The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-03-31
THROUGH FIVE HOUSES.

On a beautiful summer evening, Mrs Smith,
wife of the dry goods merchant in the little
town of B, thought it would do good
to take short stroll and make call upon
one Of her neighbors. Accordingly she put
on her sun bonnet, locked up the house. and
Gran in" to neighbor Jones just across the
way. And there heard piece of news.
'.They do.say that our new minister's wife
isn't just the person she ought to be, for the
place." said Mrs. Jones, rocking to and fro in
her own particular easy chair, and knitting
all the while ga little Eighty, dressy kind
of thing, with her hair all hanging in curls
yer her shoulders. and wearing gypsy hat
over them curls, Mrs. Smith She draws.
and she plays the palmer, and she works all
kinds of embroidery patterns But | haint
heerd of her making the minister a single
shirt since she comes here, Mrs. Smith! And
I'll bet his stockings are full Of holes, if the
sober truth was known about them. That
amt the kind of woman minister wants for
wife. He wants woman t!at has some
sense, al d some mind. And between you
and me, she hasn't any. Only don't you
ever 90 and say that said so Mrs. Smith y
Oh dear, no! Mrs Smith would never men
tion it, for the whole world And what a
pity it was And she must say goodby now,
and 60 aud call on Mrs Brown, and get her
receipt for making soda biscuits.
So to Mrs Brown was related, under a
solemn VOW of secrecy, the terrible tale Of
the mioistcr's ashty wife.
sShe's all the time painting and singing,
and playing on the pianncr. Mrs. Brown,
and that poor dear mans shirts are never
properly looked after; and she has embroid-
cred every pattern at the milliner's, but his
stockings are one perfect mass OF holes,
and he has to wear on boots to hide them
and she curls her hair, Mrs. Brown; and be-
tween YOU and me, though you mustn't say
that ever said so, they do say that her mind
isn't very strong. Isn't it a pity that such
nice man has got such wife wonder he
lives with her as patiently as he docs. lite
enough to make him 60 out of his mind too
as far as she has gone isn't it, now Mrs
Brown"
Mrs. Brown assented, with round eyes OF
wonder. And after Mrs. Smith had gen
home, it occurred to her that she had better
run over the street and see if her cousin by
marriage, Mrs. Green, had heard the news.
"Isn't it a shame, Cousin Green? she ask
ed. as soon as she was comfortably seated by
the parlor window There's the ministers
wife painting her checks, and curling her
hair, and playing all day long on the palmer
and spending all bis money to buy embrold-
cry WITH and the poor man hasn't got bu;
one shirt on his back, and his stockings are
so full of holes that he cant ever take off his
boots, for fear of showing them. | suppose
she isn't to blame though, for between you
and me and the gate post, though you musn''
ever let out that said it, she is just as crazy
as Icon! And the minister, he is going
the same way as fast he can, along Of the
trouble he had in watching her, and trying
to make her behave so that people would
guess what allied her! 1t is really awful te
think of. / suppose, if they get crazy, the
society, and the town will have to put theil
heads together and send them off to Brattle
boro; wouldn't they Cousin Green! p
Cousin Green did not know. But the
question was a very serious one, and ought te
be discussed, if not decided, at once. So
seeing that it was but eight o'clock wher
Mrs. Brown had gone. she slipped on hel
shawl aud ran into Mrs. Whites who was
like her, member of the minister's church
"Whatever are we to do now, with such