The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-01
(BY JOHN BARR)

After a good breakfast with Miss Woodward in the little Ches- ter, Vermont. hotel that morning, following the 4th of July away back in 1877, I started out to find a room to take the place of the one in the hotel that I was occu- pying temporarily and must give over to the drummer who had reserved it.
 The friendly hotel proprietor explained that the villagers were not in the habit of renting rooms, and that he was usually able to accommodate the few strangers who came there, and his wife sug- gested, Why not try that artist? There's just him and his wife in that new house of theirs" And she went on to inform Miss Wood ward and me about the artist" You must have seen his pictures that he draws for the magazines like Oft In The Silly Night where a couple of comical cats are out rowling on tn back fence in tn moonlight"
 It seemed that the artist and his wife were considered rather eccentric because though they were pleasant to their neighbors when they met them on the street or in church, they never made calls or invited anybody to come to their house; but they appeared to be very fond of each other, never ran any debts, and put twenty-five cents in the contribu- tion-box every Sunday.
 The hotel proprietor said that he would send one of his family over to the artists house to in- quire about the room, but that under the circumstances he thought 1t best for me to go; so l did, and a lady of about 35 came to the door.
 told her the object of my call. why, I never thought of such a thing as renting a room," she said, taken by surprise, but after moments hesitation, asked pleas antly, Would you like to come in and see my house?"
 Of course I promptly accepted her invitation and was shown the whole house except the kitchen and pantry, and the artists studio where he was busy drawing more cats and things to entertain the public and earn his living. All the while I was playing upon her sympathies with sad word-pic- ture of an American youth forced to tear himself away from charm ing Chester because, though he had plenty to eat, he had no place to sleep.
 Finally she led me into a de- llghtful bedroom with an alcove and balcony looking down into a iower-garden and of on the Ver- mont hills.
 DO you like this?" she asked.
 answered, quoting from Dick ems: "I will not deceive you--1 love it," and then, seriously, Would you rent 1t to me for d couple of weeks, and how much would you charger"
 She said that she would think 1t over, and we went down stairs into the sitting-room; and re- questing me to be seated - she opened lady's writing desk and began to do some figuring with a lead pencil on a writing-pad.
 This made my case look pretty hopeless. She's figuring the cost of the whole property" I thought to myself.
 After finishing her calculations on the writing-pad she excused herself, and carrying the pad with her went softly into the artists studio and closed the door. She wasn't gone long. Would sixty cents a week be too muchp" she asked, almost timidly.
 My natural impulse was to give her a good hug, but that being out of the question I expressed my feelings as well as 1 could in words. It was arranged that should bring my travelling bag