Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-05-16
MYRA'S HOUSE.

Myra's mother was my first client.
have good reason to thank God for that.
| had been waiting so long for business
which never came that when at last the
Goor did open, and saw it was neither
the newsboy, the ashman nor the wash
erwoman, my heart warmed toward the
newcomer. Only last week l asked her
how she came to talk so freely to me
that morning long ago. She answered: :
1.-The truth is, Charlie, suppose | had
got so hungry for kindness, and so tired
of keeping things to myself, that when |
saw somebody who looked as if he
didn't mean to take advantage of me
couldn't help talking. / was like the
earth when it has been frozen by long
winter, and feels at last somehow that
it is spring. | think felt as the ice does
whert the warm air sets it running"
| remembered the anxious, lonely,
care-worn look, which has quite van
ished from the dear face now, and
thanked God that she had been my first
client. If she had come in the busy
days when clients had grown plenty she
might have found in me more of winter
than of summer.
Il came," said my first client, /" to see
you about my daughter Myra's house.
It's all she has; the tenant don't like to
pay the rent-we've been greatly both
cred about it-and now Mr.. Stickney
says he'll sue me for libel if say a word
about money. Myra don't want any
fuss in court, so | thought I'd just step
in and ask you what we had better do,
seeing you are a lawyer and we're two
lone women"
Sit down, ma'am,n l said; "my
mother was widow. / will help you
if can; let me hear your story.
She took the proffered chair, and the
tired expression slowly faded from her
face us she proceeded: my name is
Mrs. Coutts. I've kept boarding house
off and on-mostly on-for nigh fifteen
years. 1t may have been my bad luck,
but it has always been a hard life for
me, trying to please everybody and make
one dollar overtake another in hand.
I've been so badgered and worried that
it would often have been a relief to go
away for an hour. if only to have a tooth
pulled. .
1T seemed as if you were the whole
somehow a boy can't be so near as a
girl; girl is always at your apron
strings. At night, when the dishes are
washed and everything settled down,
there was Myra, always sweet and inno-
cent-looking. She was like her father
that has been in heaven manysa year
where your mother is. When night
came it just rested me to look at her
She trotted up and down stairs and along
the pavements after me as busy as bee ;
but you'd thought, to see her asleep, she
had been playing in Paradise all day
and dreaming of heaven all night She
was the real contented kind. l was
willing to work my fingers to the bone
for Myra. Everybody loved the child
when she was little, and they loved
her more as she grew bigger.
"Well! Mrs. Street lived opposite us.
Mr.. Street had the biggest store, filled
with silks and satins, and he had no
end of money in bank. His son Frank
used to walk to school with my Myra
and carry her books and slate. l can't
remember when they were first
sweet on each other | might
have known how it would all end. 1t
was not natural that rich folks should
want their only son to marry girl
who had not cent and whose mother
kept a boarding-house.- | always liked
Frank, though, he had such straight
forward eyes. And Mrs. Street used to
ask Myra to tea every once in while
Just on account of Frank, you know
Why, | watched those two just as
would children playing jackstraws, they
Il. hnxy
Zone day, before | began to think OF
such thing (Myra had just put on long
dresses), Frank came to me, as shame.
faced as girl, and real manipulating
too, and he said: Mrs. Coutts, / want
Myra for my wife, and I'll try and take
good care of her. What could sayl
Mr.. Frank, I'll giveyo an answer to
morrow was what told him. / made
up my mind to go to Mrs. Streets, anC
if Myra was not welcome in the family
I'd rather she would break her heart a
once than be snubbed and die by inches
She was my child, but she was gooC
enough to be the wife of the king of Eng
land. My eyes were open wider than ;
hawks all that night, and kept think
ing over and over how ! would stand VI
to Mrs. Street and battle for Myra. Th
next morning, after had brought m.
basket home from market, determines
to go. First, thought / would put ol
my black silk dress that my husband
old partner had sent me four years be
fore. But l was too proud; she mus
take me as l was. and l would go in m
everyday rig. So crossed over to Mrs
Streets house. There were blue sati
chairs in the parlor, and when | saw tw
women in brown stuff frocks walk tc
ward me out of the big looking glasses
| sort of wished / had worn the othe
dress that was hanging up in the close
ut home,
MRS. Street was in thereon waterin
some ivies, and she said, very friendl
like: Good Mrs. Coutts, won
you sit DOWN. NO, / thank yol
maam,' was all / could answer;
must soon be home to get dinner. / ju,
came to see you on little business > an
then l blurted it right out at once: 1t
about Myra. ] have never enticed yol
son Frank, and ifyou'd rather he'd mari
some rich fine lady it would suit me .iu
as WELL ] trembled so that / had
hold on to big stuffy chair. Myra WI
all had, you know. Mrs. Street toe
my rough brown hand in her soft viii
one. lust as if / was sick with A feve