The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-01-22
ny LANDLADY'S STORY.

4AJ ahAukalJ YVES b I5610s Epafes 06A
clean-looking old woman, with the kin
OF superficial sharpness of the eye th,
bespeaks person whose mind has O
ways moved within the same small oil
Gle. When, or at what age, she beca
the business of letting furnished apar
ments, or whether she was born in Il
and grew up Of nature and necessity
Iandlady, ! do not know: but there sh
was, as intimate with her house an
everything that concerned it as an oyf
ter is with its shell, and as ignorant
too, Of the outside world as Is that ex
elusive bivalve. Her connection witt
that world was of peculiar kind. Sb
never visited il but when driven by tb,
force Of circumstances, and then It wa
as beleaguered garrison makes sorti.
against the enemy. Her natural foe
were the tradespeople, who dealt Il
anything she wanted, and the result d
conflict between them, if it involved
coin of the lowest denomination. col.
OACN A0A bn5 WnOl2 QaY.
It was not frequently, however. that
she was driven to this aggressive war.
fare, for my landlady was great dealer
ct the door and lived in state Of per.
petual hostility with the venders Of
fresh white fish here" early cab.
bage and similar Of the tried Iuxuriies
Her house, Or at least the parlor floor
which inhabited, bore a conspicuous re.
semblance to herself, being d little
spare, neat, clean looking old floor.
y consisted Of a sitting-room and
bedroom in excellent preservation
What the age of the furniture NAV have
been y was impossible to say Of even
make anything like correct guest. but
for all practical purposes it was ais good
as new. There was no polish on il. but
neither was there particle of dust
not . grain. Though kept constantly
and acrupulously clean, it had never
been rubbed In It's whole life; that, pos.
Hlbly, was the secret of its longevity.
The carpet, though as whole as the
rest, was not in other respects so forth.
nate. It's color was SO completely faded
thai you could not tell, With any de
gree Of accuracy, what il had originally
been the pattern might have been the
matter Of endless controversy ana ii |
exhibited decided gangway from the |
door To the fireplace. It's dimensions
might be thought somewhat scanty. for /
II did not cover the entire floor: but /
then It must be considered that this
carpet was intended for the comfort Of
the lodger's feet, not for those Of the
the siz cane- bottomed chairs ranged. at
vide intervals, along the walls. On
The mantle there stood i lion Of spar,
md fanking him Oh each side vase 81
stonevare making mp in size what it
iaoked In beauty, Earrow, horizontal
mirror, divided into three compartments
With 4 black frame.
These apartments, for which L paid +,
our dollars week, were not particu.
arly cheerful Or delightful apartments.
rheyhad. indeed, rather cold, solitary.
onesorne look, AMI sometimes III the
morning at breakfast time would fain
AVE even prolonged the ministerine Of
he dirty maid Of all work By asking
ny questions that might come into my
lead not for information at ali. but
nsf for the pHrpose Of having some
ne 20 talk to. But Susan had, doubtless.
'een ordered To hold no converse with
he dodgers, and therefore her replies /
Eero unnecessarily short and By NO
aeans encouraging. Slammfng down
! whisking PEI fhe things, she abruptly Ri
ook Der departure AT length had
ecourse TO the Iandlady herself, and
ound her 50 much more communica-
Ye that I suddenly conceived the wild III
len Of being able to select from her rens
lisoelces the materials for story
ith \ vhich = had already resolved to
eight the public and naske Tie fortune
suoh periodical ais should he 30 for
mate as 70 secure The thrilling pro-
nctionf 7 could only think 81 i
Iot. She waa not e ali disineIined to +.
,eak. Indeed. I believe she would i
we 20 scruple ii telling ms the story q
each and every one of her numerous
dgers. from the epoch when things j
sgan to settle down after the Norman il
inquest; for II was t0 some suoh pe.
ia that referred ia my own mind The 4
vt appearance I'D ha window 81
Lodgings to Lst. Bat somehow hel
agers had no history to relate. He
porite hero was gentleman, whe
sry nov and then brought her in new /
III tha politieaI world u the effect ths l
era waa movement on ioot II iiae
,riali9e congress 10 impose D tax os /
.niahed lodgingg. This was q verv i
citing subject, and one upOn Whicl q
} little, spare. neat landIady alwayi Ii
sksd Id great deal of enthusiasm f
leed. gIe did not hesitate ID Set tllt
ole national government at defiance til
Hex, il answer 70 my cautions that