Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-11-27
By RUBY DOUGLAS
"a by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate,

Er....- NWNO 66fVlOo.l
MARIE was always giving life to
l4NA inanimate things. She imbued
even the clothespins in the basket in
the laundry with emotions and felt
sorry for anyone Of them that hap.
peend to be left overnight in the cold
clothes yard Perhaps she stored up
a network of criss-cross passions to
tear her peaceful days asunder, but
she also drank deep draughts of Won
derful joy as she played whlmsically
about with the soulless objects into
which she breathed such loving life.
Just now she was weaving romance
around an ancient ruin on a country
road, veritable Cinderella of a
house In a community of lovely build
ings and gardens.
If she had had the least excuse or
the. financial ability to buy, and re-
build the place into a semblance of
its former beauty, she would have
done so. AS 1t was, she merely kept
it always vision before her, drove
past it again and again, loving It,
CnCCAAn6 UP III llo lOllCllntoo ny
stopping to admire its one-time charm
ing lines. stll h.a..fsE 20 sizg.
One day when she approached her
Cinderella house she saw two cars
standing between the sentinel trees.
Marie drove up the road and re
turned to go slowly along the front.
She thought she recognized the car
Of real estate dealer in the village
and she wondered who could be look
ing at the place. lH a3 w
O. A rather young man stepped out
and waited for some one. Yes; it
was the realtor she had believed it to
be. Evidently, he was trying to sell
the house to this young man. Could
it be that the man was to be married
and that he liked the gorunds and
would, perhaps, tear down the old
house? Marie shuddered at the
thought.
The two men stood before it, look
ing up at the roof, the chimneys,
bravely erect in spite of their age.
"No-I think 1t is hopeless" she
heard the stranger say.
Nettled into courage she had never
known she possessed, Marie turned
her car quickly into the driveway be-
hind the two automobiles.
"Oh, Mr.. HYDE" she exclaimed, adj
dressing the real estate man who had
been a friend of her father, 81 have
been looking for an opportunity tc
speak to you about this very house
and as saw you out here at the psy
Geological moment l decided that
would STOP" aa
"Some old place." said Mr.. Hyde
TT is good house, Long Island farm
house type and rare nowadays. Neet
a lot of work but could be made {
gem" .,..
81 have always loved it." said Marie
scarcely knowing what she was abOu
to do. II have wondered why I, a.
one who has visualized it as a beau
tiful home, might not be able, work
ing with some one like you, to make
1t such. am confident could beau
tify 1t so that it would bring you {
lot of money and be an artistic addi
ton to even this exquisite section O
the country"
Hyde looked at her. "By Jove, yol
talk as If you know what you wante,
to do. Have you definite plans for It?
Marie nodded. Mr.. Hyde intro
duced the stranger.
miss Ellen, Mr.. Tomlinson. Thi
young man thinks he would like t,
buy a home in the country for his ia
Their and mother. He wants a plac
on the north shore here as nearly lik
the one they had during their honey
moon, thirty-odd years ago, as posi-
BILE. They do not know 1t. They ar
living in the Middle West and thei
one dream is to come back her
again."
what beautiful idea," said Marie
"This place looks as If 1t Nigh
have been similar to the old home
stead, but all know is from snatche
of stories that have been told to me-
and this picture"
He handed to Marie a faded, We
lowed print Of house. Her roman
tic soul believed 1t was the yer
house.
The three walked around to the rea
garden where there was an old beec
tree. They stood beneath it, studyin
the back Of the house. Almost as
he had been startled out Of his sense
the young man pointed TO two sets {
initials framed in heart and carve
on the banks of the tree.
"My fathers intitials-and my mott
er's," he cried
mol" exclaimed the excited voiC
of Marie and the rough tones of II
realtor at the same moment.
81 will buy the house If you will Sc
that it is rehabilitated for me-" your
Tomlinson said to Marie.
II will try" said Marie. IN
Hyde knows have ability-and bac
ground"
After that affairs moved very quic
ly in the lives of the three.
When it was nearly completed Al
Marie and young Charles TomlinsC
stood again underneath the beec
tree he said to her, would you ca
II were to carve your initials and
mine on this tree?'
would the tree like to be cut?" 81
asked, evasively.
1.-THE tree knows that 1t has been Il
messenger that has carried world
Joy around in its secret self for yea
Marie. Won't you, some day befO
very long. come here to help me nal
my father and mother happy in Il
old home?"
And Marie knew that her Cinderel
house had found its prince in the for
of ROmoDrp