The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-10-08

Fro n Harper's Bizar.


From Harper's Bizar:
The Misses Sparsley were ladies in re
duced oi'cum stances. who had opend A
boarding house in order to keep body and
soul together, and had hardly managed, by
dint Of high charges and Indifferent fare to
make both ends meet, with an incapacity
for business characteristic of ladies' in re-
du;ed circumstances. In their secret
hearts they despised themselves for having
yielded to necessity in weak moment and
departed from the traditions of their fo,e
fathers-for having stained their hands
with ignoble baking and h.-~ir., sweeping
and busting. Gentsel penury seemed
much more respectable in their eyes They
had dreamed dreams, to be sure, o! an in
valid lady 10 se'.rch of a comp anion who
sat in crimson boudoir, and read the
Wnverly Novels, auC take airings in the
fashionable square with carriage ana span
but as the invalid lady failed to put in am
appearance, while boarders did not,
choice in employment was hardly admiss-
able. 10 the meantime they were not old
enough to have renowned that earlier
dream of marriage, and perhaps tie idea
that it was possible for them to be lifted
OFT Of the ohscurity which they hated, at
soms future day, gave soma relish to the
life that it might otherwise have lacked
1t was at this very genteel boarding house
that Miss DreXel and her little sister took
rooms one autumn. They were orphans
who had been obliged to surrender the
Injuries Of city home after the settlement
OF their fathers estate, and retire to the
little town Of Marathon, where sohooling
and living were supposed to be cheap. II
had seemed to be mere matter Of acct
dent that she should have decided upon
this place, with tlis world before her where
IL choose. Shs had been looking over the
imp of Nv England one day with her
lawyer, and the name took her fancy
"Marnthon said she, :" l don't know
but should like u 20 here. 1t sounds
heroic aud historic"
ayes, fine place. an,wersd the lawyer
=" public school,--twelve thousand popu-
l,tiou--a dozen c.urches-corton mills"
Handy in case should lose my pit
lance" added Miss DreIel.
"Sarir g banks" the lawyer continued,
"and horse railroad. I've friend there,
too, SECOND cousin of wife's-int oduce you
Ben Jeffreys is capital fellow, lawyer,
too; it run, in the family. I'll write and
ask him how he thinks it will do for you.
He'll know about boarding houses and all
that"
And so it happened that Mr.. Benedict
Jetfreys wrote in answer that he thought
it would do to a turn, and recommended
the Misses Sparsley's boarding house,
where he lodgsd himself. He even offered
20 meet Miss Drexcl at the station, which
he did; and perhaps he experienced "A twinge
of disappointment when she lifted her veil,
and showed travel worn and tear stained
face, with pair Of placid blue eyes and an
un,ymetr:cal nose, relieved by fine, firm
mouth and rosy English complexion
The Sparsleys received her With beaming
cordiallty. They had feared 10 see New
York girl of fashion, full Of follies and fir
tation--a beauty, perhaps, whose very UNI
brela would have an air of elegance aud
ben ton, who would wear four buttoned
gloves, and Fle,ch boots, and real Valen-
ciennes, whereas she seemed, from their
point of view, a plain, everyday sort of
girl, with no preten sions, and not in the
least dangerous to a mau like Mr.. Jetfreys
For, in truth, Miss Katharine Sparsley had
tender regard for said Benedict, which
her elder sister fostered and furthered--a
regard which nourished itself on very scan
~ nutriment, TO be sure; on tickets to CON
certs and lectures, on an occasional seat
behind his gray s.eed, on Christmas gifts
and birthday tokens, and little kinGnesses
which it was as natural as breathing for
him to offer toward whoever came in bis
way. In return he possessed small vaise
full of embroidered slippers, braided smok-
ing-caps, watch cases, ETC., of Katharine
handiwork; the walls of bis room were
hung with poor daubs in water-colors, re-
minders of birthdays and holidays; there
were tides on every armchair. and his
TO re-appear il splendid toilette of Gala
lilies aud ivy leaves. All these attentions
might have given him a hint OF Miss kath
crimes "open secret if Mr.. Jefreys haG
lent any thought to the language, and hat
not been too well used to lady like atten
tions. In fact, it was due 80 this amiablt
weakness on the part of Miss Katharine
that the house was filled only with elderly
widows and antiquated spinsters and clergy
man who bad outlived their usefulness
and that they had been induced to tax,
Miss Drexel merely because Mr.. Jeffrey
had urged it, and proposed giving up hi
own room, and finding lodgings at tn
hotel, in order that they might accommo
date her. OF tho two evils they na:urall
chose the lesser; il would lie impossible l.
rid themselves of Miss Drexel if she prove
troublesome; but II Mr. Jeareys departe
it might be Tor years and it might be fol
ever.
Miss Drexel, having put Ally at sch &C
began to make acquaintance with her ne,
hose. Mr.. JeHreys brought his friend
to osll, others followed suit; the Msss
Sparslsy were surprised 70 ind Der qui,
the fsshiea IN eliquss from which they lon
hsd bsen omitted. There were new, rio