Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1919 — A Change of Boarding Places [ARTICLE]

A Change of Boarding Places

By S. B. HACKLEY

(Copyright, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) “I.e’s go past Miss Cecil’s house! O favver, why not?” Ned Duncan, strolling along quiet. TmThi-fiordered Marvin street. In the cool dusk' made himself smile _at tjie elf that dragged on his long fine hands, but he turned back before they reached the corner on which was the rented cottage of Cecilia Reeves, the woman he loved. Cecilia, a young milliner who took four college-girl roomers to help out on her income, bent her yellow head lower] over her heliotrope bed as she caught sight of his retreat. She had meant to give them some flowers when they passed. She knew lie loved the heliotrope. Had she offended him? she wondered. While she puzzled, with a*hurt heart. Driscoll wtts saying to himselfe=-*U must -keep away-T must riot see her any more. The woman 1 marry must love my child —she must love my little Bahs!” In the fourth year of Barbara’s life with him, the baby with the roguish black eyes had come to them. Then the next year Barbara died, and the baby, an elfish, whimsical, lovable thing, had tumbled his-wtdow-ered care, and three years of his old cousiri’ssomewhat grumpy hdusjekeeping and nursing. Then the old cousin had remarried, and he had shut up the bungalow with Its crown of purple blossom-covered bougainvillea, amT had boarded since then, somewhat to Babs’ disadvantage, he thought sometimes. Then he had fallen in love with Cecilia Reeves.

He had thought she was the “mother kind” of girl (Babs loved her) until lately. Since the evening before, he was certain she was not. Then he had decided he couldn’t ask her to marry him. Not that he was certain she would marry him if he did ask her, but he couldn’t, anyway. His landlady of the last month had been Miss Reeves’ friend until Driscoll and little Barbara came to her boarding house, and it occurred to her that her quiet boarder, who had something to do with the management of the city waterworks system; would-be an ideal second husband. Then after the evening Cecilia came to take dinner with her and -her “prize boarder” walked home with her, Mrs. Akers was no longer Cecil’s friend. .Somehow in the last week she had made the Impression on Driscoll that Cecil didn’t He had come home a 1 illle earlier than usual the evening before and started to the kitchen. “I wonder Ned keeps that child since his wife died and he has no one to care for her,” he heard Cecil’s soft clear voice. “I am going to try to persuade him to let me find a place for her in a home!” Driscoll felt as though something had struck him. He turned and went upstairs. She —she didn’t want him to keep little Babs —she cared so little for his baby she would persuade him to send her to a home ! The child dropped the doll Mrs. Akers had bought her that day and sprang into his arms. He kissed the eager little face over and over. “Oh, Cecil—girl—did you think that yon could persHndn mo tn rtcr-w <«nn= scienceless thing like that?” lie thought as Babs ran downstairs to tell Mrs. .Akers “favvetf had -come. Mrs. Akers was already aware of the fact. She had heard his step in the back hall; she knew he had heard Cecil’s last remark. “Was Miss Reeves here just now when I came in?” Driscoll asked at dinner. “I thought I heard her voice.” Mrs. Akers’ red lips flashetT a smile. “Oh, you eavesdropper! I hope we weren’t saying anything bad. Oik yes, we —Cecil was saying something about Babs, wasn’t she?” As Driscoll lifted the child to her chair Mrs. Akers, noting his set lips, felt that she had scored. Who was to tell him that Cecilia had been .speaking of old Ned Mount, a destitute cripple who persisted in keeping his tiny orphaned grandchild in dirt and squalor? Not she! That evening when the little girl slept Driscoll got out that other Barbara’s picture, a thing he did not often do —much as he had loved her—since he had come to love Ceciliq. “The house'of the heart has many chambers, Barbara, dear.” he said to the picture, “and I wanted to put that other girl in the one alongside the one in which you stay, but oh, Barbara— Tlnrbara -I lrive herl love the child —1 daren’t ask her tocome, Barbara I” The evening after she saw Driscoll turn away from her gate, Cecilia went to the theater with Lucien Glover, a faithful admirer whom she particularly detested, and sat near Driscoll. Driscoll, moody and unhappy, pretended interest in the play,, but he had but one thought. Glover had no right to buy her her favorite Richmond roses —he himself had done that so lop*;* Two Weeks later came the day of tbiannual rose carnival; Little Babs, wild with excitement, went to see the parade in the care of Mrs, Akers. That lady, engrossed in the conversation of a gossipy friend, gave the' restless child but scant attention. little girl climbed to her and leaned

confidingly against her. Cecil squeezed the plump little body to her. and kissed the witching little face. “Favter won't bring me to see you any more.” shewhispered; “he. Jink you don’t like little girls!” Cecil's head jyew hot. Had Elsie Akers put that and other ideas in his' head? Little Babs danced away, but in less than five minutes Cecil heard her scream of terror. She sprang to her feet. “Mv ha by ! My baby! Where are you?" Then she saw the child —her light dress blazing. Somebody had dropped a piece of burning paper.. A mist swam before Cecil’s eyes, but she shook it away and tiling her- tan woolen, cape around the child. “It's all out—the little girl isn’t hurt!” she heard somebody saying. Then everything grew dark before her. That evening Cecil, waited on like a queen tly her four college girls, frowned a little when the doorbell rang. "If It’s that Lucien Glover,” she told them, “tell him Till asleep, qnything — only send him away.” But it was Driscoll that came in. He started to take^her’hands, hut seeing the bandages,-turned very white. Cecil smiled tremulously in his troubled face- “Don’tfoci told him, “my hands are only bl Ist cred a trifle. The doctor says they’ll be healed in just a little while. How is my—how is Babs?” “I left her asleep,” he answered. “She isn’t hurt at all. She begged me to bring her to you.” “I suppose,” she held up her head, “you told her I didn’t like little girls. What have you heard me say, Ned Driscoll, tb make you think me that kind of woman ?” He colored hotly, but he told her, and of Mrs. Akers’ subsequent remark. With flaming face Cecil explained. “I’m ashamed.” he saidp resen tly, standing before her. full of contrition. “Oh, Cecil, I’m ashamed to tell you what is in my heart! Forgive me. <> 1 need —” Her eyes twinkled. “I think you need a change of boarding place!” “No,” he said, “I need to be in my own home with the girl of my heart; but when I think what you must have thought of me these unhappy two weeks, I’m afraid—” “What’s two weeks?” She leaned toward him. . “Oh, Ned. what’s two weeks out of a lifetime?” Then, very carefully, so as not to hurt the blistered hands, he took her in his arms.