The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-05-08


those visions disturbed our rest continually
Oh, God, pity all who are struggling as We
were to keep up appearances and earn q
respectable living, aud who find their hopes
and their means grow less day by day!
u have scheme running in my head,
Lncy SAID to me one evening; suppose We
let lodgingsi"
LET lodgings!" calculated.
our drawing room and one or two bed.
rooms. we can give up our own and 90
upstairs, and there's the one we had fitted
up Tor that parlorboarder. Why not!"
But 1t will not do to let lodgings in a
ladies' school, one Of our class" | returned.
'Such thing was never heard of. All the
parents would object 10 it,"
Most OF them would never know it,"
answered Lucy. at cannot be any posi-.
ole detf'ment TO the pupils-make no diff.
ference to them whatever We might ca.
silly get thirty shilings week for the three
rooms, be at no outlay, and, if we had the
luck of quiet people, very little trouble"
lh'rty shlilings week! 1t would 90
Tar towards the rent. IL will sleep upon
IT," | said 10 Lucy.
did. And the next day we got some
cards written in text hand, "Genteel Apart.
ments," and gave them to our greengrocer
ana stationer to display in their shops; for
OF course we dared not have such an init
nation stuck our own gate or hanging up
outside the wall.
The cards Were out three weeks and not
soul came. We were in despair. But
one day Sarah, our servant, came to the
door ot the schoolroom, and beckoned me
out.
Its some folks after the rooms, ma'am."
she whispered. "rhey look likely people"
Sarah WAS more anxious on the point,
think, than we WERE
went up TO the drawing room, and two
ladies rose at my entrance. Agreeable in
person they were, and neatly dressed in
mourning. The elder was about three or
four and thirty, u rosy-cheeked woman,
with quick dark eyes; the other, who was
more delicate looking, and little Younger,
was her sister.
ou have apartments TO let, we hear"
said the former handing me "a card, "and
we are in search of some" / glanced down
at it-"Mrs. Archer"
81 beg pardon, maam," said, "are YOU
widow!"
Mo- she replied. "My husband is
abroad"
because we should decline to take n
gentleman: it would not be deemed suitable
for school. Only ladies'"
well, he is abroad" she ropeatel: at
Is only for ourselves. Can we SEQ the
room>?"
"This is the sitting room," said, and one
bedroom opens from it. The othcr-'
1--WE only require one bedroom" she
interrupted, rs she rose to go with me into
il.
Our bargain was soon concluded. They
took the two rooms at twenty five shillings
per week, and promised TO come in on the
morrow.
What extras will there be-" inquired
the Younger lady, Miss Graves.
"Exir;.s!' | repeated, mot any. Except
i believe it is customarv-some little
gra,uity to the servant" had not been
in the habit of letting lodgings.
"Wlat about the linen. Are we to find
u' asked Lucy, when | told her Of our
success.
The linen!" exclaimed, obviously; al
forgot 1T completely. | never said word
about it,"
Nor the ladcsl"
Nor the ladies'. / remember they said
they had their own Spoons"
Then ttey take it for granted we find
it, no doubt. Well, it will not much mat.
ter, either way. Did YOU ask for references,
IIester."
| really had not; WAS obliged TO con
Tess 1t; and Lucy laughed! !, who was
generally over.cau iou>!
These ladies came and for several weeks
things went on with satisfaction, they pay.
ing their money regularly Then they
began to grow behindhand, and made ex.
cuses from time TO time, which seemed To
us very plausible. But when the weeks
went on, and on, and there was no money a,
all coming forth, and Lucy grew uneasy.
4 The debt amounted TO nearly 80, and we
had looked to it TO help out our coming
quarters rent.
/ was in the kitchen one morning, ma
king some apple-dumplings for dinner,
when Sarah, who stood by me pairing ap-
/ pies, began TO talk.
81 think them are queer customers we
/ nave got hold of, maam," she said.
! "What do you meanl" ] asked.
"WeIl, for one thing, | fancy they have
come te the end of their lether, and havn't
got neither cross nor coin 20 bless them.
selves. They are living now upon almost
nothing. And whers are their spoons gone
to-"
Their spoons!"
"Ihe four tablespoons put on their table
every day for dinner. It's good month
/ since the two frs, disappeared that hand
some silver creamjug vanished about the
same time-and now the two last is gone.
VIXEN was laying the cloth yesterday
Tor dinner-them precious behring's they
bought went on hunting for the
| spoons, and Miss Graves said-'Oh, have
got them. III put Ihem on the table my.
self presently, Sarahr But none came
down to be washed