Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-04
ME.
NO. 2e2.
Talss aud Sketehfs.
THE SPARSLEY'S BOARDERS.

Inc Misses SparSiey were ladies in re-
duced circumstances, who had opened
boarding house in order to keep body and
soul together, and hardly managed, by
dint of high charges and Indifferent fare,
to make both ends meet, with an incapac-
ity for business characteristic of ladies in
reduced circumstances. In their secret
Hearts they despised themselves for hav-
ing yielded to necessity in weak mo-
ment, and departed from the tradition of
their toreiathers-ior having stained their
hands with gnoble baking and brewing,
sweeping and dusting. Genteel penury
seemed much more respectable in their
eyes. They had dreamed dreams, to be
sure, of an invalid lady in search Of a COM
panion, who would sit in crimson boudoir
and read the Waverley Novels, and take
airings in q fashionable square with car
riage and span. But, as the invalid lady
failed to put in an appearance. while
boarders did not, choice in employment
was hardly admissible. In the mean
time, they were not old enough to have
renounced that earlier dream OF marriage,
and perhaps the idea that it was possible
for them to be lifted out of the obscurity
which they hated. at some future day.
gave a relish to life that it might other
genteel boarding house that Miss Drexel
and her little sister took rooms one au-
tumn. They were orphans, who had
been obliged to surrender the luxuries of
city home after the settlement of their
board town of Marathon, where schooling
and living were supposed to be cheap 1t
had seemed to be q mere matter of acci-
hat cho bov cd
this place, with the world before her
where to choose. She had been looking
over the map Of New England one day
with her LAWYER and the name took her
fancy.
Marathon " said she. II don't know
but should like 10 90 there. 1t sounds
heroic and historic"
Yes, fine place." answered the lawyer
-"publc school-twelve thousand popu-
laton-a dozen churches-cotton mills"
Handy, in case should lose my pit
tance," added Miss Drexel.
"Savings banks, the lawyer continued,
and horse railroad. I've a friend there.
too, second cousin of my wife 's--introduce
you. Ben ,Jeffreys is a capital fellow, n
lawyer, too; runs in the family. III write
and ask him how it will do for you. He'll
know about boarding-houses and all
that"
And 80 it happened that Mr.. Benedict
Jeffreys wrote, in answer, that he thought
it would do to turn, and recommended
the Misses Sparsley's clearinghouse,
where he lodged himself. He even of.
fered to meet Miss Drexel at the station.
which he did and perhaps he experienced
a twinge of disappointment when she
lifted her veil, and showed u travel-worn
and tear-stained face, with pair of placid
blue eyes and an unsymmetrical nose, re-
lieved by fine, firm mouth, and a rosy
English complexion.
The Sparsley's received her with BEAM
ing cordiality. They had feared to see
New York girl OF fashion, full OF follies
and firtation-a beauty, perhaps, whose
very umbrella would have an air Of bon
ton, who would wear four-buttoned gloves,
and French boots, and real Valenciennes;
whereas. she seemed, from their point OF
view, plain, everyday sort Of girl, with
no pretensions. and not in the least dan
gerous to man like Mr.. 'Jeffreys. For,
in truth, Miss Katherine Sparsley had q
tender regard for said Benedict, which her
elder sister fostered and furthered-a re.
gard which nourished itself on very scam
ty nutriment, TO be sure on tickets to con-
certs and lectures, on occasional seats be-
hind his grey steed, on Christmas gifts
and birthday tokens, and little kindnesses
which it was AS natural as breathing tor
him to offer toward whoever came in his
Way. In return he possessed a small va
lise. full of embroidered slippers. braided
smoking-caps, watch-caseS, ETC., OF kath.
crimes handiwork; the walls of his room
were hung with poor daubs in water-col-
ors, reminders OF birthdays and holidays;
there were tides on every armchair. and
his soia-cushion had been purloined in Or
der to reappear in splendid toilette of
calla lilies and ivy leaves. All these at
tentions might have given hint if Miss
Katherine 'open secret" of MIR. Jehreys
had lent any thought to the language,
and had not been toO-well used to lady
like attentions. In fact, it was due 10
this amiable weakness on the part OF Miss
Katherine that the house was filled only
with elderly widows and antiquated SPINS
ters and clergymen who had outlived their
usefulness, and that they had been induced
TO take Miss Drexel merely because Mr..
Jeffreys had urged it, and had proposed
giving up his own room, and finding lOdg-
ing at the hotel in order that they might
accommodate her. OF two evils, they nat
urally chose the lesser; it would be pos
sible to rid themselves of Miss Drexel If
she proved troublesome, but if Mr.. JEFF.
reys departed, it might be for years, and
it might be forever.
Miss Drexel, having put Ally at school,
began to make acquaintance with her new
home. Mr.. Jeffreys brought his friends
to call, others followed suit; the Misses
Sparsly were surprised to find her quite
the fashion in cliques from which they had
been omitted There were new, rich peo-
Pile in Marathon who knew not Joseph,
who made much of Miss Drexel and little
of the Misses Sparsley, because they had
found out her talent, and wished to enrich
their fetes with her musical skill. The
Sparsleys were not prepared for any such
awkward situation, though they could
have borne it had it not come about
through Mr. Jeffrey's influence. Why
had he not lent himself to their establish
ment in society, as we'll as to that Of this
stranger? Had she already bewitched
himp Perish the thought
your parlor looks like an oasis among
the sands OF Sahara" Miss Katherine over
I la "a -