The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-01-14
SHORT SHORT
STORY
Complete in This Issue

SSltI JlSiS III tIllS lSSOC
"Well," urged Linda, as they
drove back, cit can do no harm to
ask. Such a wonderful place for
your nursery, Bob! Southern ex-
posure on those slopes, and a tenn
pered climate. Only, perhaps you
had better not mention your bust
ness intentions. Might jump the
price,"
A very white-haired old lady,
whose bright blue eyes darted from
her callers to the car in the road
and back again, answered their
summons at the knocker.
Come in" she said. Come in"
But she was greatly startled at
their question.
mo" she said quickly, twisting
the corner of her white apron. ut
amt for sale. Not but what l
mightn't, if l could" she hesitated
and her glance wandered to the
window. 'Well, I'm so used to the
lie of these rooms. l couldn't stand
a different arrangement"
"Such a reason!" groaned Linda
afterwards. 'All these Cape Cod
cottages look to me to be alike as
two peas. Now see that one there!"
and she pointed to the house they
were passing. IF that isn't twin
to-Bob, it's for sale! Let's hunt up
the owner. No, silly, don't want it
for US, but if we could buy it for
less than the one we want, maybe
she would swap and be glad to
pocket the difference in actual
CASH."
The scheme was not successful.
'No, thank you," said the old lady
firmly THAT house Of Cap'n Johns
is all right, as far as the set of the
rooms but-well, there amt no
view. That old barn of Timothy
Haynes shets off all sight of the
marshes. I've been used to marshes
all my life"
Linda took the wheel when they
emerged, and turned the car
around.
"Where now?" asked Bob Curl
ously.
Timothy Haynes" said Linda
shortly. Then, with a quick little
sideways glance up at Bob: "The
more l see of that darling little
house, the more l want it. That
old barn can't be worth more than
$50"
Timothy Haynes thought the barn
was worth SIS and the work of re-
moving it. Linda and Bob slept
overnight on it, and in the morning
Bob made out a check for S75 and
drove with Linda to make arrange
ments with one Peter Tobey, who
was skilled in removing barns. Then
they drove to the cottage on the
hilltop.
More nervous than ever seemed
the little old lady this time. She
listened while Linda recounted how
they had bought the barn and were
having it taken away. Her thin old
fingers worked and worked at the
hem of her white apron. Suddenly,
she reached into a pocket and drew
out handkerchief, gulped once or
twice, and burst into tears.
"You two young people are so
persisting that kin see you'll get
the truth out of me. l oughter sell
this place, and I don't hesitate on
account of the lie O. the rooms nor
yet the view. It's this. I just can't
abide the thought of leaving my
lilac bush My mother planted, it,
and my sister and used to play
dolls under it, and l remember my
father standing there watching the
sunset and shifting the blossoms.
And now it's all I've got left of
them all. It's like relative to me.
A silly reason to tell Of"
Bob cleared his throat, and it was
a minute before Linda could speak.
Then she went over and knelt on the
floor with one arm on her lap.
"My husband is nursery man."
she said. "He can transplant your
lilac bush anywhere you wish. Can't
you, Bob?"
Il certainly cant" said Bob husk-
lily.
The old lady was crying no long
er. Rather, she was smiling through
her tears. "I'll sell now. always
did like that house of Cap'n john S.
1t sets so close TO the road"
Which is lucky, all things consid-
cred" said Bob dryly, as they drove
away some time later 1T would
have been a terrible nuisance get.
ting the state highway moved"