Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-09-26
My LANDLADY,

I board now, and think have one
of the kindliest lapdladies in the world.
She seems to think great deal of me,
and I sometimes almost decide that l
should weep if any harm came to her.
She is very particular about her board
ers. Before she would take me in I
was compelled to get certificate from
three clergymen two bankers, and o
lawyer, stating that had never been
hung for murder or sent to the State
Prison for horse-stealins. I bargained
for front room looking out on the
campus martus and it was understood
that was to have the room alone. On
the third night I went home and found
a stranger in bed, and when I began to
raise row Mrs. Dolby caught my arm
and wlispered:
There, now, be good, dear man
and say no more. He's a preacher,
and, as he is going away tomorrow
thought you wouldn't mind just a one
night"
AT the end of the week she beckoned
me aside, and smiling like load of
fresh hay she wanted to know if I
would do her the fivor-a favor which
would pace her under eternal obliga-
tions to me. | replied that I would
die for her, and then she asked me to
give up the room looking ont upon the
grand square and take one looking out
upon grand alley, full of ash barrels
and oyster cans. She had a new
boarder coming who was awful particu-
tar, and she knew I would do anything
to accommodate her.
I made tho change, and the grateful
look she gave me was enough to melt q
vest button. had only got fairy set
tied when 1 was told that she wanted to
see me in the parlor after dinner. I
found her in tears. She said that q
very nice man and his very nice wife
wanted to come and board with her,
but she had no room; and it grieved her
to think that she must turn them away
when she was SO hard pushed to get
along.
I told her that if I had hundred
lives would lay them all down for her
and then borrow q hundred more and
add to the pile, and she seized my hand
and said that heaven would surely re-
ward me for being good to a fatherless
orphan. Imoved into the garret, the
awful particular man moved into my
room, and the very nice man and his
very nice wife moved into the front
room.
In about ahother week Mrs. Dolby
whispered to me and wanted to know if
1 had a snake in my stomach? She
said that she had observed that I was a
very hearty eater. and didn't know but
I had snake. I set her right. And
when I promised to take full lunches
down town and urge all the other board
ers to do the same, she put her hand on
my shoulder and remarked that heaven
had place for me.
That night my bed was made with
out sheets, and when I went to raise q
row she took me by the hand and said
that her experience went to show that it
was healthier to sleep without sheets.
I was going to argue the question,
when tears came to her eyes and she
hoped 1 wouldn't soy anything to hurt
a poor, lone widow whose life had been
one long struggle with poverty. The
next night the feather bed and one Of
the pillows went, but I didn't say any
thing. Then she wanted to borrow my
tooth brush for boarder who hadn't
any, and she took my stove to use in
the lower hall. I lid't say word un-
til she wanted to know if couldn't
spare the old rag carpet off the floor and
if I wouldn't set the other boarders an
example by drinking nothing but water,
and not taking second biscuit. Then
1 told her that was going to leave that
house and try to tear her image from
my heart.
She seized both my hands, tears
rolled down her cheeks, and she asked.
"Mister Quad. will YOU deliberately
plot to kill lonesome widow who is
working her life out to make your posi-
ton here comfortable, happy, and
luxurious"
I couldn't go. I'm there yet. I
sleep on the floor, put up with cold
bites and use the boot-jack for chair
when I have company. wish l wasn't
SO tender hearted, but I can't think OF
hurting Mrs. Dolby's feelings by look
ing up another place.-Fireside Friend.