New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-07

4 IT bavc, mot ~vestts recovered the Shock. al
Though, a full month has past-the first en-
counter with my landlady; and as l look
hack rejecting on the competent general
shin with which she took me in hand my heart
stands still and the old trembling of my
BODY returns with undated vigor. How
permitted this good creature to go for me a.
She did, can not now explain. Ionly
know that she became possessor OF my
departed spiritless and Respondent
III shall never forget how sheepish
III felt on the first evening
when she placed me in chair
by the window, and famed me, and in.
structed me how to use it, and how should
make myself at home. So l sat tanning. II
seemed to me new employment and
relished it; but how dismayed l was on
looking round to find young lady watch.
| ing me with evident pity. whom the ruth
less boarding mistress had brought to look
| at as her new boarder. l felt faint and
overpowered, but worked desperately at
my fan.
| Visions of hash and strange pies now
| flOated over my fancy and with sore heart,
l regretted that somebody had left the city.
| felt they must be happy, tar away on the
! repeated crimes, despOiing hens nests
or other unlocked for depredations, making
inspections Of fine mixers, or somebody
| going to see where Dolly is buried. and a
| certain matron blOssOming in her seventieth
| year, raising her spectacles and pointing
| out the spot where the tavOrite sleeps. And
| the fish-basket and the boat, and the gen
| tleman walking through the orchard at
night, with Mack and Fred for company,
and a Lantern which nobody can light
| but himself. But my landlady here inter-
rupts me and the CHEEKY voices of my fancy
are drowned out.
MAKE yourself at home. sir: cheer up,
YOU will find everything agreeable here,
SIR"
But my misgivings return, and the same
strange hashes and pies doomed up before
and icy springs. My landlady knew every
thing about me. 1t was an hour of shrewd
and malicious work on her part, and felt
ashamed and heart-sOre as [ departed,
promising to be at breakfast IN the morn
ing.
What puzzled me very much was the
fact, that my landlady strenuously denied
keeping clearinghouse, notwithstanding
that her name and the word boarding
bloomed upon the doorplate. and her adver-
tisements, under the high sanction OF
editorials, called loudly upon the public
to secure good home by applying at such
a number, Bourbon street. How often
did l turn these things in my mind, and
mourn the hopes of deluded public. The
faces l met in the streets seemed familiar
they must be either boarders or boarding
house keepers, and my face REDEEMED sew
eral times when l thought they recognized
me, having seen me once at Madame
Gretna's. And, snow how long shall this
continue! l had denounced restaurants,
both in resolutions and private suggestions
to the REPUBLICAN, to be printed in large
type, and in conspicuous places, and to 90
back now and throw myself at their
feet, would be outrageous.
There is no landlady presiding over such
establishments but has story. Mine,
among the rest, tells me often and often
how the calamity of keeping boarders fell
upon her. The kind reader must pardon
her significance, during the short recital, for
the thermometer stood at ninety-tWO and
we were alone. She was a widow at twenty,
having lost her protector in the late ''unpleas-
antness," and adding: "That she was just
twenty-six now, but did not intend that
things should remain exactly as they have
been for all time to come" felt my flesh
creep. Her father was Il rich gentleman
across the sea. and had no children but her
self; that he died two years ago. and by law
and right she was the legal heir. But
what can an unprotected woman do!' she
mterrogated with much emotion. My pa
and ma We're very good. and loved their
child. and then wound mp with the IRE
pressible stereotype, land here am
confess l was much moved on hearing
the wrongs of this injured woman. and
could not help acknowledging that it was to
the point, but did quite relish the idea of
being the champion who should restore her
to her inheritance; consequently. made no
offer for veal or woe. The thought Of my
being al object of her mercy was quite
To- ,x,fI
my own hook. and complaining of head
ache l managed safely through the second
day:
Il shant see you till morning." she asked,
as she escorted me to the street door.
'.N-O-O-no," answered, with relief
l could not help noticing how she used -
speak to my friend and fellow lOdger.'
and to tell the truth, he seemed to get
along with her first rate. Perhaps it was |
my want of experience in shifting for my
self that distrusted the sweetness of strange |
fruit, and found on every pie-dish the weird |
likeness OF toad, or traced therOute of the |
Chattanooga Railroad through smoking |
stews and mysteriously gotten up hashes, |
with-well, never mind
The chief boarder we shall speak of here
after. Once when it was complained that |
the ice-water tasted of alum, did she seize
full glass, and sailed it down with COM
posture. as if to demonstrate that she had no
intention of poisoning them and on an
other occasion, when allusiOn was made to
house rates, did she stroke the |
temperance man playfully OH the head, and
sing out: well, did you ever9"
A great difficulty with my landlady is
time. am persuaded hours and minutes |
never trouble her. She thinks there are
and she gives her preference to the latter. |
have known her. when the clock just |
pointed the hour, to go and turn back the
hands three full quarters wind and re-wind
till the ghOstly admOnisher of time creaked
inside with agony, and then anathemized
the jeweler, who kept it wagging three
weeks in his sanctum; charged her five dol
lars, and after all, didn't fix it worth a cent.
The tail of her apron, by the way, did duty
rs a pocket handkerchief, towel, a dish
cloth and duster, and my admiration more
than once found utterance, as she used to
Slam the clock, and break out into her
favorite ditty:
"Oh! johnny is gone for a soer."
As to her name, | have not found it out
yet, although weeks have passed since had
good reasons for knowing her. believe her
body can conceive with what satisfaction
the tells that new boarder has come, and
involuntary niutter "GOd help u.s. as she
,Ounces upon him and Sits him from head
% foot A gentleman with big beard comes
lext-our chief bOarder-and has full per-
mission from my landlady to investigate,
sum up and amend such portions of his his
-ory as may have been forgotten in the ex
element of the day previous. Books and
papers are turned over without mercy Big
Beard, knowing very well where anything
wants clearing up, and where strong stand
point may be taken.
you aren't long in the city p interrogates
Big Beard
Not very long" very family.