The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-04-30
A MOUSE IN THE ROOM.

A careless observer Of the odd world in
which we live aud help to make it strange
might think the lives of old maids une-
ventful, viewing the seemingly dull, still
tenor. of their isolated beings with an
apathetic, unirterested eye but old maids
themselves know better. And both Bet
sey Daw and Nancy Poody can cite, as an
instance, that period of their existence
when, both spinSters, and something past
thirty, they met, were mutually pleased,
joined hands, struck bargain, got few
housekeeping things, took room together
and commenced boarding themselves
This was at the large boarding and
lodging house of the energetic Mrs.
Prink.
The two spinsters promised themselves
great happiness. They, sat, sewed, sang,
cooked, and slept together, and moralized
upon the evils of marriage and mans So
ciety, with much harmony; and. .bore an
equal share in the expense of board and
rent, and in the household affairs of their
one apartment and might have been liy-
ing there together to this day, if
Betsey was buxom and hearty eater
IF shUhad SORROWS, she ..reveneed herself
in fact, such thorough vengeance, that
Nancy said she often had the nightmare,
and ssnored horrid," the which was very
annoying to Nancy, who was but thin
and timid being, spare eater, and nerv-
ops and wakeful Of nights; and Nancy
gradually complained to her chum OF the
discomfort to which she was put.
But the bold Betsey laughed at the
nervous 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 opposites began to disa-
gree.
Miss Poody was always particular about
the door being fastened and if they hap
pened to retire without beings 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 pfoudof her rown boldness-
a-wholesale scrt of crcatUro--and aira id
of but little.
Then again. while the careless Betsey
was engaged busily in sleep, the fearful
Nancy gave herself much trouble about
the nutitudious midnight noises in the
street the occasional bacchanalian yells,
or songs, or laughter, approaching steps,
alarms of FIRE, etc and would often wake
her chum to get sympathy or encourage
ment and as often would Betsey rebuke
her, and pooh pooh And the measure
of Naucy's horizontal cares were fixed up
by Betsey's snorcs and Nightmares, tcss>
ings, elbouings, and kickings ofthe clothes
off, with occasional apprehensions that a
spider was in the bed, or a man under II ;
and of course she called upon the bound
ing, biIlowy Betsey to cease her motions
or cpotions, or get up and search, and see
if all was right.
If these evils wore upon the suspicious
and susceptible Nancy, they in time also
wore upon the stolid, solid Betsey, who,
wearied with so many interruptions of her
slumbers, when reused, complained in
turn; aud then they would have loud
examinations and recrimirations by the
hour, thoughtless Of whor ght be disturb
ed in rooms overhead or adjoining.
Il never heard of such scarecrow,
Retscy would declare. '.You are afraid Of
,our own shadow, and SO suspicious you
will suspect yourself into Sonsum2ti or
vet. Your nerves are out OF order, and
YOU ought to take something to prevent
being so restless. Valerian tea, 'oi
assafcctda is good for the nerves. NbJ
don't you take some y