New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-09-29
WHAT 1 DISCOVERED.

WHAT DISCOVERED.
They were house-cleaning at Mrs.
Copper's boarding house. My paternal
grandmother, Mrs. Perkins, lived next
door to that establishment, and l had
been to call upon her and just lodged q
dipper full of water aimed at an upper
window as crossed the pavement.
Water was dripping from all the newly.
washed window stills. A stout Irish girl
was on the top ola step-ladder in the
vestibule. Mysterious female heads
enveloped in towels appeared at upper
windows and vanished instantly. A
kalsomining gentleman of color was
engineering two poles with q bucket
strung on them through the area door,
and a faint smell of paint came through
the door, in company with tall person
in white paper cap, who had the air
of one whose occupation was over. Be-
hind him came a small, gaunt, prim,
and perfectly-dressed young man, who
was endeavoring to get full view of
his own back as he rushed down the
front door steps. knew my friend.
Mr.. Mirabeau Spriggins.
"How dye do, Spriggins?" cried,
as he ran against me, land what are
you doing here?''
He looked as though he had been
after the spoons. But Spriggins has no
sense of humor, so didn't say so then.
Spriggins' answer was the Yankee
One-a question.
perkins, have I got any paint on my
coat?" he said.
Having carefully examined his back,
lreplied truthfully in the negative.
Spriggins gave sigh of relief.
"You see, she's cleaning house," he
said, land it's a thorough cleaning.
Did you know I'd come up to board with
Mrs. Copper"
"No. Have you?'' l asked.
EYES," said he. Every nice place.
Large room, south aspect, hot and cold
water, reasonable terms. Had to leave
Ferguson's. Nine crying babies and
two young ladies studying for the opera
there. 'Greeable sort of person, Mrs.
Copper; in her manners"
20. very agreeable" said. "Good
housekeeper, / believe.'
"That's evident said he. swell,
housekeeping is necessary" And he
looked at his elbows again. "You're
sure there's no paint on me?" he said,
in pathetic tone.
"Not speck,' replied.
"How old do you suppose she TSP"
he asked; in a moment more.
"Who?' inquired.
"Landlady," responded Spriggins.
80, Mrs. Copper! Well, Somewhere
between thirty and fifty" said I.
"Vague,' responded Sprlggins.
IL can't get any Closer" said I.
"She isn't gray" said Spriggins;
"but then, I've seen those things III the
windows. Thin little wigs-invisibles,
they call 'em. Maybe she wears one
of them-I think she does.''
my grandmother Does" said L;
"and my little cousin, just eighteen to-
morrow; that tells nothing"
"No, it doesn' t-does it?' said Sprig-
gins: "No. say, did you ever hear
Copper?'
Mysterious? No. What do you
mean?' asked.
"O!-well! Late Copper died natu-
raj death, CHI? Wasn't poisoned or any,
thing?'
"Fell from scaffold and broke his
neck. He was a builder" said I.
"She couldn't have pushed him of,
or anything?" asked Spriggins.
"Why, in the name of common sense
should she have pushed him otf?'' l
asked.
Enactment to somebody else," sug-
gcsted Spriggins.
Mrs. Copper attached to somebody
else! A plain, respectable woman like
that-dcar, dear! Why, whoever sug-
gcsted such thing?''
HIN well-nobody," said Sprig-
gins; "but she wasn't on the scalfold?'
"At home getting dinner, and went
news" I answered.
"That seems to settle it," said Sprig-
gins.
II should think it did," said I.
"Wel|, good-5yc,' said Spriggins.
Drop in some evening""
did drop in. At least, after week
or two l rang the front door-bell of Mrs.
Copper s clearinghouse and inquired
for Mr.. Spriggins.
found him in his room, which war
ranted all his encomiums, and he was
reading paper devoted to police re-
ports.
"Comc in," said he. "Glad to see
you. Nice room, ch? Had my photo
graph framed and hung up. Gives the
room Il sort of human interest, Ell?
um?''
said, 1t added to the effect"
don't know what + meant, BUTT pleased
Spriggins.
He was silent for while, then he
looked at me with his queer little eyes
screwed up into nothing, and said:
"Scc here. Landla,iy was married
before she ever married Mr.. Copper"
"Was she?' l asked.
II ask YOU" said he.
"Well, don't know" said I. "She
was Mrs. Copper when first saw her."
"H'm!' said he. well, if she was
divorced from what's his name, what
may have been the cause?''
Have you heard she wasp asked.
No." replied Spriggins. "No-
only she made the remark, first hus-
band yesterday. DO you remember
any case in court - What -a-name
against What s-a-name, that might have
been landlady's?''
"f could tell what you were driv-
ing at, " said !, !" I might be able to an
swer you.''
"Well," said Spriggins, "here's a
woman-nobody knows her first hus-
band. 1 dono-I dono. Curious, um?''
=" Perhaps my grandmother may
know" said, beginning to feel sure
that Spriggins. whose OccupatiOn cOuld