Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-02-22
FOR THE
CLINGING
VINES
tC0 by d. J. walsh.)

i MIS- hose were ueIlgnteu Tor
they lived on either side Of the
old Burgln house. Miss Lee and Mrs.
Lake were delighted because they
lived across the street. Nothing is
drearier to contemplate than an
empty house and the old Burgln house
had stood untenanted so long that, as
Mrs. Rose expressed It. It had got on
her nerves.
The new neighbOrs were sisters.
Misses Ella and Lillian Dorr, bit eld-
erly, blond, gentle and appealing In
their soft black clothes Their mother
had recently died at the age Of eighty,
their old home had been sold and
they had come to live In the old Bur
gin house for the rest of their lives.
They brought with them some lovely
old furniture. large palm and vel
low kitten.
Mrs, Rose became quite enthusias-
tic about them So did Mrs. Lull Mrs.
Lake invited them to join the neigh.
borhOod club and Miss Lee had them
In to dinner In return the DORIS
proved sociable and lively. Evenings
their windows blazed with Inviting
lights. For that matter II anybody
cared to run In of morning she
found instant welcome.
One noontime Lillian knocked at
Mrs Roses door.
81 am so sorry to disturb your
lunch" she began breathlessly. "but
can Mr. Rose just step over and see
what's wrong with the range to make
II smoke sO?"
Now MFR. Rose was a stout genial
man who let his active little wife
look after the kitchen range and
everything else In the establishment
He had never so much as driven a
nail In his own house. But he went
over at Lllllan's request. When he
came back his shirt was black, his face
and hands smudged and his neat
trousers ruined. Re had Ind to take
the stoveplpe down Yet he dilnt
grumble so much as Mrs. Rose expect
ed.
A few days later he was called 4pou
again-tO get a hornets nest Off the
gable OF the house. Ellen was horribly
afraid Of hornets. Stout as he was Mr..
Rose climbed to the highest peak and
destroyed the gray papery pendant.
Before he got down he had been stung
twice by the angry insects. For two
days his nose was q sight.
81 don't feel a bit reluctant to call
on Mr.. Rose for assistance" said Iii.
llan to Mrs. Rose. ale is so kind and
Obliging. How good II must be for you
to have a man In the house that will
relieve you Of all such dlsagreeable
tasks"
Mrs Rose said nothing. That morn.
ing in desperation she had asked her
husband to stick few shingles In
leaky place on the porch roof and he
had been too busy Whereupon she
had climbed up and done the job her
self. Al this moment she was nursing
bruised finger.
When the yellow kitten strayed into
the top Of high tree and would not
come down Mr.. Rose shlnnied up at
the risk OF his life and rescued pussy
for the DORIS. The strange part Of It
was he made no complaint.
you've got to be nelghborly." he
said.
while you're in the mood to climb
wish you'd fix my pulley clothes
line" Mrs. Rose said with an unusual
tang In her bright voice.
Mr.. Rose looked at her startled
But, as usual ne beat a retreat.
THAT'S the hardware mans bust
ness" he said
Mrs Rose had reached that point
OF evaporation where she began TO
feel resentful toward the gentle DORIS.
The women Of the neighborhOod were
not cllnglng vines; they built their
own fires, even shOveled their own
walks. that the tired business hus.
bands could have more leisure These
same husbands who we're so helpless
at home were continually nj the beck
and call Of the dependent DORIS There
was always some little difficulty nf the
Dorr house which needed mans
superior strength and wisdom. When
Ella caught a mouse In her humane
trap she brought II to Mr.. Rose to
chlorOform. which he did In spite OF
his wife's jeers Of amusement.
The gentle DORIS we're becoming
nuisance. Mrs. Rose, however, kept
her woes to herself. Every time Mr..
Rose got his feet of the ground she
expected that heavy and clumsy rs he
was. he would fall and Injure himself
She worried about him and began to
have nightmares In which she saw him
lying mangled before her-a victim Of
chivalry.
She was peacefully washing her
supper dishes, thankful that Mr.. Rose
was not available even n the Misses
Dorr should call upon him when Mrs.
Lull came running In with q white.
stricken face.
you've got phone. Helenl Call
doctor--Qulck !" she cried.
Mrs Rose obeyed without a ques
tiOn.
"He1l be up in few minutes" she
said. "What's the matter. Julia.
what's happenedT
"John has had bad fall" moaned
Mrs. LuIl. and was running away
when Mrs. Rose caught her hand and
ran with her
Jed Lake and Billy Lee had got
Mr.. Iull into his own house He had
climbed up to saw limb OF the up.
pie tree NJ the behest OF the DORIS
The ladder had slipped and he had
gone down with crash.