Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-11-23

SkAIUDAl bs tNtNt.. ....Ntf. 80
COLLECTING A BAD DEBT.
IL was diney, iil-ventilated little cell in
the topmcst stratum Of one OF those human
ber-h.ves that people call tenement houses.
- room where wash-tubs aud children,
Kettles and kittens, potato paiIings and
clothes pins we're scattered about 10 rcca
less disregard OF divine Plies a order.
Dr. MAynsfd stood still Ia the chaos, AFRAID
10 mu,e irst he should siep Ia Ine starch
bow or on one .! the children who swarmei
about the door.
DIR. Nal nsrd had recently come into pos
session oi this properly BY the death Of
relative, nor was he particularly pleased
win his new acquisition. The few weekly
vlsits he made were not accompanied ~
any pssticulary agreeable "reminiscences 10
fact, he dreaded them 40 . civilized coion'st
might dread an irruption into savage Jun
rles Of African sildeIness. DIR. Maynard
had always made human nature . study
but this nature seemed scarcely human IN
its odd, Ccl,ic Developments.
..Ofall the people ever stumbled across
ead Dr. Maynard, "thc lrish are the most
impsov,denl. VIVA. is the reason can
nsv.r get my rent on this iioo.s The Ger
man people down stairs are always ready.
nni ny American tenants are . model of
panc,ualty. It's really a very unaccount-
able thing 10 me
''Snur, Dir, 'tisn't my fault" said Mrs.
Toos, lifung the corner OF her coarse
cheeky apron to her eyes, parity to cheek
the lcars that ALWAYS rose readily to her
muddy blue eyes. aud partly 10 hide tue
aasn Of inort.Icati that suJused her
cnrtk; wAlle Terry and Mike and iittic
Moran ciung to their mothers volunl'nons
sAitts IA "A sort of vague apprehension that
som.tnin. was wrong. although their tiny
minds could hardly take IL the full nean-
iux II the catastrophe that vas disturbing
their domestic peace.
MOT yoor fault, Mrs. Toby 2" repeated
DR.. Maynard, in sharp accents. But It
never IL your fault, according to your own
story"
My man 10 sick, sir, wild the rhsumat'x
in his knee JOINTS" apoloSixed tho IRISH
women, "and Il is hard work Ne have to
get along. and provide the bit and the sup
for the gsow,n childer mesclf knows the
rint ought TO DO paid, aud II you'll have
little patience, sir"
Patience, patience. patience !" ejsculat-
ed the doctor, each word uttered in key
somswhat higher than the last. Zone
ought TO have the patience Of job to get
along with such . pack Of tenants -
have. Why don't you york 2"
Mrs.. Toolev glanced little rsproschful-
ly 81 the washtub IN the corner-a sort of
altar. eoshrinsd in the Incense oi steam
ing capsule.
"lndade, cir, I try my best; and had
hoped 70 have the money ready for you to-
day. hut Mrs. Napier put the OF 40 she's
done many u time, bad luck till her. les
the gir.'s ncW dresses cost 20 much, says
she. You 70 too impudcnt altogether.
Bridget says she--and me starvin Tor the
money that's mo o~n aud not hers at all ~
"Do you mean MIS-. John Napier," asked
DIR. Maynard.
Share, do, sir, . ID it's niue dollars and
sixty ccnts shes owiu me Tor the sweat Of
me brow and wear aud tear Of he hard
worked h,ni-." sad Badge, roolev. lrok
ing dowa ut the rel and parboied members
aforesaid
.And won, she pay you
"Eivcr a rcd cea,, sit, though told her
how Patrick had the iAeumatx aud the
children hadn't bread aud salt TO be com
Portable. She's nivor paid M since began
10 wash for hex five weeks ago the very last
Taesday that ever wss
"lts shame" said DIR. Maynnrd, lacon-
iessiy.
..Shurc an il ~, sir" assenei Bfidtet
needy; "but what can POOR body do =
DR.. Maynard muitcred something under
his breath. Mrs. roos.y could Just catch
here and there u disjpintcd word q! the Old
.tole sentencc having regard a. grinding
the rae al ,Ao poor.
Nv ell Budget, you are not 30 much TO
blame as | Thought you were, sad he, in q
m,ldeT tone, ms he turned abruptly on bis
heel. IN coll again next week IT'S more
than likely you'll have the moaey oy that
time
The blessin' Of all the saints lie abcu,
yez aud over yez.' whiued the relieved
Bridget.
Blt the unccrenonious closing Of the
door. cut short Mrs. TrMey's snow,r Of
blessings and unnecessary details DIR. May
nArl went slowly down tho echoing uncar
peted st,irs. with his hands in his pockets,
ani his brows contracted IN brown study.
a. he entered his oil e, several bio ks
below. the iirs' thing that tnet his eye was
mote. written on pet,uued pick paper,
aud aicd with gorgeous hcIsl,iic device
ia ru,c-colored wax.
"Aum-m,' mu,tc,cd tho Doctor, be-
tstcn his closed ip>. "Nr. Napicr's com
ramcnis pleasure Of Dr. Mnvnard's com
lsny to dinner on Thursday evening next
a. O'Clock Another Of thc,g champagne
tni teibpt receptions eh I wel-weil-
wc.l--thcse things are not much 20 INV
fancy, out | believe I'll go this time be-
hcyc will" repeated tho doctor,
A. ..,It.. l., al.
often bad w.eu his niind was busy at work
And then he 81, down 10 bis desk and
wrote formal note Of acceptance, as stiff
and short as he Was himself
The Napier mAnsl0n, . snowy cdihce of
stucco and plate glass. after rather doubt
full style Of architecture, was all in blaze
III light and flowers when DIR. Maynard ar
lived there on the eyentful Thursday even.
ing, q few minutes before six o'clock. Mrs.
Napier, in . silver green mole antique, and
qasverins ornaments Of pearls, received
bin with smiling urbanity and Miss Tbeo-
dosis Agnes Napier. Ia al artess toilette OF
white muslin and hAlf-epen rosebuds, en-
b!ematic Of Der own youth directed her
sweetest chances toward the stiT old bach
lor doctor whose wealth Vas reputed to be
% considerable. Osher gussts were also
GssCWVt ~ INV cstst Ot Sue tby-1uO MYo
Nsp,cr's heart thrilled high with pride and
pleasures IS she had glanced round upon
the various perscnsges grouped about her
rooms
Mrs. Napier Vas . Napoleon in social
hss-an Alexander in crinolinc. II she
hal bcea insn she would have left an i'm
precision on the shores Of time, being 4
woman her sphere was necessarily more
contracted. Born parvenu, she had re.
solved, from the very 6rst % eonqusv the
the walled citidels IT aocisty. ALWAYS
struggling With limited means, adverse cir
cums.ances, and unlucky combinations Of
events. Mrs. Napier had YET ses herself 10
work to cenQuss Fate. and che had nearly
achieved her purpose. Outward appear
ancc we're her foife and ~ 70 principle,
Mrs. Nabier was ~ INSCRIPTIONS N any
modern European statesman.-Now a,
length she was beginning to reap the har-
vest she had watched and waited for 90
long. aud her spirit rose up within her ex-
nl'Hnt. in spite Of the -up rcilious inso.ence
with which many OF the guests treated her.
They despise me STILL" though, Mrs
Napier "hut will yet conquer them"
Meanwhile DR.. Maynard said but little;