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


derstood partner, who came In for the prof.
its, and the tailor's clerk, hedry goods and
grocers' statesmen, the lady who mover wet
her hands ut work-all were there.
Liuy's first impulse, after viewing the
company, was to indulge in smile. She
gave William q roguish look, that told him
that deal of mirth and fun was being
choked down by the hot coffec and biscuit.
Such quantity of unshavcn faces never
huddled around breakfast table before, as
now sat around Mrs. Hobbs, the leader Of
that famous hand. The dentists face was
SO envelopei in bu,hy whisken and nous
tache, that you could form no particular
idea of his features, rs only q sharp pair OF
grey eyes shono out as lanterns in o dark
forest. One would have supposed that long
hair was the sign Of nobility, the badge Of
that boasted sentility, for every young buck
was following on, to the extent Of his and
natures power, in the same path. a1t
Near to Lizzy sat young man, who
might perhaps have seen twenty years. He
was talking with his neighbor at the table,
and Lizzy pretended to be wholly absorbed
in her coffee and roll, while She listened to
hear their conversation.
Your father has been to visit you, Bill
'Yes,' answered the other, 'and ! would
have given five dollars rather than he should
have como to Jones' to see me. Father is
clever man, but no needs more knowledge Of
the world and gentcal society. With lit
tic more experience he would make good
show in tho world
Two years before, this same wise gentle
man, with the embroidered neck-tie and half
grown whiskers, was feeding his fathers
cattle in the well filled stall at home. Now
he was city gent, employed in the firm of
j. & c., receiving five dollars week, four
of which he paid for his board, and his
vulgar parents sent him the remainder to
buy his cigars, to pay for his oyster sup
pcrs, his CATERS and neck-ties.
The flute player having finished his meal,
sat tipped back in his chair, his mouth in
an oval form, whistling in an undertone the
last tune he had rehearsed at the famous
club of which he was member.
The meal, begun in such trcpidation Of
mind to Lizzy, ended in a pcnt up stock of
mirth, that revealed itself when she was
once more inside of her own room. She
had learned the meaning Of the word gen.
teel, and it was henceforth robbed Of its ter
ror /; and when she by chance saw the mer-
chants wife dabbling out her collars and
and 'kerchiefs in her wash-bowl, and dry
ing them by the stove crate, and when by
sheer mistake one day, she caught tho law
ycr's lady finishing of a plain skirt; and,
again, when an officer came, seized and took
away with him the poor dentist for slight
deviation.from honesty in the shape of an
unpaid board bill, sent by the furious land
lady Of H--court.
When Lizzy saw such things as these con-
slantly going on around her, she smiled to
herself, and thought Of the house full of
gcnteel boarders, that had filled her with
such awe on the first day of their arrival.
Lizzy very shortly became initiated into the
shams and false colors under which so many
gcntecl private boarding houses sail, and
she learned, too, that there was no sort Of
use of complaining of uncomfortable evils
Just so we say to all who are Obliged to live
in gcnteel boarding. houses.
laugh over the ludicrousncss and incon-
sistencies you meet with, and never let Mrs.
Hobbs wiring tear from your eye by any
privilege you may have vainly expected to
find in the house. Swallow the poor coffee,
eat silently the half.baked bread, and of to
your business. Take my advice, and you
will escape many an uncomfortable quarrel
in private. family with q few gcntcel
boarders.'