Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-11-17
= POOR oLEFk's STORY


presentable : distant from the principal
race not YJf that section of the town.
thoroughly after repeated knocks, and
was ADJ Iatienee was becoming exhausted
lust d5 mold woman of about sixty-fve,
by as possible that she might have been
thou9uely aged by want and illness. When
prentd Of the FORTRESS the terms of the
| ms, the poor old creature, who was
long IN voice and body from sort of pal
stammered out that she would call her
Ighter to answer my questions, but would
please step inside moment" | complied,
and waited on the ragged mat in the dingy
passage while the old woman hobbled and
ierked herself down stairs to the kitchen. |
knew when she arrived at the door, for dull
sound of voices which | had noticed upon en-
teriHg, suddenly expanded into a confused
roar, in which detected both male and fe-
male laughter. The occupants of the kitch-
en-, who were evidently carousing, though it
was but three o'clock In the afternoon, SEEM
ed to me to greet the old woman with shouts
of derision. Something hard was flung at
her at her entrance, am sure, for heard
her cry out in her quaky treble, and the mis-
sile, whatever it was rolling upon the wood
en- floor. A great laugh was raised at this
sally, after which | recognized the trembling
tones of the old woman, declaring,I presume,
the mission which had so III Seasonably in
terrupted the mrth in the k.ychen. There
was a lull directly, and shortly aterward |
heard younger and lighter step ascending
the staircase, and my landlday stood before
me. She was bold, sluttish-looking woman
of about thirty, with a face which, though not
positively Unlocking, was of a low stam' md
certainly unattractiye. She insta' " as
sued a smirk and courtesy to the Z ospective
Iodger; but | perceived trifing thickness
of utterance, and peculiar lack of lustre in
her eyes, which were outward and visible
signs of excess. She excused herselffornot
waitingupon me Immediately; but cit was
all owing to that stupid old woman-seryant
which she kept out of charity, tho Heaven
knew, she did noVhing for the use of the
house in return for all the eatin' and drnkin'
which was provided" and SO on Abusing
the wrctched old woman, and DENYING in
every word the fact that it was her mother Of
whom she spoke SO evilIy, the landlady pre-
coded me to the " drawingroom floor" and
threw open the door with a conscious pride.
They were very inferior lodgings. l believe at
any other time | should have incOntnently
lett the spot; but something prompted me.
and | agreed to lodge there for a month. /
had become interested in spite of myself, and
| was determined to know something more
about my shaky old friend.
Ihad agreed upon taking lodgings from the
first of December till the New Years day
toowing and on beginning my reign-in my
new quarters, | found the wisdom of hirinu
apartments of this sort weekly, a plan ever
atterward adopted. Nothing could have been
more completely inconvenient as far as ac-
commodation and attendance were concerned.
and yet | staid, for | had already found an
interest in the place The shaky old woman
was the servant of all work. the factotum,
the fag of the lodgings. Often have myself
relieved her of the breakfast-trav when the
cup and saucer and butter-boat and teapot
have been trembling responsibility, and the
egg designed for my humble repast has been
rolling wildly from side to side, like barrel
on deck i'll Il storm. She cleaned the boots,
swept the stairs, answered the bell, fetched
the beer (no sinecure), and performed, in
short, every mental office, while her shame
less daughter and recreant son-in-law ate,
drank (and were drunk) and slept at ease,
with all household burdens save that light
one of receiving the dodgers money, shifted
from their young shoulders to her crazy care.
After due amount of patience on my part,
| ventured to inquire of the old handmade as
to the me'tage of the slipshod household
"Why do goW do all the work ?" | said
kindly to her one morning, after extricated
my breakfast (at the expense of the ege)
from entire dissolution at her hands. 1T is
too much for you"
To my surprise the poor old woman sat
down on a chair and burst into tears. | was
not little astonished, but held my tongue
till she had somewhat recovered, when |
again remarked, "I'm afraid this is too much
for you do, day after day"
The old creature rose suddenly, and totter-
ed to the door, Il humbly pray your pardon,
Sir" she stammered. q forgot myself
Eve been unwell lately, sir, and the children
have"
"Stay," said "shut the door and tell
me all about it. | am anxious to know all
about you, andif l can do anything"
ooh no, dear Sir" cried the poor old
wretch, trembling with fear, in addition to
her usual palsy. Don't notice me, Sir, if
you please; pray don't. If they were to
know that had been crying, or talking to
you, they'd" Here she paused and looked
nervously at the door.
"What would they do !" asked.
They'd beat me, Sir. She often does, if |
forget any thing; and he, oh! he's awful
swearing, and finging pewter pots at me- l
was i'll once for weeks. from a blow he gave
me-"
W ny on SdrIu 10 lueN lII-lredG you =
asked. You do all the work, while they
idle. There must be some sher reason"
Sir said the old woman with some pride
in her voice-cracked, jerks. md feeble as it
was-'' was once worth MOI than thou
sand pounds mean when M husband died,
and before she was married. ! .et them up,
bat they robbed me OF all my money; and
they know 1t, and keep me he - and hate
and ll-treat me in consequence & .s 4 H.
Why do you stay? asked :, but,a mo-
ment after was conscious of T:ra folly of
my question, as the old woman ans cred /
"Where conld go to, Sirs" -. .
The simplicity and despair of this Spouse
convincing me that should do no .ood nv
personally interfering in the domestic misun-
derstandings, | refrained from further cues
tioning, and waited for some issue to this
course OF i'll treatment, when might, though
an outsider, be justified in stepping in as a
check. 1t soon came In the Christmas
week the poor old mother took to her bed,
thoroughly conquered by the hard weather
and the increasing work. Every day heard
angry voices and curses through the thin
wainscoting which separated my bedroom
from the wretched old creatures sleeping
den. "A feeble squeaking was all that rough
usage neglect, or execution elected. Nv
blood used TO blaze within me at the coward
ice and the low triumph of that drunken and
disreputable pair, who junketed while their
mother was gasping for breath, or calling for
common assistance. did once forget my po-
sition, and attempted to expostulate with the
daughter, my landlady, who carle into my
room, attended by rumpled-halred child
with dirty face (Which. was a pretty like
ness of her mothers, on the morning of the
twenty fourth of December II J.s - .t--
Redizened was the Iandlady and ribboned