The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-01
The Country Wife.
OR, BOARDING HOUSE ExrERrENcE.

1t was wet, foggy afternoon, when Mr..
NJ. of this city, and his pretty country wife
arrived in Boston, and took possession of n
room at No. q F-strcct. Not very
favorable time to commence boarding house
life, but the happy young woman never
minded tho uncomfortable atmosphere, or
the slough and mud in thestrcct. She chat
ted, and ratified away, with her eyes full OF
tears, to bc sure, at the mornings parting,
of leaving her dear old home with its kind
and loving iaccs-but she loved her husband,
and was glad to go with him anywhere, so
she said. And Boston, to her imagination,
was beautiful city, where she could enjoy
even more luxurics of life than at home.
She visited the city once, and been kindly
and delightfully."- entertained at the house of
friend-not n boarding-housc-and her
ideas of the life before her were taken from
the cosy, comfortable rooms of her dear
friends private home. Full of hope, and
with spirits in that state between joy and
sadness, that oftcntimes makes us merry be-
yond our usual frame Of mind, she arrived
at No. 81 F. street, as / said before.
A servant girl answered the ring, and Mr..
NJ. requested at once the presence of Mrs.
Hobbs, the landlady. Mrs. Hobbs was in
the kitchen, with her dress pinned up around
her waist, her sleeves slipped up to her ell
bows, and her cap awry. In furry Of cx-
citcment, she put herself in as good order as
was possible for her to do, and went up to
the parlor to receive her new boarders.
Mrs. Hobbs was tall, lean woman, a
little STOPPING, with long bony arms, and a
sharp, keen face; in fact, she was just the
reverse of Mrs. Nj mother, whom she had
left behind in her dear old country home
She met the young people with the air of a
French woman, and with her voluble tongue
began to entertain them in her usual way.
First, she gave them an account of each
gentleman and lady that sat at the table,
Mr.. II. III. was merchant, fine man, rich
his wife a perfect lady, never wet her hands
in her life with work. Mr.. c. Of the firm
of A. & S.-somc sort of private partner,
his name to DO sure, was not on tho sign,
but then he camo in for a share Of the prof.
its. Mr.. G. was remarkably intelligent
goes to the mercantile lectures, has sister
who married minister, and brother who
was united to q stage actress. No mechan'
les in her house, none but genteel people,
who cschewed all vulgar society whatever.
Mrs. NJ, or Lizzy-we call her by the
old name, for she is nothing but child now
and in the opinion Of all good judSes
(hcrsclf and husband cxcepted) should have
remained as Lizzy for four years to come
Well, Lizzy opened her eyes wide, and be
gan to throw half timid looks at William,
who sat unmovcd by all this haranguc.-
How could she ever stand up and dare to
speak in the society Of such gentcel people
She wished they had gone to some business
place.
She became still more terrified when Mrs
Hobbs, not half through yet, went on tC
say that her front chamber was occupied by
lawyer, the one back OF It by dentist
and flute player, member of some club oil
band, 50 high sounding that it fairly chokct
poor Lilzy, and she wished in her heart that
William had given up his city business, ant
gone into the country to live, with kind
common people, where she never heard suci
a word as gonteel."
She looked around the room. To be SUR
1t was not so pleasant a parlor, not so hand
somely furnished as the one she left at home
but she knew very well that her parents anS