| OCR Text |
Show Httggins HouseBUGGINS House,-Irish, hm!" and the old gentleman gave a shrug of satisfaction to his coat before he reached for the knocker. In the silence that followed the clamor, he stepped back a little to look once again over his spectacles at the red brick house, which in spite of its blank front was so overgrown with rose vines that besides the attitude of prettiness, it gave, as well, an air of homely comfort. It was this which had attracted the old gentleman to stop here in the first place rather than at the Mayflower, or the Red Star, or at any of the other numberless boarding houses along the road. "Cosy place, this," he said as he contemplated it, leaning upon his cane. "Now the very sign,-Huggins House,- homely and unpretentious, true, but how expressive!" Then with a snort of contempt he added, "Red Star, huh!" In his aroused state he sounded the knocker again. There was silence as before. But he had turned his attention once more to the board hanging trimly down from the porch, and swaying slightly in the breeze."Huggins House, with a turtle dove for a sign. If anything, now, could signify more comfort and quiet and sense of home than a turtle dove, why-why, what's the matter here?" For the first time he began to wonder at his unanswered knock, and turning, rang impatiently again and again until his face grew red with the exertion."There," he beamed in pride, as he stopped and mopped his face. "That ought to bring them!"And bring them it did. A pretty girl with frowsled, yellow hair opened the door a crack, and peeping out, asked what he wanted."Want!" echoed the old man. "I want to stay, to be sure!""But I'm afraid you can't," replied the girl, struggling to drown her dimples in polite courtesy.Before lie could answer, the girl, with a few side whispers with some one within, opened the door wider and gave her place to a frail little woman with a kindly face, and soft, grey hair low over her forehead.The old gentleman raised his hat and bowed. "Mrs. Huggins, I presume?"The woman smiled and bit her lip.:'You need not fear, madam," he went on without waiting for a reply, "that you have other than the most respectable and best intentioned boarder before you. Indeed, I may say," with satisfaction expressing itself in his manner, "that having174 |
