Smyrna times., 1932-11-09
WEEKLY STORY
AROUND TABLE
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE,
BY Jane Osborn

AN1 IAS ssh lluS NOIueu dS SIle
spun along the highway one mid
summers day. An arrow on the
sign pointed away from the high
way up a hillside lane and, as Sal
ly's eyes quickly followed the di-
rection of the arrow, she saw a
low-roofed little house peeping from
the side of knoll of oak trees on
the hill.
Since Sally had left art school
she had devoted her talents TO the
decoration of lampshades and din
ner cards. When SaIly's old aunt
had died six months ago, just after
Sally had finished her art studies,
she had found herself possessed of
a rather small but very solid brick
house as her home even though it
was placarded with an enormous
For Sale" sign.
Apparently no one wanted to buy
the house, for so far there hadn't
been q nibble. But there, up that
hill with the red arrow pointing to
it, was just the house she wanted.
With her car she could get away
from the city occasionally now
now she was driving over hills and
down dales to get mountain laurel
which she needed to copy in dec
Grating some shades that had been
ordered.
With the laurel slowed in the
back of her car Sally was coming
back an hour later, and still re-
membering the charming little
house, she drove slowly when she
came to the sign. "Or Exchange"
that was part of the sign that
took her eye now. She drove up
to the roadside, stopped her car
and got out. OF course there
wasn't a chance that the owner
would like to exchange this lovely
country house for her red brick
city place, but she would be safe
in asking.
That was when she saw David
Gage for the first time-Doctor
Gage, in spite of his youthful looks
and not very professional manner.
She said she had called to see
about the house-and the young
man asked her to sit down and
told her that he was very glad he
happened to be in.
1T was the real estate agent
who put the sign up. l wouldn't
have said the house was in perfect
condition, and it is only partly re
modelled"
But whatever shortcomings the
little house may have had they did
not displease Sally. Now, I'll tell
you what have to Offer" said
Sally after their tour Of inspection.
You probably wouldn't be inter-
ested-"
Il wouldn't unless it Is something
in a city or big town-preferably
in a busy, congested neighborhoOd. "
That's just what it is" said
Sally. 1T is In Malford-once
nice quiet neighbOrhood but now,
I'm bound to admit, in a rather
crowded section"
Then David explained that he
had Just completed his work as in
terne at a hospital, and that he
was about to start out on his career
as a general practitioner of medi-
cine. Alone in the world, he had
spent practically all he possessed
in completing his education until
some months before an old uncle
had died leaving him this house.
lie had hoped to sell it and with
what he got pay something down
on a house where he could begin
his career as q doctor. No use try
ing to get enough patients there in
the country. No one had wanted
to buy it-sO the agent had sug-
gested the possibility OF exchange.
That afternoon Sally drove David
back to see her little house, and
the next day she came back to the
country house. Then David came
back to see the little house in the
city-there was much to talk about
and consider even before going to
the real estate agent for the terms
Of the exchange. And as David
saw and admired the taStefully fur
nished little house in the city Sally
saw new charms about it, and as
she praised the little country house
David began to wonder whether he
would really be content 10 sell i.
There were several more meet
ings when Sally and David told
each other far more about them
selves than would have been ap-
propriate under any other circum-
stances.
Then a week later, when David
was drinking tea at Sally's, Sally
began to waver. She had spent
LOT OF time furnishing the little
house-after all. it had belonged
TO her own peOple-maybe she
oughtn't to sell after all. Il want
to live there in the country-yet it
breaks my heart to leave this place"
David suddenly looked embar-
rassed. Then he set his tea cup on
the tea table and moved his chair
near to Sally's.