand
maiden, but Bessie loved red
She returned with a courteous mes
sage Of thanks from the older men.
So far, good.
For long time the Misses Russell
had been wondering who would rent
the vacant house next door, which was
to be let furnished. Mrs. Tucker, who
owned 1t, had lost her husband and
gone to live with a married daughter.
The house was very coy and the
Misses Russell had been certain that
only nice people could afford to live
there, but people with children or
dogs-or depredating cats The fact
that the household was Of the gentle.
manly, unoffensive kind predIsposed
them In favor Of their new neighbor.
That afternoon as Miss Emile was
wedding her garden she heard slight
cough and saw the handsome new
I neighbor smiling at her over the
, fence. He had a gift OF red roses fol-
her and when, rather fiuttered, she
entered into conversation with him he
Immediately took her into his conf.
dence. His name was Harold Fred.
erlck Delaney, and he was writing q
book entitled Metaphysical Aspects
OF the Universe" He was interested
in the Einstein theory of RELATIVELY
and thought that the extensive use OF
explosives in the last war had made
our planet change poles, SO deep was
he and with-all so charming that
Emile lost her head as well as her
heart Immediately.
The next morning Minnette had a
similar experience, only she received
white roses instead of red The con.
versation was along the same lines
and she literally fell for Harold Fred.
erick head over heels.
An invitation to dinner followed
and the Misses Russell had the time
of their life feeding their darling. Mr.,
Bowker whom Harold called Uncle
Hop they didn't like at all But Har.
old filled their eyes.
The weather was beautiful and
never had the Misses Russell spent so
much time In their garden No soon.
er did they appear than Harold ap.
peared also, He sat with them or
the bench and talked about his boo