Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-06-23
Our Second-FIoOr Lodger.


When John and | first began house
keeping, we were doubtful whether to
live in apartments, or to take a house
and let them. We finally decided upon
the latter; for as John remarked, lodg-
ing houSekeepers were such pilferers
that one never knew when ones eXpen-
Ses ended; like a lawyers bill, there
were so many items.
We began to fancy we had chosen ill,
however, when the little embossed card
hung for three weeks i'm the little sitting
room window without getting one appli-
cation, save from an old lady in the
neighborhood, who, | am certain, came
only out of curiosity.
But at the end of that period, an
elderly gentleman, in delicate health,
called To look at them with his niece,
and decided TO rent three rooms at once.
was very glad, for they appeared to
be quiet people, and meeting John with
a hearty Kiss that evening | told him we
were in luck at last.
81 am pleased to hear it, my girl"
answered John. ''Only take my advice I;
don't DE on more friendly terms with
them than need he. Keep to your place.
All persons have their little fads and
peculiarities, and when these become
antagonistic one house can not hold
both parties. The warmest friendship
with lodgers generally turns to the Bit
terest dislike. Mrs. Jones, presuming
upon Mrs. Browns good nature, bOr-
rows her electro teapot. She makes
dent in the lid and thus strikes the first
nail into the coffin of their friendship"
/ stopped Johns mouth with a muffin
"A failing of his-but promised to do as
he recommended.
That, however, was not so easy. Mr..
Fortescue's niece-Miss Kathleen Mil
broOke-was such a quiet, sweet, amia-
BILE girl, and seemed so alone, that l was
irresistibly drawn TO her; and, when we
met, always had a little conversation,
which, felt sure, gave her considerable
pleasure.
Indeed, her life was terribly mono
tonous. No one visited them; and Mr..
FOrtescue, a confirmed invalid and
hard, austere man, was irritable from
disposition As well as delicate health,
and, | fear, led his poor niece so weary
ing an existence that, | imagine, when
she could get away for chat with me
she found il Il wonderful relief.
Well, they mad been with us nearly a
fortnight, when, late one evening, a
gentleman called TO see the room We
had on the second floor back, and which
he had heard of at the stationer's. He
was very good looking, tall, with pale
face and heavy dark beard and NOUS
tache.
It's very foolish, | know, but | have
always been mistrustful of dark boards
and moustaches. Dear Johns face is as
smooth as an egg. But the stranger
spoke openly and fairly enough, gave
me reference to his last landlady and to
the firm where he was employed, while,
TO clinch the matter, he put down the
first two weeks rent in advance, as he
wished TO come in that night.
/ felt | ought not TO have taken him,
hut | was vet nervous i'm the part of
landlady, and hadn't the courage to
refuse. And when, i'm an hour, he re-
turned, carrying his own portmanteau,
and |, having lighted him To his room,
came back To my own, | could not help
speculating a little tremulously upon
what John, who had been detained in
the city, would think.
John thought had done very foolish
thing, ana so terrihed me oni o, my wis
by saying our second-loOr lodger was
n" doubt pur rSiar; VINO, "h1h we were
IN ped, ""uid preah oPe.l, an Tue cup
boards anu uraWers WIN the she'e,o',
heys anu Yelhih. ~, ,ii-'' I, wa va,
'onn caller ~, Wn'.i, ne i'''i r"i,.ea's'i
III iis p,'i poi i.',.i'.t. .t'- III ~ -.
"ihh oi sieep '"roush '''e i'sn'
found everything secure, however,
the next morning, and our second-fioor
lodger quietly waiting for ms breakfast.
He took If at half past seven leaving home
at eight, and seldom returning uhtii
nearly the same hour IN tie evening,
when he rarely went ont again, doing
this so regularly that John began to
leave off jesting and terrifying me about
my burglar, and once happening 10
meet him OH the doorstep, he asked MIR.
Airlie in to have a cigar and a glass OF
ale.
Our lodger accepted the invitanon,
and sat and talked for over an honr,
during which | saw John was trying 10
learn something OF him; but lnehec-
tually-
MY dear, | said, smiling, wheh we
were alone. 81 suspect You know now
about as much about our burglar as