Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-03-25

said the former. Come Mehtabel.'
And as they descended the front steps.
Charley heard her say:
''Deranged beyond doubt; poor Young
man And where could his friends have
been? Really we have had narrow es-
cape"
Anything but pack Of old maids. said
Charley, elevating his nose. But as he
passed the little oval mirror in the hall hat
rack he caught glimpse of his countenance
No wonder they had fancied him unset
tied in mind A tattooed South Sea Island
er could hardly have presented a face of
more varied hues Ashes and charcoal with
the healthy glow of exercise beneath and a
curly pine shaving in his hair-this, togeth-
er with the checked apron and his incoher-
ence of speech and manner might well have
inspired a doub, of his sanity
4 muttered exclamation broke from his
lips as he broke the strings of the offending
garment. and retired to try the efficacy of
old brown Windsor and double toweling,
Just he had finished his ablutions an
other ring pealed on his startled ears-it was
a care-worn looking matron this time with
two little girls drawn up on either side of
her. and two boys engaged IN single combat
on the threshold of the ves,ibulc.
I a
modern Cornelia. abruptly. George. if YOU
| don't let Henry Augustus alone III"
"ies. madam. walk in said Charley. On
which the Youths dessted temporarily, and
shufiied in after their mother and two little
girls. still mu,tering threats of dire venge-
ance against each other.
Eighteen hundred dollars. eh ?" said the
| matron. when she heard the rent. George.
4 ~ g
| quick Henry Augustus, keep YOUR fingers
| of the books | never see such a meddler
That's big rent, Sir Ny family amt
large-only seven children. and We calc'late
10 board the bows from the store
| Il don't think the landlord would be
! wiling TO let it to family Of that size"
| g,mnasiics in which Henry Augustus and
the doughty George were indulging.
oh. well" said the lady with toss Of
her head. III look at the house"
'Up stairs and down stairs" she went like
the character in the nursery rhymes. opening
every closet door. inspecting every nook
and corner.
"'Taint much Of house after all. vas
her ungracious comment. Children. come.
/ do wish YOU would behave yourselves FIVE
minutes al time
For Henry Augustus. di.dainful OF the
ordinary method of locomo,ion. had Sid
! nimbly down the balus,ers. leaving the fur
! rowed impress of the brass buttons on his
| coat all the way down.
Charley Wayne brcaihed an internal
Thanksgiving be closed the door behind
/ this hopeful family group.
/ The next arrival was a tall. disconten,cd-
! looking woman. with very little husband.
who made point Of finding fault with e.
I crything. The door handles we're ungild-
/ ed the ceilings were not irescocd, the bath
/ room vas inconyenicni; nothing suited her
+ and meanw hile the little husband irotted
1 after her like faithful dog. his hands in his
/ pockets. and echoed her every sentiment.
I There's one alternative ma'am." said
/ Charley, beginning 10 get very much out Of
/ patience:
The tall lady looked cNpectant.
III YOU don't ike the house. you're not
/ obliged 10 take it,
/ The lady took her husband under her arm
and departed IN high dudgeon. much TO the
relief of our hero.
II wonder how my breakfast is getting
along" he thought Upon my word I'm
half famishcd."
Down stars, he went. two steps at a time.
| The fire had burned out; the chicken hung
by its motionless string, one side charred.
the other quite raw. The potatoes were as
| hard a. ever they were. and the coffee had
| apparently never conceived the idea OF boil
| ing.
Charlie whistled. low and long-the mys-
tic art of cooking was acquiring new com
plication in his ewes.
Ill have To begin over again., said
Charley with deep sigh. as he remembered
the charcoal and ashes, for"
The bell again-the bell, jingling as ma
| liciously as If its wires were instinct with
some evil genius.
This time it was a cory old lady with an
umbrella. wherewith she gesiiculated as she
talked.
..Is this house 10 LETT"
1T is" returned our hero iacunicaly.
We'll. I'd like to look at il. Our land
lord has put an extra two hundred on our
house, and my husband says. says he. Me
Indy. 'taint worth while TO pay no more in
such poor locality It's tol'able nice
house; hain't nothin' to say about the
house"
mo, ma am. These are the parlors the
extension room
But" went on the old lady. apparently
quite regardless of the interruption. 1.-TWO
grocery stores are opposite. and stable next
door but one, and my husband says TO me,
saws he"
"iot and cold water; a superior range
and bells all over the house." interrupted
Charley. resolved to have his say. But the
old lady was irrepressible.
"Melindy," says he, I'VE may as well
pull up stakes. for we've lived here seven
year come next May, and though three re-
moves is as bad as fire, still faint in hu-
man nature to put up with the landlords
nowadays. and if I've said once I've said
forty times"
dumb waiter in the dining room and
chandeliers included-rent only eighteen
hundred dollars
Eighteen hundred dollars calculated the
old lady piercingly. why We only pa,
eight, and nv husband-he is in the com.
mission business-he says to me, 'Melin-
dy-'"
. "Then YOU won't care to see the rooms
t ma am" said Charley. skillfully avoiding
the point of the waving umbrella.
Not at that price, for my husband"
e Charley was edging her skillfully towart
the door.
| MY husband"
d. "Iake care OF the steps ma am-they art
slippery--all right--good morning."
| And he closed the door precipitately.
Applicant after applicant arrived, inspected
e the house, and expressed variety of opin
r ions, none of them complimentary. Charlie,
began to think himself it was little strang,
}. he had lived so long in the mansion withou
: discovering its many drawbacks. inconyen
n fences and bad features.
!. "On the whole. I'm rather glad we're go
: ing to leave it. he thought uncomfortably
He was beginning seriously to contemplate
Z the idea of packing his valise, slipping ou
: at the rear door, and leaving the house Il
e its fate, as am alternative to the perpetua
o stream of house hunters who were gradual
bsdgering all energy, life and spirit out o
y him, when the bell sounded again, softly.
# ..I'll answer it this once" thought Charlie,
II "and then I'll take down the wires and tea
l. down the bill. Human nature can't STAN
# this sort of thing much longer"
m Two ladies again-but how unlike tn
two who had first disturbed the current q
T. his culinary reflections! They were dresse