4 THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIST.


THE DOUBLE DEALING OF
 MRS. SMITH.
 When my dear husband died two
years ago, leaving me with little mon-
ey and an invalid daughter, it was as
If a warm, protecting wall between me
and the north wind had been suddenly
removed.
 Fortunately, our house, with its pret-
ty garden at the hack, situated in a de-
cent neighborhood was left us; and
there was a steady demand for our
front and back parlors, and the little
room off, that answered for a library
or dressing room. Lodgers came and
went, and very cheerfully adde their
sovereigns to the fine growing sum
which I kept-where do you think?-
in an empty tea-caddy.
 Well, in the very biggest rush of visi-
 tors they came. The young man came
 first-a good-looking boy of 24 or so-
 who was willing to pay any reasonable
 price for a comfortable, quiet room
 all to himself, where he could sleep in
 the day-he being employed on a big
 morning paper during the week, and
 until a late hour on Saturday upon a
 Sunday paper.
 The next morning he came. hag and
 baggage; and I must say the little
 store-room was not bad, with its clean
 matting and fresh curtains at the one
 window that looked down on the gar-
 den.
 Mr. Ivry-that was his name-said it
 was all very nice, and he drew a long
 breath as if quite weary:-and I noticed
 his eyes looked tired and a little sad. I
 always feel sorry for young people
 with sad eyes.
 I told him I truly hoped he would be
 suited, and showed him a cupboard at
 the end of the hall where he could keep
 his housekeeping supplies. There were
 two divisions, with a key to each. and
 I gave -him the right-hand one. Then
 thinking of his sad eyes-and maybe
 also of the tea-caddy-I offered to fur-
 nish cream and butter very reason-
 ably.
 Well. Mr. Ivry had been under my
 roof for two weeks, nnd giving me no
 more trouble than a mouse-- and not
 near so much, for I am mortally afraid
 of a mouse-when slihe came. She canme
 in the evening, when. luckily, I had
 just finished settings Mr. Ivry's little
 room in order.
 She wanted a room. and the privil-
 ege of preparing her own breakfasts
 and suppers, and she would be away
 at her work at a big milliner's during
 the day.
 Now every cranny of my house was
 full, unless-and here the wild plan
 which led to such constant watchful-
 ness and frightful anxiety jumped intc
 my mind.
 I told her I feared the only room I
 had would be too small and too plair
 to suit, but if she would like to loot
 at it-and I led the way to Mr. Ivry'i
 room.
 There was still a faint odor of cof
 fee, and a pair of very manly looking
 boots peeped from under the bureau
 I caught them up and held them be
 hind me while we talked.
 "I will take the room," she said
 with a little sigh of resignation over
 my flinty price, "and I will come to
 morrow evening about seven."
 "And what time will you be goinj
 away in the morning?' I asked, as cas
 ually as possible.
 "Oh, dreadfully early! I must break
 fast at six, and be in my place at sev
 en, sharp. Will you kindly let your
 maid call me at half past five, for
 sometimes I am so sleepy."
 I assured her that I would gladly
 waken her myself, being always at
 early riser. And if she would liki
 home-made bread and things of tha
 sort, with fresh cream and butter,
 thought I could make it convenient ti
 supply them-at a reasonable price.
 She came, and four whole day:
 passed before the awful possibilities
 of Sunday dawned upon me. I fel
 that I had already a sufficiently har
 rowing time-remodeling the room, s
 to speak, in the morning for Mr. Ivry
 and clearing it up in the evening to
 Miss Hardy. More than once I hai
 what my dear husband would have
 called a close shave. Miss Hardy fel


asleep again one morning, after being
awakened, and had hardly dashed
down the front steps, without her
breakfast-except for a glass of milk,
which I almost poured down her throat
-before Mr. Ivry came up them; and
I made him wait in the lower hall
while, with some excuse, I hustled
Miss Hardy's numerous belongings in-
to my clothes press.
 And one afternoon Mr. Ivry lingered
so long over his refreshments-prob-
ably reading or writing, for I heard
the rustle of paper, and the occasional
movement of his coffee cup--that I
nearly fainted with fear as I whisked
his possessions away and brought out
and arranged the Hardy properties in
their accustomed order. Then Mr.
Ivry left his side of the hall cupboard
ajar on the third evening, showing
plainly a piece of cheese and the rem-
nants of sandwiches, for she asked me
next morning of there were other lodg-
ers on our floor, and I was obliged to
vaguely prevaricate. What with a
falsehood and hard work and weary-
ing watchfulness, my nerves were al-
ready becoming shaky.
 And now Sunday was coming! How
 to keep Miss Hardy out of her room
 from half-past six to half-past five, or
 longer, was the question. I thought
 of several things. I had a dear mar-
 ried niece living out in the suburbs in
 a pretty little house. I telephoned her,
 asking her as a special favor to take
 my guest Saturday night and Sunday.
 She answered: "With pleasure!" But
 when I proposed the delightful outing
 to Miss Hardy that young lady thank-
 ed me most sweetly, and declined. The
 only holiday she yearned for, she said,
 was to lie in bed one long, delicious
 morning.
 Then I set about contriving how to
 keep Mr. Ivry away. It isn't pleasant
 to tell a downright fib, so I couldn't
 invent some dreadful happening that
 would make the room uninhabitable
 for a day or two. I couldn't ask him
 to change rooms, for there were none
 to change to. And it was already Sat-
 unday morning. There was nothing to
 be done, but to boldly ask him for his
 room over Sunday.
 A friend was coming-a:id was she
 not a friend-to stay until Monday
 morning, and I must give her a corner,
 hoping lie would not be gnl-atly incon-
 venienced. Mr. Ivry looked surprised,
 but answered very kindly. Oh, yes,
 lie would make some arrangement for
 that little time. And I carried up for
 his luncheon a nice cut of broiled crick-


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S E E D icksevlle. Fla.


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the next one began to loom up. plants, fancy poultry, etc. Orange THE GRIFFING BROTHER'S CO.,
 I tried to send Mr. Ivry out to my and grape fruit trees a specialty... Jackseville. Fa.
niece for Sunday, telling him of the
quiet, the refreshing lake breeze, and
the benefit of even a brief respite from
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almost in Miss Hardy's words, he re- TREES AND PLANTS THAT WILL GROW I
plied that the only respite he needed
was a few hours of solid sleep, and he IN FLORIDA AND THE TROPICS.
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ly thanked me. ORANGES and other CITRUS FRUITS grafted on CITRUS TRI-
 Then I resolved to cast myself on L TA
Miss Hardy's compassion. I told her FO A
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spend Sunday with me-a person very Grapes, Small Fruits, Roses, Evergreen Shrubs, Crotons, Bedding
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bed-room and the kitchen-and would dtEstablished 1856.t4 -
she mind giving up her room just for
the day-and as early in the morning --------
as possible-as a special favor to me? not yet lighted). and Mr. Ivry finding a suitable reduction in his rent, and
Miss Hardy promptly answered, "Yes." a thimble and a hat pin I had clumsily 1e so much obliged.
 I felt myself grow red with shame, overlooked, politely handed them to I made the suggestion to him with
 thinking of my deception, but I confess me, without even a thought of suspi- fear aid trembling-for there was the
I was greatly relieved, with no con- cion,. chance that he might take leave alto-
flicting Sunday to consider for twelve
days to come. The time fled swiftly. and soon an. gether--and my voice faltered, and the
 However, I had a sufficiency of other unarranged Sunday confronted tears came into my eyes. in spite of
scares during that time. One morning me. It was Mr. Ivry's turn to be divert- my effort to lie calm and businesslike.
Miss Hardy, running back for a hand- ed from the room. The dear oIy! He had nothing for me
kerchief, and finding me wildly re- Now I would take a bold stand. and but instant compassion and ready com.
moving her effects as if engaged in a say to him that. owing to our cramped pliance. He said he could manage
fire drill, and only able to stammer quarters, my daughter's illness, and somehow. lie was sure; and his room,
something about "sweeping day;" and the fact that we were to have a guest which had begun to seem like home to
one evening catching me just outside for every Sunday-and weren't we?- him, would seem all the pleasanter for
her door with the last armful of Mr. he would be conferring a great favor these brief absences.
Ivry's things (fortunately the evening if lie would find some other room for The next Saturday afternoon at a
was dark and rainy and the hall lamp just that day, and I would gladly make quarter of six Mr. Ivry went away


I