The mountain Democrat., 1864-09-17


moderate price paid for them; hut non-
~ was a weak point with me in those
dal 8, and, at the same time, Inever cared
+, to bargain or make conditions when |
hired apartments for so long as had a
decent room TO sit in in bad weather,
with practicable fireplace, ard corner
where ] could turn IN at night for sleep,
! cared little for convenience and less for
appearsnees, and WAS qnitr contented (ns
nv 'lai>sez iaire' character disposed the
t0 bel, under circumstances which VT e
frequently trying, and occasionally agra
vat,ng.
| cannot imagine now why ventured
into such strange, out oi the way districts.
Certainly it was no love for adventure
which induced me for ! wHs naturally
timid, and unine ined to face danger, how
ever largely the element 0f romance might
have entered into it. Perhaps il was that
undrfinable price which accompanies re.
duced m"anS that prompted me TO seek
lodging in ncighbOrhoodS where even nv
humble and thrtadbare garments pro.
claimed me gentleman among classes in
which a coat at all was the exception. -
b. that as it might, | wandered, az this
time. into the humbl' st district Of west
ern London: and after some failures in my
aspirations for lodgIrg. ! lighted upon
q IaiIly preS,ntable house in shamblIng
sort of terrace, not very distant from the
priI cipal thnroughlare Of that section OF
thr town. ] was admitted after repeat
ed knocks, aud just as my patience was
becoming exhausted-by an old woman
of about sixty five, though it is possible
that she might have been prematurely
aged by want and illness. When in
quired of the FORTRESS the terms Of the
lodgings, the poor old creature, who was
| shaking in voice and body from sort Of
palsy, stammered out that she would cal!
her daughter to answer nv questions, but
would please step inside mom,nt' ]
complied, and waited IN the ragged mat
in the dingy passage while the od woman
hotbIed aud jcrkcd herself down the stairs
to the kitchen.
knew when she arrived at the door.
for dull sound Of voices, which | had
nnticen upon entering, suddenly expanded
into a confused roar, in which | detected
both male and female laughter. The oc.
cuPantS Of the kitchen, who were evident
/ ly carousing (though it was but 3 o clock
in the afternoon), seemed to me to greet
the old woman with shouts Of derision.
Something hard was flung at her at her
entrance, | ahi sure. for | heard her cry
uut in her nunkv treble, and the missile,
whatever it was, rolled upon the wooden
I floor.
\ great laugh was raised at this sally,
after which | recognized the trembling
old tones. declaring, presume, the mis-
sion which had 50 un>eaSonab Y interrupt
ed the mirth Of the kitchen. There was
| lull directly; and ] shortly afterwards
heard younger and lighter step ascend.
ing the staircase. and my landlady stood
before me. She was bold; slutliSh.lo"k
ing woman Of about thirty, with fac
which, though not positively i'll looking,
was Of low stamp, and certainly unat.
tractiVe. She instantly assumed a smirk K
and curtsey to the prospective lodger; but
| perceived a tritling thickness of utter
ance, and peculiar lack of luster in her
ewes, which were the outward and visible
signs Of excess. She excused herself for
not waiting upon me immediately; but 1t
was all along Of that stupi old woman
servant which she kept ont Of charity
though, Heaven knew, she did nothing for
! the Use Of the house in return for all the
eatin' and drinkin' which was provided,
aud So on.
Abusing the wretchrd old v oman, auC
denying in every word the fact that it wa
her III ther Of whom she spoke 81 evilll
4 the landladv pIecrd, mr t. the 'dia"lng
room hnor, and threw open the door witt
IA conscious pride They were, as hav'
said, very inferior lodgings. believe al
any other time should have incontinrnt
| ly left tine spot; but something prompted
mr.. and agreed to lodge there mouth
! had become interested in spite # nN
sell, aud | was drt rminrd I" kruw SorHt
thing more about my >hnkv old frrnI.
shall not describe thes. lodgings, for III,
account would not bv very apprtizins ii
INV readers; but shall hasten to give NJ
account of my adventure th"re some tim,
afterward, on a very terrible Christmas
eve.
had agreed upon ia ing the lodging
from the first dav OF Drcrmhcr till the
New Years day following AID on hegin-
nlng my reign in my rev quarters found
the wisdom Of hiring apartments of tniS
s"rt weckh, plan | ever adopted att'l
ward.
| Nothing could have been more com
pirtelv incOnvenient, St far aS arcomm"
1a;ion and attendance Nen conc, rnrd,
and vet staV ed, for had already Gouud
all interest IN the place. The Shakl old
woman was the S,rvaht.nf all work. the
fart"tum. til, fay Of thr lodgings. Often
| have myself relieved her of the bi eak
fast tra,, when thr cup and saucer and
butter boat and teapot have been tremb
ling r, r,sponslvely, and the egg designed
for my humble repaSt has been divorced
from its cup and has been rolling wildly
from side tO side, like barrel on deck in
o storm.
She cleaned the boots, she swept the
stairs, answered the bell, fetched the beer
(no sinecurr(, and performed, in short
every menial Office, while her shameless
daughter and recreant son.in,law, ate
drank land were drunk), and slept al
ease, with ell household burdens, save
that light one Of receiving the lodgcr's
money, shifted from their young should
ers to her crazy care. After due amount
Of patience on my part, | ventured to in
quire of the old handmaid as to the men
age of the slipshOd household.
why do you do all the workY l sale
kindly to her one morning, after | hac
tsxtricated my breakfast. at the expense o
the egg. from entire dissolution at heI
hands. III is too much for you
| = gaoswT surprise Ibe poor Old WCwan sal
down on q chair, and burst into tears.
was not little astonished but held my
tongue till she had somewhat recovered
whpn I again remarkad.