But although Miss Coulson was proof against the season, she was keen enough to estimate its power. She knew that elderly men and thick-waisted women jumped as educated fleas in the ridiculous train of May, the merry mocker of the months. She had heard of foolish old gentlemen marrying their housekeepers before. What a humiliating thing, after all, was this feeling called love!
The next morning at 8 o'clock, when the iceman called, the cook told him that Miss Coulson wanted to see him in the basement.
'Well, ain't I the Olcott and Depew; not mentioning the first name at all?' said the iceman, admiringly, of himself.
As a concession he rolled his sleeves down, dropped his icehooks on a syringe and went back. When Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson addressed him he took off his bat.
'There is a rear entrance to this basement,' said Miss Coulson, 'which can be reached by driving into the vacant lot next door, where they are excavating for a building. I want you to bring in that way within two hours 1,000 pounds of ice. You may have to bring another man or two to help you. I will show you where I want it placed. I also want 1,000 pounds a day delivered the same way for the next four days. Your company may charge the ice on our regular bill. This is for your extra trouble.'
Miss Coulson tendered a ten-dollar bill. The iceman bowed, and held his hat in his two hands behind him.
'Not if you'll excuse me, lady. It'll be a pleasure to fix things up for you any way you please.'
Alas for May!
About noon Mr. Coulson knocked two glasses off his table, broke the spring of his bell and yelled for Higgins at the same time.
'Bring an axe,' commanded Mr. Coulson, sardoni- cally, 'or send out for a quart of prussic acid, or have a policeman come in and shoot me. I'd rather that than be frozen to death.'
'It does seem to be getting cool, Sir,' said Higgins. 'I hadn't noticed it before. I'll close the window, Sir.'
'Do,' said Mr. Coulson. 'They call this spring, do they? If it keeps up long I'll go back to Palm Beach. House feels like a morgue.'
Later Miss Coulson dutifully came in to inquire how the gout was progressing.
''Stantia,' said the old man, 'how is the weather out- doors?'
'Bright,' answered Miss Coulson, 'but chilly.'
'Feels like the dead of winter to me,' said Mr. Coulson.
'An instance,' said Constantia, gazing abstractedly out the window, ' of 'winter lingering in the lap of spring,' though the metaphor is not in the most refined taste.'
A little later she walked down by the side of the little park and on westward to Broadway to accomplish a little shopping.
A little later than that Mrs. Widdup entered the invalid's room.
'Did you ring, Sir?' she asked, dimpling in many places. 'I asked Higgins to go to the drug store, and I thought I heard your bell.'
'I did not,' said Mr. Coulson.
'I'm afraid,' said Mrs. Widdup, 'I interrupted you sir, yesterday when you were about to say something.'
'How comes it, Mrs. Widdup,' said old man Coulson sternly, 'that I find it so cold in this house?'
'Cold, Sir?' said the housekeeper, 'why, now, since you speak of it it do seem cold in this room. But, out- doors it's as warm and fine as June, sir. And how this weather do seem to make one's heart jump out of one's shirt waist, sir. And the ivy all leaved out on the side of the house, and the hand-organs playing, and the children dancing on the sidewalk -- 'tis a great time for speaking out what's in the heart. You were saying yesterday, sir -- '
'Woman!' roared Mr. Coulson; 'you are a fool. I pay you to take care of this house. I am freezing to death in my own room, and you come in and drivel to me about ivy and hand-organs. Get me an overcoat at once. See that all doors and windows are closed below. An old, fat, irresponsible, one-sided object like you prat- ing about springtime and flowers in the middle of winter! When Higgins comes back, tell him to bring me a hot rum punch. And now get out!'
But who shall shame the bright face of May? Rogue though she be and disturber of sane men's peace, no wise virgins cunning nor cold storage shall make her bow her head in the bright galaxy of months.
Oh, yes, the story was not quite finished.
A night passed, and Higgins helped old man Coulson in the morning to his chair by the window. The cold of the room was gone. Heavenly odours and fragrant mild- ness entered.
In hurried Mrs. Widdup, and stood by his chair. Mr. Coulson reached his bony hand and grasped her plump one.
'Mrs. Widdup,' he said, 'this house would be no home without you. I have half a million dollars. If that and the true affection of a heart no lonoer in its youthful prime, but still not cold, could -- '
'I found out what made it cold,' said Mrs. Widdup, leanin' against his chair. ''Twas ice -- tons of it -- in the basement and in the furnace room, everywhere. I shut off the registers that it was coming through into your room, Mr. Coulson, poor soul! And now it's Maytime again.'
'A true heart,' went on old man Coulson, a little wanderingly, 'that the springtime has brought to life again, and -- but what will my daughter say, Mrs. Widdup?'
'Never fear, sir,' said Mrs. Widdup, cheerfully. 'Miss Coulson, she ran away with the iceman last night,
