Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-12-23

Mr.. Grumbold, 'and let US have no
more Of this beating round the bush. ]
am a plain downright man, and like
every body to go straight forward.
have been living these twenty years in
India, and have now come home with
a pretty comfortable property, though |
do not tell you SO with view Of being
overcharged for | can assure you am
pretty sharp at a bargain, else | should
not have been 90 lucky in business. -
My friend Layton, whom J saw yesier
day in New York, recommended me
here, and said he knew somebody that
boarded with you so 1 came straight
along, bag and baggage. ] want boar
ding for this wister, and then ! nm go
ing TO travel all over America, and see
the improvements through the country.
Now can you give me good room or
not =
II is generally supposed that rich old
men, however unconlh and disagreea-
BILE, are great prizes IN all establishments,
whether public or private nnd some
thing whispered Mrs. Meems that She
had better not let MIR. Grumbold slip
through her fingers. So she resolved
to give up her own room to him, and
have bed for herself put into her daugh-
ter's apartment. Therefore she told the
old gentleman that she had n splendid
chamber on the second story, which
could soon be prepared for him. lie
asked the price, and she named an eAtor'
iionale sum.
That's quite to much,' said he 'you
must think ne ioo 10 ask It of me. -
could get the best room al any boarding
house in the city for one third less ]
know l could
Dear sir, do not keep boarding
house, said Mrs. Meems, who did not
think it expedient to take offence this
time.
'What then do you kcep''
AS told you, dear sir, | merely nc
con,modate u few friends should be
sorry 10 have il suid took boarders.'
Fudge 1 tell you you do take boar
ders, and every body knows it. Friends,
indeed ! How do you know whether
shall be your friend or not Ii just de
pends on how am treated, and how
like you. You need not pretend you
take NE for company or amusement. -
| doubt if you will have much Of my
company, and vou'l not find me the
least amusing. However, If you'll prom
ise to uso me well, aud let Inc have all
] want, ! don't care if try your house
awhile, even at the shameful price you
ask me. Scandalous extortIon as 1t is,
still il won't ruin me, and | don't want
the trouble Of searching about town. II
! don't like your house, Jas dare say
shall not,) can leave it, and that's
one comfort. And remember, ! come
openly as real, positive, acknowledged
boarder so there must be no qnibbling
and hemming and having about me-
Mrs. Mems saw that she had now a
man to deal with Of n very different des-
cription from her other guests. But
promising that he might turn out an
Aladdn's lamp to her, she resolved to
take no offence at any thing he could
say. Il see, sir said she with gentle
s,nile'-'you are one of those eccentric
gentlemen that will have your joke
Joke p replied MIR. Grumbold-1
never had joke in my life And think
il no compliment to be called eccentric.
An eccentric man always begins as a
fool, and enos as n lunaiic /; and an &C.
centric woman is not fit 10 live. How
ever, now that I've agreed 10 stay ond
try you and your house awhile, may as
well 60 and order in my baggage
.tr ct ~,
and Mr. Grumbold established himself
in the rocking chair with the newspaper,
while Mrs. Mccms FASTENED to inform
Matilda, and to have his apartment pre-
pared for him. Matilda rebelled at the
idea Of sharing her chamber with her
mother, but was somewhat pacitied when
Mrs. Meems assured her that MIR. Grum-
bold, though very queer, was undoub'ed-
ly very rich that though his manner
was rough his cloth was very fine, and
his hat quite new , and that though his
irill was rather too broad, it was fastened
by superb diamond pin. 'You may
depend on it,'-said she-'he is really
somebody, and if we humor him well,
and pu, up with all his rudeness, who
knows what may happen"
Unluckily the far-seeing mother for
got To tell her daughter that in the case
Of Mr.. Grumbold it would be best to
dispense with her usual demonstrations
of lacerated feeling on the initiation Of
new inmate. So when the young lady
made her appearance at the tea-table,
where she found Mr.. Grumbold installed
at the lower end, opposite to the mistress
Of the house, in taking her usual seat at
the corner next 10 her mother, she began
to play off her customary airs Of sensi-
biIity, and put her handkerchief to her
eyes and seemed to sob.
Whats that girl crying forH said Mr..
Grumbold, leaning forward and scrutniz-
ing Matilda from under his contracted
brows, while the young gentlemen com
menced brisk conversation to avoid
laughing. j want to know what's the
matter with her.
My daughter'-said Mrs Mems
is all one nerve, and therefore a prey to
excitement. Her feelings are so pain
fully acute that they cannot bear the
slightest shock
We'll, what has shocked them now 2