Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-10-07
MISS GAY:
A SKETCH FROM LIFE.
BY MARCUS FALL.

lanes and sequestered roads, where the
thrush and blackbird sing in the quiet
evening. The place1is gathered into a
peaceful calm; and to find yourself in
Mauville Square, after the dust and tur-
MOL of the city, is as great change as
for the citizen of sleepy cathedral town
TO find himself on a prairie with the feel
ing of ineXhaustible relief always arising
from the absence of walls. But in Man
VILE Square you find no solitude Lightly
swung broughams and landaus and vic
torias brush over the smooth roadway
now and then; you can on no fine day
put your head out Of font window
without hearing the laughter Of rosy
checked children and the patter of tiny
feet. Here the sunlight seemed always
to come early and stay late. Summer
loved the place. aud fingered longer here
than even at Kew The square had no
rretensions to splendor or wealth or fash
ion or distinction. The houses were mod
ern, well-built, wholesome and roomy.
The grass and shrubs in the enclosure
were kept neatly and efficiently, but there
was no such prudery in the gardening as
forbade cricket to four-ycar-old boys or
the laughing scamper of children through
the trees. The genii of the place were
peace and prosperous plenty and courte-
Gus services. No angry word ever invaded
that Tempe of London. No dun ever cast
shadow on its clean ilagway or whole
some grass.
The houses all belonged to one land.
lord, who was a rich man and owned
property in several other parts Of London.
lie had made one rule over all his house
property, and that was to take ten per
ent year less for his houses than he
,ould easily get, and to be much more
particular as to the people he accepted rs
tenants than most landlords. 1t was not
enough to satisfy him that the tenant was
solvent ana respectable; he would also be
convinced the applicant for a house Of
his was free from anything which could
make him disagreeablC ncighbor. Those
who took houses were to be clearly in
formed one Of the advantages OF the place
was that there were to be no dodgers in
Manville Square.
When Dr. Stephen Brooks took his
house he read the clause with satisfaction.
When man paid hundred and thirty
pounds a year for a house in the suburbs
he expected not to have dodgers next door.
Mrs. Brooks was delighted at the strin.
gency of this prOviso. They had had a
hard fight in the world. They were
childles3. Neither was now young, and
little responsibility becomes very accept.
able in the middle life of woman, when
youth ana young matrOnhood nave been
spent ia narrow ways.
For ten years DR.. Brooks and his wife
lived quiet, easy life in the square; and
then, when he was sixty and she fifty
five, he died, He had saved a little
money--not much. When all debts and
l,1 Al
more than fifteen hundred pounds for the
widow. Her friends recommended her
TO give up this house at once, sell of
what furniture she would not absolutely
need, and take small house ont farther
She wrote to the landlord, and he replied,
saying he would be most happy to do
anything he could for her. He recon.
mended her to 40 nothing definite for a
day or two, until he had called. Between
the dispatch of that letter aad the visit to
Mrs. Brooks the landlord was observed
to call at every house in the square.
When he saw the widow he was extremely
polite and cOnsiderate. He hoped she
would not consider 1t imperlinent on his
part If he alluded to her affairs lie
could not help hearing people speaking
OF her for she and her husband had been
the most popular people in the square,
Among things he heard, the cause of her
wishing to give up the house was that
her circumstances had naturally beet re-
duced by her husbands death lie had
ventured To come with a suggestion,
which, if she dad not feel disposed to
adopt, She would, he felt sure, take rs
well meant All the people in the square
were most anxious she should not leave
it, and would do every thing in tbeir
power to help Ter. He, too, should be
10th To los an old and valued resident.
Now, what he cam prepared to do was,
10 cancel tbs Sub-leting clause of her
lease.
Thus it arose in the year 1879, in one
house in Manvllle Square lodgings could
be secured, and that Edwin Colthurst
lived AS a lodger with Ms. Brooks He
occupied room ut the top ot the house,
looking into the square He went into
the city every cay Immediately after
breakfast, aud was not home till near six
in the evening He was quiet aud I'M
assuming, spoke ia a soft, low voice, and
never was SO pleased rs wnen he could
steal in aud ON unpe cclvei He hal no
companions or friends lie hyrd alto.
gether To himself No one ever called
upon him He always came home
straight from hls buSiu IS ana Went To his
room At ntue O'Clock he came down
and ate some supper, mostly IN silence,
Mrs Brooks hal great ! king for the
young man. and often said she wished he
would have some OF his friends with him
on Sunday Bat he always made tie