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Show hinted of that sunny morning when he first knocked at the The quiet little lady smiled. "Yes, they're nice. I'm suredoor. The rugs were soft and thick, so that there were no I couldn't wish for better."noisy steps to disturb his slumbers, or jar upon his ear; the "So refined,-so-so-so altogether likeable,"-he wentsmall, cheery rooms were darkened just enough to keep the on in his enthusiasm.warm sunshine that streamed in through the windows and The old gentlemen's first few months in his new home, stole a breath from the roses in coming, from being a glare, in fact, were filled with delightful discoveries. He found one His own room, high up in the roof,-yet which was not too day that the meals weren't the same on Mondays throughout high,-was fresh and clean and tidy. The muslin curtains the year; the next, lie found that they had a tantalizingly fa-had a trick of flirting coyly with the breeze which he had miliar taste that evaded him; then he discovered that it was thought was not of boarding house curtains; and under the because they were like the ones his mother used to cook,- eaves outside his window a humming bird had its nest, and that is, he thought it must be so, for those clays were very long often the blue, dizzy thing hummed him to a noon-day nap. ago. Whatever it was,-whether that his pillows were soft,And on chilly evenings there was a fire in the grate down- or that there were no mice in the house,-he made some newstairs that crackled at the company who gathered about in discovery every day. Finally he came dowrn to his landladycomfortable chairs, inviting, and yet daring them to come with a great truth shining in his eyes.closer. Newspapers and magazines and books lay scattered "Such delightful young people; and if you would believeabout in an enticing way; the sweet-tuned piano in the corner me, there's exactly the same number of young ladies as thereplayed at harmony with its listeners. There was even a foot- are young gentlemen. Remarkable, I must say! How couldstool,-one of those good, old, homely, round, stuffed kind,'-¦ it have happened!"for the old gentleman to rest his feet upon if he chose. In fact, He missed her reply as she bent down for the spool thatthe old gentleman believed himself in a paradise that might had fallen from her lap.melt at the winking of an eye, or the taking of a breath, and His next discovery was more startling still. This timethat would find him as of old, with noisy maids to put up with, he came to her in great excitement.bad cooking, bare halls, and disagreeable boarders with chil- "Why, my dear madam, they're married!" he cried,dren: whereas here it was especially his fellow boarders that "Who?" she demanded with a start.caused him the most to wonder. He searched out his landlady "Why, these remarkable young ladies and young gentle-for the special purpose of remarking upon it to her. men,-all of them!""Such an unusual number of young ladies and young gen- The little woman laughed softly. "Didn't you know?"tlemen as you keep,-and so pretty, so manly, so well man- "Dear me, I did think it strange," he admitted, "and ifnered. They are, I may say, too, all such good friends," he you'll forgive me,-a trifle improper; but I assure you I neveradded naively. thought,-I did think you were the only married person."176 |