The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-04-17
from the London Society," .l
A Romance i'm a Boarding

| A few years ago, On my return from
India, was perplexed where to locate
myself for the winter months. | did
not at all relish the idea of entering a
new house at such an unfavorable
board somewhere till the spring of the
season; so my friends advised me to
coming year, and in the meantime |
could look about me. and arrange my
future plans Iresolved toffollew this
advice, and it1was even suggested to
mysmind, that ii. / found this style of
living agreeable, [ might continue it
for the whole year that might elapse
before my husband Joined me, in pref
erence to burdening myself, while
alone, with the responsibility of a
house of my own. sae.A PA
According to further instructions
| from. obliging friends, | caused an adj
yertisement to be inserted in, the
Times, ito the effect, : that a lady
| just returned from India required
board and residence, where she would
have pleasant and select society, and
a comfortable home. in return for lib
sral remuneration AN EA5AE
| I was positively inundated with
answers. Some from ladies who
= merely received a few inmates into
their home circle for the sake Of So
ciety, "lbut who quite repudiated the
notion of keeping a. boarding
house.nq Some from the widows Of
professional men, who were "com-'
PEELED, through the death of their. Ia
mentedepartners, to add to their limit
ed incomes by admitting strangers
into the bosom of their families !"
but very few who seemed to pride
themselves upon their old estab-
llished houses, the excellent table
kept, the patronage of distinguished
foreigners, and sociable whist eve
nings," and to none of these latter
ones would my friends hear of my
going; though, for my own part, [
scarcely liked the idea of intruding
upon any sof those .'stfictlyg private
families, who evidently thought the
remuneration they would kindly ac-
cept at proportionately high rate.
After useless and innumerable in
became thoroughly stupid and Devil
dered; and having arrived at this
point fell an easy prey to one who evil
IDENTIFY understood the business most
thoroughly. Mrs. Wilson, my captor,
took great pains to impress me with
the fact that her connections were
most genteel,'" and, therefore, :. she
never took any one into her house but
people of the highest responsibility;
for she had too much regard for the
memory of the late Mr.. Wilson to
act otherwise. -
Her house was situated in nice
part of Bayswater; it was we'll furn-
ished and well managed by the clever
widow, who seemed to know how to
look after her own interestss and, in
spite of " former days when she
had layished money recklessly," she
had acquired since as fair notion of
the value of9e.s. daas itwas possible
for any one to have if they had studied
the matter all their lives.
When l made my debut in the
drawing-room the first evening Of my
arrival, shortly before dinner was an
nounced, In addition to sort of gem
eral introduction, Mrs. Wilson
favored me with an especial one, to
the few whom she evidently consid-
cred the creme of the assembly.
They were, Mrs. Colonel Stacey.
tall, stiff old lady, with white hair.
and a faded but still handsome face.
and the manner and department of
perfect gentlewoman; but, as / soon
discovered, zone who was ever on the
alert to obtain the best of everything
for herself, and take out the full
value of her money. Mrs Wilson
thought it such an advantage to have
= real Colonel's widow, that she
yielded to her whims and fancies mot
few, and consulted her taste in the
choice of viands, &c. land Mrs. Sta
cey took good care to keep up this
feeling. and managed to inspire, not
only Mrs. Wilson, but the other in
mates~ef- Observation-Disclosures with "a
certain alnount of ave towards her.
She did not receive me with much
cordiality, and | think it was because
she had a kind of idea that [ might
try to usurp her place, on the strength
of coming from India: but she was
slightly Kreassured when she heard
that my husband "only" held a civil
appointment. Mrs. and Miss Prim-
rose, on theAeontrary, overwhelmed
me with civilities, and might have
knoWns me fer year. The. former
bore the remains of good looks, and
was attired in the deepest of widows
weeds, a style of dress which became
her, and was for this reason still
worn; for her husband, I found, had
been defunct many years. Still she
never made any illusions to him with
out eheartrending signs, and even an
plications to her eyes of a deeply
black bordered cambria pocket hand
kerchief: and she fastened her collar
III cr.11ea,,..al lraoaob ocra 70 80. u -