Show Daily Short Shori Story S tory I IThe I The Little Gray House By HILDA MORRIS The Tho house was a very small one standing lonely and deserted at the turn of oC the country road Mildred came upon it early one morning inJune inJune In InJune June when she was searching for tor tora a quiet place to read and dream Mildred was aS a a. teacher and she had come to spend her long Jong summer vacation vacation vacation vaca vaca- tion at Willow Lake hotel She was wasa a a. slim sUm girl pale paJe and pretty with a soft sott charm that needed only rest and fresh tresh air to make it bloom Into real beauty She was tired however desperately desperately desperately des des- tired and lonely The hotel promised to be less p l pleasant than she had expected There were no young I people only old ladles ladies who sat on the verandas with their knitting an and l embroidery embroidery em em- discussing and operations j em-j Mildred wanted youth and Jollity or falling that at least solitude for dreams So armed with plenty of ot books and magazines she left the hotel hotel ho- ho tel every morning directly after atter break break- break I I fast tast The little gray house 10 looked ked like a haven peaceful enough for tor anyone It was shaded by a hu huge e oak tree and the patch of ot lawn before It was green and smooth as as velvet A large For Rent Bent sign decorated its front win win- dow Mildred climbed the steps and peered In at the window She saw aw saw a clean swept room with painted white woodI woodwork woodwork wood wood- work and an old White 1 wooden mantel I There was a It glimpse of ot a blue walled kitchen on beyond Oh the girl exclaimed to herself herselt I I I do want to see e the re rest t of ot It I Iwonder Iwonder Iwonder wonder wonder wonder- I She turned turm- the knob softly and found that the door was unlocked so soshe soshe I she explored the tho quaint Interior growIng growing growing grow grow- ing more enamored of ot the place at every step It was an old house and its worn door sills seemed to speak peak of ot I years of ot comfortable family life The whole house was in immaculate order I as though Just swept and garnished for tor a homecoming It was the most peaceful house that Mildred had ever been In in it fitted h her r mood exactly and she made a 1 sudden firm determination determination nation to n rent nt It It was not hard to find the man who had hart charge har e of ot it It lie he lived JIved half halt a amil pill mUG farther down the road I the Gordons' Gordons house ho ex explained ex- ex j ex-j all dead now ex exCEpt except except ex- ex I one ene ne young feller felter that's moved to 1 the city He Ho wants it took good care of or and hell he'll rent It cheap to any any- ji do lo that Oh I 1 will take good care of ot it s1- s1 dred assured him Ill lOrn even I paver some of or the tho watts walls So sh she pot got the house for tor the absurd rental of ot 7 1 a month month less less than halt half the thc sum she Jle paid for her stuffy room in the hotel Mildred h had rl little furniture from the Mildred h had rl little furniture from the I Ire wreck re of t her own d dead and gone o home o JIn J In storage t in the city She h sent for tor oe this and set about the thc process of re redecorating re- re re-I re 1 decorating the sunny r rooms oms First she papered them with the help t I I of or a a. boy from the village v For the living living liv liv- ing room with Its white fireplace 1 she chose hose an old fashioned paper with a adim adim adim dim pattern of ot creamy gray and the two bedrooms she made Into cosy nests nests' of ot rose roo and blue She repainted th th thyl I blue kitchen walls stained the floors 1 and moved In her old furniture I By the time Um the tho living room was complete with its chintz curtains braided rugs and gate legged table Jt it I was as delightful a room as any woman could wish Mildred sang over I her work growing prettier and happier each day At night she sat on the veranda veranda veranda ve ve- I randa watching the fireflies and drinking drinking drink drink- In ing In n the silent beauty of ot the place I or if f It was cool she built a fire tire In the fireplace and saw pictures In its embers em em- bers She tried to imagine how It tt would feel to live JIve there with a family I about her to have other things than dreams for tor company But she was quite contented as she was and the country air was putting frei fresh h color In yi her cheeks rounding the delicate contour contour contour con con- tour of her face tace so she no longer looked like a a. frail tran and very tired tied te teacher lher I There came a gusty gustv August day wi with h i I n hint of oC thunder and rain in the air There came also a letter letter letter-a a most un unwelcome unwelcome un- un un-I un I welcome letter to Mildred in her little hou house e. e It was from the principal o I the private school where she was a aI aj t j I I teacher It said that she was expected i to return to her post on the of ot September Mildred had been trying to I forget about the school the thought of ot leaving her little home was most mot depressing de de- de II pressing She planned to keep it through the winter and come there for I vacations but vacations were so few And she was tired of ot teaching anyway anyway anyway any any- 1 way and September 15 was only three weeks off otc I She lit a fire fire it it lt was really reany cool cooJ for tor I August and she was always ready to light a a. fire tire at the slightest excuse because ber be- I be-I cause It looked so cozy That was wa one one i reason she Jon longed to tn spend the winter I II I I J 1 t I I t she Io she u did not ha have open 1 fires m in her furnished room at Mrs Greens Green's I boarding house Mildred s sat at before the fire trying hervery her hervery hervery very b best st to think of ot some plan by which she could escape her year at the l school If It only she could p paint or 01 write or do some clever thing to earn earna a living at home Or If Ir she only onh hal hail hada haila I a n rich uncle or a father or a husband She blushed at this last thou thought ht androse and androse rose to pull pun down the windows The Th-e threat of ot rain had become a reality It began heran to fall faU in sudden torrents As Ast AsI Mildred d stood d at the h window she saw st r M win ts come rl down the mft road running n I I I I I I Ii I I M win ts come rl down the mft road r running n a man He turned suddenly and sought shelter under the big hII oak tree before her house At that moment a glimmer ol ot I lightning flashed out Mildred rushed to the door Please come in she called You I ml might ht he be struck under that tree It isn't safe sate All right he called back in a pleasant pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant voice and In two or three bounds i he was on the veranda shaking himself him bun self like a big Newfoundland Im pretty wet wet he smiled I Hope hope hone I But Mildred him with a sudden exclamation e David Gordon she cried However However How How I ever did you OU come to be here bt here I came to see my mi house he re replied replied re- re I plied and you ou Didn't you know Mil Mil- Mildred I dred that I 1 was your landlord No she said said- saidI I Whatever I do you live JIve at Mrs Greene Green for tor when you have a place like this Why hy I couldn't live Jive here alone he said Raid and make It look like this Goodness Mildred what have you done to the old place It hasn't been so homelike since homelike since mother died Mildred laughed a n little ruefully I tor know its it's homelike she said And the worst of ot It is Ive I've got to leave leavet it and go back to work very soon I I- I hate hatt to give it up David nodded a II little absently H He was looking at the brown haired girl girlIn girlin girlin in the blue gown and thinking how lovely she was how well she fitted into the cozy little room lIe He had missed her at the boarding boarding house there h h hel vJ been no one to smile at him across the dinner table or to play for tor him evenings eve- eve s In the dingy parlor lIe He was a selfish fellow and he he-couldn't he couldn't help but be beery very ery glad that she was coming back Why dont don't you move in yourself Mildred was waR saying You dont don't have to be in the city Theres There's a splendid light I room upstairs you could use tor rora rora a studio for tor your illustrations or or ni could even commute if Ir your yon chose The trains are rather regular Ir I r couldn't couldn't now now he be said paid Its Ils I rented Its It's your our house Theres There's ju just t tone one condition under which I 1 might live JIve I here That is IsI IshA Is- Is She hA waited wondering her heart I curiously flutter a-flutter before his tender eyes Eyell That you will stay here with me Could you marry me Mildred even oven though I offered you yuu nothing better than this little house and anti love Oh David Davidi she whispered I r I could And nobody in all the world could wish for tor any more C Cc CC 1917 1911 by the McClure McClur Syndicate nd Ken w York City tty |