Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-04-09
clearinghouse Experiences in Washington
BY p. W. c.

II an early age, owing to the force Of
circumstances and the pursuit of knowledge,
1 became an inmate of one of those numer-
Gus mansions which form the connecting
link between a hotel and a private residence,
yet which generally possess neither the
comfort of the latter, nor the Independence
of the former, style of living.
The personal appearance of professional
boarding house keepers is usually one of two
sorts; the commonest being lean and angu-
lar, with decidedly riRegdrish expression
of countenance; the face, ornamented with
a long and dangerously sharp nose, and
oftimes pair of spectacles. A faded black
dress is the usual uniform, and, as they are
seldom seen in any other, one becomes inn
pressed with the idea, that they never take
II off, and that, if they ever leave this world,
they will die and be buried in it. A mourn
full expression of countenance is often as
sumed, which takes well with innocent
young men of a serious turn of mind, as
well as with sedate elderly gentlemen;
their scale of prices likewise rise, as their
ewes an conversation ascend heavenward.
The second variety is exactly the reverse
of this. being more like female edition
of the bygone ..Bonifacen A fair, fat and
forty matron; in general, a good provider,
and kind. withal; as good nature and en-
6o1pOint usually go together. To be sure,
hertdress is not always of the cleanest, and
her breath doubtless smells of ONIONS; but,
ten to one. she is a motherly old soul, and
will care for YOU if You are i'll without a
thought as to your ability to pay her while
~ Il. -I.,1a
is generally safe lin these respects to choose
fat landlady-
These varieties do not refer, of course, TO
fashionable houses, but to the middle, and
by far the largest class, patronized by single
men of ordinary means.
When small lad was sent to cele-
brated school, long distance from the city
in which my parents resided, and domiciled
at the house of Mrs McVickar, whose
sign, as hard and rusty looking as herself,
gave notice to the passing public that pro-
viding for the temporal needs of single gen.
tlemen. was her present occupation.
Mrs. McVickar was the relict of cler-
lyman of the place, and consequently stood
high in position, according to rural courtesy;
she thus obtained like many another in
higher walks of life, respect, not on her
own account, but through the merits of the
dead She was stern, uncOmpromising,
and childless, possessing through life pro-
bably little of the milk Of human kindness.
During the three years passed with the
widow of the unfortunate McVickar, | was
so often reminded of the worthlessness of
children, that | wondered what they were
made for. or why they were not born already
grown up" like our first parents Their
cormandiZing habits were ever being COM
mented on in my hearing, and, though
talked at for eating so much, | was still
| forbidden to leave anything on my plate.
| failed to see the justice of treating one
boarder, whose bills were regularly paid,
differently from an other, simply because
he measured a foot or so less in height.
| The others were not obliged 10 eat fat; they
could ask for food a second time, and were
helped to dessert; these privileges were
either denied me, or else so disagreeably
bestowed as to make them scarcely desira-
ble. Being thus kept on short commons,
nv notions concerning the difference OF
lle,ll1 and tenn became somewhat weak
ened, as nv occasional visits to unguarded
cupboards and fruit orchards could testify
Nv visits home being but semi-yearly,
NV Sundays were likewise spent with this
grim guardian, who thus had charge OF my
Spiritual as well as my temporal welfare,
she being doubtless possessed of some un'
known qualities which made her equally {
At director for the souls as for the stomach'
of Young persons She was strict Calvan
ist. a firm believer in predestination, anc
her religion too sacred an article to be uset
on ordinary occasions; was consequently
kent carefully bottled up during the week
To be opened on Sundays, when If over
flowed ike a bottle of root-beer when th'
cork is drawn. Those were days of mar
tyrdom for me, longer by far than tn
longest day at school, as, after attendin:
injecting in the morning, preceded BY
catechism, | was forced to remain perchet
on chair by far too high for me, with
bible or some good book wherein the fate o
some sinful youth who, like myself, pos
sessed fondness for green apples, and hav
ing no fear of God ar Mrs. McNicka
before his eyes, procured some of the Tor
hidden fruit from a neighbors orchard, an
broke his neck and the Sabbath at the sam
time. On the other side was set forth tn
example of a model chap, who ate whatwa
set before him. and made no remarks if tn
meat " as all fat, or the hash had hair i
II. who never asked to be helped twice, bu
who piouslv insisted on going TO church i
snow-storm. took cold, and became a
angel the following week
II was hard for me to discover the advar
tsres of the latter over the formrr; the flr'
evidently had the best time on earth, and b
nv Iandlandy's creed, the future was a
ready decided. / soon learned to anus
myself by making puzzles out Of the Ion
words on nv book, and became quite prC
, fc;ent in constructing anagrams, while m
gr;m Guardian nodded over her bible, thins
inc me perusing for the twentieth time tn
affecting tract of the ''Dairynany Daugi
ter" NJ,
During nv college days, my Alma Mat'
,roved another Mrs. McVicker as lar
hodilv food was concerned Indeed. mo'
: of the practical effusions addressed TO III
,, ia dame bv her children should be receive
with several grains of salt; the SAID mat
being often mere stepmother, and SOFT
one at that. .;,,,
The students were mostly affected win
mania for LARGE and loose coats strangei
mn to pockets, in which were smuggie
articles of diet at illegal hours Anythin
that required no cooking was eagerly soug1 1
for. sardines, canned fruits, oysters, iol
stars etc Such diet was also supposed
contain large proportion of brain nouris,
ment and consequently the thing. Crael
.. -. IA cb.e.e were also in demand, and