The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-07-07

Sllcker, water DOtle, meQlclne klt. knapsack Her ridiculous fears for him-"you will look out for rattle- snakes and grizzly bears and do try not to fall off cliffs or take cald!" Then the wrench of their first parting, which wasn't so bad as Amy expected because there wasn't t the packing and the wiring back and forth to Marburg about a house, and Towards mother right there, helping and kind, and all the | faculty people so surprisingly re- gretful about their going!
 At last everything was gone and the house was empty. Amy had said, she hoped, suitable goodby to everyone and she was on her way back to Marburgin a delicious state of relaxation after effort and gladness to be going home.
 I've got the Booth house for you," was her mothers triumph ant greeting. Tt was a battle, but l won. old Miss Rachel Booth insisted that she couldn't bear to have anyone live there since she couldn't but, after a while she said she might not mind so much since it was you. And the moneyll be a god-send for her."
 "Oh, Mother! I'd rather have it than any house in -Marburg. Think of that walled garden with the smoke-tree!"
 The Booth house was not on the campus avenue but on the cross street below. It was old and srtong, with funny little incon- venient steps up and down be- tween the wide rooms, tireplaces with high, formal mantels, shal- low turning staircase-a house built in no style and with no plan, yet holding an air of dignity and case. There were trees between 1t and the street and behind it garden closed in with a brick wall-a garden with wistaria and lilac, moss roses, mock orange and crepe myrtle, with matted beus one side the silvery, plumy smoke tree that all the children in Mar burg had delighted in. It was crowded and Uvergrown and tang led but not neglected enough to be sad as many deserted old gardens are.
 It had been arranged that Amy would stay with her parents until Howard came back, but every day she went up to the Booth house to superintend the necessary cleaning and renovating. From garret to cellar there must be wholesale scrubbing and rubbing. The bathroom was a veritable museum piece in point of age and oddity and, considering Howard $ increased salary, Amy felt Justi- fled in having it torn out and modern baths put in. The lights were high and dim and central in each room. There were small repairs, too = doorknobs to be re- placed, squeaky stair treads, more shelves to be built, hinges want ing oil, windows needing new weights. The old house responded gracefully and proudly to re- juvenation, glad to be saved from loneliness and disintesration.
 While the workmen were busy inside Amy did what she could in the garden-pruning, wedding, cut ting out sprouts and suckers. tying up the riotous vines. It might have ben hard work but she was con- stantly interrupted by old friends who wanted to see her and draw her back into the towns summer diversions.
 They all came Edgar More land, Vanny Hough, Louise March, Henry and Adele Berwyn, Bill Howard--the crowd she had grown up with, all making her more than welcome. Besides these, there were the older peo- pie, faculty wives and towns people, who seemed as glad to see her as her own age intimates. Amy's father and mother com plained' that they never saw their child alone.
 Miss Rosa Terry came too, and found Amy very grimy and hot. ruthlessly pulling out young wis., tarias which had sprung up by the dozen. I'm to disgusting to give you a kiss," Amy told her guest. "Wait until wash my face. And do sit down, I bor- rowed those shoes from Mother until my things can be un- packed"
 "Why anyone thinks gardening Is pretty work for women l never could understand said Miss Rosa when Amy had come back. cleaner and cooler. "It,s hard. mean, dirty labor and when say labor II mean it. Amy, you're blooming