Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1870-04-09
mo- Lel--EnauIre Y,Iihia.


The lady hOuneel out ia a rage
Two young damsels aud a spinstsI
aunt followed, and amer n lengthy
inspection OF the prcnises, came &
a state council in the pRrlur,
! II like the house very much,
said the spiRster aunt sOleinnly
sand with a few alterations, | viii
engage II for my brothers family,
VERY good, maam," said Ma
hum, rubbing his hands, aud scent
ing q speedy termination Ia his
trials. Name en-"
"Tho door handles must all bo
gildcd and | should like the house
newly papored in velvet and re-
painted and partition between tho
parlors taken down and replaced
by an arch, and nm extension dining
room built on behind, and n new
style of range In the kitchen, and u
dumb waiter put in, and new bronze
chandeliers throughout, and an
other furnace in tho sub-cellnr,
and
"Ilold on, ma am--just hold on
one minute" said Nahum, ieebly
grasping for breath. "Wouldnt
you like tho old house carted away,
and new one put In its placer |
think IL would be rather less trouble
than TO make the trifling alterations
you suggest 2"
"SirW said the spinstor, loflily.
al don't think VIC can agrco,
ma am" s. -H'-Hul
"very wcll---vcry well-como,
girls" -
with prim dignity the lady mar.
shalcd her two charges out, NUT
tcring something about the "extor-
tomato ideas Of landlords now.a-
days" s
While Nahum, wildly rumpling
his iron-grcy hair with both hands,
soliloquizcd;
"Well, if Job had been alive, and
had q house to let, there never
would have been any book of Job
written. There goes that cvcrlnst-
iny bell again I'll haul it out by
the roots, If this thing goes ON much
longer. I'll tear down the bill, and
put up the place ut auction"
Another lady, but quite different
from tho othcr-a slender little
cast-down lady, with head that
dropped like a lily of the valley, and
dress of brown silk, that had been
monded. and turned, and rc-trim-
med, and oven Nahum Briggs, man
and bachelor though he was, could
see how shabby it was. Yet she
was pretty, with big blue eyes, and
shining brown hair, and cheeks
tinged with fair, hccting color,
where the velvety roses of youth
had once bloomed in vivid carmlne.
And. golden haired little lassic
clung to her dress, like the tiny
buds to blooming chime of flower
bells. ali t...,yo ~, .r.,,u, ,.,
As Nahum Briggs stood looking
at her, there came back to him the
sunshiny days of youth /; y field OF
blooming clover crimsoncd the June
light like waves, Of blood, and n
blue:eyed girl leaning over the
fence with. 6or bright hair buried
with level sunset gold, and he knew
TINT he was standing fhce to face
with Barbara Wylio, the girl he
had quarreled with years and years
nro, and whose blue eyes had kept
him an old bachelor oil his life
long. f., .,I.t .f;Js :.
"This house Is to be let, 1 be-
lievc2" she. asked timidly, with a
little culver In hor mouth.
81 believe it is, Barbara Wylic."
She looked up, starting with
sudden flush of r, cognitiun.
And then Barbara turned very
pale, and began to weep, with the
little golden-haired girl cLnging to
her skirts, and Willing
"Mamma, mamma-whats tho
matter, mamma" g ,ag; .I..
Nothing now said Barbara,
resolutely brushing away the tears.
"If YOU please, Mr.. Briggs, | will
look at the hotlse; l am widow
now, and very poor, and think of
keeping boarding house to earn
my daily bread. l hope the rent
is not very high ?"
well talk about the rcnt after
wards" !" said Nahum flercely swal-
lowing down a big lump in his
throat that threatened to choke
him, .7, -.fi.s .a,lg.,.
"Come here, little girl, and kiss
me; l used to know your mamma
when she wasn't much bigger than
you are" -,
Barbara with her blue eyes still
dropping, went all over the house,
without finding a word of fault, and
Nahum Briggs walked at her side,
wondering if it was really fifteen
wears since the June sunshine lay so
brightly on the clover field.
Il think the house is beautiful,
said meek Barbara. "Will you
rent it to me, Nahum Z"
"Well, yes" said Nahum thought
fully. "I'll let you have inS houses
if YOU wantit Barbaba.
with the privilege of keeping q
few boarders p ..a1 -as
"No, ma'am |" sqsn -
Barbara stopped and looked visit
fully at him.
But l don't think you under
stand how very poor am, Mr..
Briggs" ry .fa
"Yes l do"
aAnd that cannot afford TO take
the house, without the privilege OF
boarders." srs 81. p. Lg5 :,
II tell you what, Barbara" said
7 Mr. Briggs djctatorily, "lll give
you the privilege. Of keeping just
one boarder, and him you have 70