New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-07-04
A MOUSE IN THE ROOM :
OR,
THE TWO CHUMS.
By o. W. EATON.

A CARELESS observer of the odd world, in
which We live and help to make it strange,
might think the lives of old maids uneyentful,
viewing the seemingly dull still tenor of their
isolated beings with an apathet,s, uninterest-
ed eye but old maids themselves know bet
ter. And both Betsey Daw and Nancy Poody
can cite, as an instance, that period Of their
existence when, both spisisters, and some.
thing past thirty, they met, were mutually
pleased, Joined hands, struck a bargain, got
% few housekeeping things, took room to-
gsther, and commenced boarding themselyes.
This was at the large boarding and lodging
house Of the energetic Mrs. Prink.
The TWO splnisters promised themselves
great happiness TAey, sat, sewed, sang,
cooked, and slept together, and meralized
upon the evils of marriage and mems society,
with much harmony; and bore an equal
share in the expense of board and rent, and
in the household affairs of ther one apart
,nent and might have been living there to-
gether to this day, if
Betsey was buxom and a hearty eater. If
she had sorrows, she 'revenged herself upon
her wittles," as the saying is; taking, in
fact, such thorough vengeance, that Nancy
said she often had the nightmare, and 'snor-
ed horrid; the which was very annoying to
Nancy, who was but a thin and timid being,
o spare eater, and nervous and wakefal of
nights aud Nancy gradually complained to
her chum of the discomfort to which she was
put.
But the bold Betsey laughed at the nerv.
Gus Nancy, and denied her charges; and
when Miss Poody insisted that she did, Miss
Daw said as positively that she didn't This
was the beginning of the end. Their oppo-
sites began to disagree.
Miss Poody was always particular about
the door being fastened and ifthey happen-
ed to retire without being sure on that point,
Miss Daw was called upon to get up and
make sure, Poody being mortally afraid of
moving about at all in the dark. Miss Daw
was proud of her own boldness-a wholesale
sort Of q creature-and afraid of but little.
Then again, while the carless Betsey was
engaged busily in sleep the fearful Nancy
gave herself much trouble about the multitu-
dinous midnight noises IN the street the oc-
casional bacchanalian yells, or songs or
laughter, approaching steps, alarms offire,
etc. and would often wake her chum to get
sympathy or encouragement; and as often
would Betsey rebuke her, and pooh !! poeh |!
And the measure of Nancy's horizontal cares
were filed up by Betsey's snores and night
mares tossiugs, elbowings, and kiekings of
the clothes of, with occasional apprehen.
sions that q spider was in the bed, or man
under it; and Of course she called upon the
bounding, billowy Betsey to cease her mo-
tions OF emotions, or get up and search, and
see fall was right.
lfthese evils were upon the suspicious and
susceptible Nancy, they in time also were up
on the stolid, solid Bctsey who. wearied with
60 many interruptions of her slumbers, when
reused, complained in turn and then they
would have loud criminatioas and recrimina-
tions by the hour, thoughtless of who might
be disturbed in rooms overhead or adjoin-
ing.
4 never heard OF such scarecrow,' Retsey
woald declsre You are afraid Of your own