Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-03-28
Giterarp Selections.
From Harper's Magazine.
MY NEIGHBOR'S STORY.


joining rooms in shabby genteel board
ing house, where the cheap lodging part
ly consoles US for its discomtorts. My
neighbor is a grave, faded, silent woman
of forty or thereabouts, always dressedin
sombre colors, with plain muslin cap
concealing her gray hair, and a reserve
of manner, which battles curiosity and
4qHestioners.
She has no visitors; she rarely leaves
the house; the postman's arrival never
causes a stir of joy or sorrow upon her
countenance and after each meal, she
slowly retires from the dining room with
her usual heavy, iistless tread, and is not
seen again until the bell summons US to
the table once more.
If addressed, she answers quietly and
firmly, glancing a moment at her Interlo-
cutor and then looking down upon her
plate as if she wished to let you under
stand that politeness alone induced her to
reply.
Always punctual in her weekly pay
ments, so mysteriously regular in her
conduct, so averse to gossip, at first my
neighbor was a great card in the house,
and we shuflled and dealt her every day
SO soon IS her back was turned.
"Who was she?
No one could tell. She gave her name
as Mrs. Brown; and weeks heightened
into months, and months into years, and
still, grave, faded silent, with her dark
gowns and her measured football, the
Stranger lived in our midst as unknown
as if she wore an iron mask, and did not
speak our language.
Gradually the interest in her died away.
The inmates of the clearinghouse left
off wondering about her, for no fresh food
was served up for their eager swallow
She just staid at the same point, neither
lessoning nor increasing her sef-concen-
trating style of ife-so, sadly and weari.
~ my neighbor's days dragged along in
their unbroken calm and unwavering re-
serve.
She was still to me a subject of tho't
Whether it were because I was more
pertinacious than my fellow-boarders, o.
whether, being in the next room, | seemed
nearer to her, and could hear her fre
quently pacing her narrow chamber 70
hours, not restlessly, but with a solemn
marked, continuous march, which oftel
lasted till the gray dawn peeped through
my shutters-whether this made bono
between us unfelt by the others, do no
know; but certain it is, that long afte
the rest had ceased to notice her, still
watched, and strove to pierce the enve
lope which shut US out from her ideas
feelings, and sorrows.
After a night passed as have de
scribed, she would appear at the break
fast table with no traces of tears or sleepi
ness,-just the same haggard look aroun
her large eyes, the same patient suffer
ing wrinkling her faded mouth, the sam
entire hopelessness Of carriage and air.
She asked no sympathy-she needle
none. l saw very soon she was unac
customed to the coarse fare which ou
landlady provided; others had remarke
that soon after her arrival, and once, som
one had said to her, You don't relis
your victuals, ma'am. You havebeen use
to better, perhaps?"
She had fixed her sternest look upo
the speaker.
You are mistaken" she said droI
ping her eyelids; everything is bett'
than I am in the habit of SEEING
And from that day the meanest dis
Oh the humble board was always h,
choice, although she could not sometim
dispose of the contents, but would pla
with her knife and three-pronged for
and rise from among US without havir
eaten enough to nourish sparrow.
There was another singular incide
which early in her stay caused much col
ment
One morning she Glanced to sit ne
our landlady, who, awkwardly enoug
upset the ever of boiled milk over Il
sleeve and hand of Mrs. Brown. Itw
not very hot, the miIk-it never was.
but Mrs. Plunkett started up with apo
gies, and, in spite of my neighbor's res
fanee, would wipe and rub the wet ba
herself. In few seconds all the boal
ers saw with amazement that the We
polished hand contrasted singularly W
is fellow, which was brown and hars
while the one clasped by Mrs. Plunk'
was delicate, fair, blue-veined and be;
tiful.
The boarders were almost content
iosng their coffee, since the split m