The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-01

friends were not gcntccl people, and she had
mover been taught to be 70. What was she
to do now in house full Of such? Nocom-
mon people-no mechanics-her own broth
er Charley was carpenter, and q right
good generous soul he was. She did not be-
lievc he was vulgar, although city mechan-
les might be. Her father was farmer,
and her mother, as we'll as tho daughters,
was we'll enough acquainted with dish cloths
and milk pans; yet the fine ladies with
whom she was to associate, did not even
know the meaning Of such words. Shewas
now to step out Of the humble sphere in
which she had 50 happily lived, into socie-
ty Of higher beings -tailor's clerks, dry
goods salesmon, attorneys and dentists.
All the while William sat by, looking not
by any means as serious as his timid wife,
and n rosuish smile would now ard then
steal over his face. as no looked first ut Mrs.
Hobbs, and then at his lovely little Lizzy.
He had learned such things by heart. He
was wholly acquainted with the Hobbs tribe
Of boarding house landladics, and he sighed
and wished he could give his wife better
home.
He checked the conversation by suggest
ing to the lady that his wife had travelled q
long distance, and would like to 60 at once
to her own room.
"La me " l had forgotten you might
be tired. Ny presence is needed too, in the
kitchen. i always supcrintend my work.
Servant girls are wasteful and inefficient. 1
never do any work, but l have to give or
dcrs, and everything is so dear this year,
that the movements Of the house have to be
watched pretty narrowly. Did You ever
know the like Mr.. D., coal ten dollars ton,
wood nine n cord, -four ten q barrel; and
sweet potatoes not to be had at any price,
although I've made private bargain with
provision dealer, and he supplies me with
few Mt three dollars bushcl. He knows
that set very gcntoel table, and, in fact,
my boarders have such delicate palates that
they cannot eat coarse food.
"Thank heaven for that" muttered VIII
liam to himself, and taking Lizzy by the
arm, he followed Mrs. Hobbs up two pairs
of stairs TO back chamber.
1t was tolcrably comfortable room, and
in a sunny day might have looked even pleas
ant. William had ordered many a little
luxury to be sent there, to take OF the lone
ly bare of the room. He knew that his wife
would see the great difference, even after ho
had adorned it to the utmost of his power,
between it and the pleasant chamber at the
old home, with It's muslin curtains, its snow
white spread, and flowers and vines running
over the windows.
Lizzy was glad to be alone with William.
The excitement of leaving home, and the
new and strange aspect of everything about
iher, had quite umcrved her, and with her
heart full of conflicting emotions of sadness
and joy, she could no longer keep the tears
back.
William understood her feelings at once
and did not, Us some would have done, be-
gin to accuse her of homesickness and want
of love for him. He did not even call her a
baby, or tell her she had better 60 home to
her mother, but he sat down by her, and
began to talk cheerfully and kindly to her.
Lizzy felt this delicacy, und loved her hus-
band oil the better for his forbeaancc with
her childishness.
sob! William, I'm afraid you will be
so ashamed of me here in this place with all
these gcnteel people Idon't know how to
act in their presence, and can never be my
self among them
William saw at once the ludicrousness OF
things, and could no longer restrain his
mirth. So he laughed good round musi-
cal, but kind laugh, that revealed the whole
matter to Liuy, and it threw new light
over the whole affair.
"Why, bless me, Lirzy, you know ten
times as much as all these silly women in
the house put together, with Mrs. Hobbs
thrown in, and you are six times as gentecl
as the best of them. Don't, pray you, be
hobbed by that shark of n landlady. Every
body says the same thing all over Boston.
never know one yet to acknowledge that
she kept boarding house. 1t is always "a
private family with few genteel bOarders.'
So don't be frightened at their high sound
ing nonsense.
At this, Lizzy's eye frightened. She wip-
ed away her tears, and joined in the laugh.
awe must contrivc, Lizzy, to get all the
fun we can out of this place. We shall
have to put up with many annoyances; it
won't DO like the good old home you have
left; but If we look on the bright side of it,
and laugh over what wc conld not other
wise endure, we shall get along much bet
ter than to be troubled with them. / must
confess though, that the bright side of this
room is not to be seen from our windows
They looked out, and the prospect was
not very pleasing to Lizzy, who had always
looked out on green fields, orchards, hills
and meadows. Tops Of houses and chim'
ncys were only to be seen, but, thank hcay.
en-, the sky was above it, and no brick wall
could be built so high as to shut out the
beautiful heavens.
Tho next morning Lizzy dreaded more
than she dared to own to William, her first
} appearance at the table. She had a cup OF
tea in her own room the evening previous,
) and, as yet, she had not seen person IN
the house, save Mrs. Hobbs. Her arm trem-
blcd slightly in Williams as they answered
/, A.. Ill 80 ,lo ILL and b,ard tho fOOtstcDs