Nora's Boarders

Nora MacIntyre was young, beautiful and a widow. Naturally she was very popular indeed with the not over-prepossessing individuals who composed Centretown's masculine population. With all her charming ways Nora had a hard business head, and when she found that the burden of running the tremendous house her husband had left her, was becoming somewhat difficult, she decided to take in boarders, relying on her bold upon the susceptible males of Centretown for the success of her plan. A hasty note brought her business-like Aunt Sally from the city to aid her in engineering the new venture. An attractive notice was prepared and posted on the bulletin board outside Centretown's general store, and Nora and her aunt anxiously waited for results. The results exceeded Nora's wildest dreams. As though impelled by a single gigantic impulse, the men of Centretown flocked to the boarding-house and demanded board and rooms. The house was speedily filled, and for many a day the general store saw no more of Nora's boarders. They were seated in the parlor watching Nora play on the piano. The piano proved to be the indirect source of the downfall of several aspiring hopes. Nora had a music teacher, a vigorous young man of rather a different style of beauty than that prevalent in Centretown. Nora and the music teacher played duets on the piano in the gloaming, gazed deep into each other's eyes, and decided to get married. Nora's first act after this epoch-making decision was to go to the real estate agent. A few days later, a strangely unlovely looking person by the name of Amelia Pinkum called and had a mysterious interview with Nora and her aunt. That night Nora was peculiarly sweet to all her boarders. She told each of them to be sure to be on hand the next night, as she bad a little surprise planned for them. The next afternoon, Nora drove away to church with her young man. That evening at dinner, the boarders appeared decked in regal splendor in preparation for Nora's surprise. It was a curious scene, and became even more curious when Aunt Sally cheerfully informed them that the boarding house had been sold, and introduced them to Amelia Pinkum, their new landlady.