Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-29
MY FRIEND MRS. ANGEL.
A WASHINGTON sKETCH.
rJulia schayer in scrisner for Jun. I


ance. as well as the somewhat peculiar charac-
ter which 1t assumed, was doubtless due to the
interest betrayed In the history of her early
HE, as related TO me at different times frankly
and with unconscious pathoS and humOr
Her parents were OF the 'poor white" class
and lived In some remote Virginian Wild whose
precise locality, owing TO the narratOrS vague
geographical knowledge | could never ascer-
tain. She was the Oldest of fifteen children, all
OF whom were brought up without the first
rudfments OF an education and ruled over with
brutal tyranny BY father whose sole object in
life was TO vie with his neighbOrS in the con-
sumption OF "black jack and corn whisky and
10 extract the maximum of labor from his
numerous progeny-his paternal affection find
Ing vent In the of-repeated phrase, .'Durn 'em.
wish could sell some on emf The bows as
they became old enough TO realize the situation,
ran away In regular succession; the girls In the
Iorlorn hope OF exchanging cruel master for
one less So drifted into m itrimony at the ear
hest possible age. Mrs Angel, at the age OF
sixteen. married man OF her own class who
found his way In course Of time TO Washington
and became day labOrer In the navy yard
t would De interesting, If practicable. to
Trace the subtle laws by which this woman De-
came possessed of a beauty of feature and
form, and color, which youth spent in field
work. twenty subsequent years OF maternity
ana domestic labor, and lifelong diet of the
coarsest description, have not succeeded In OBJ
hterattng. Blue. heavily fringed eyes want
ing only Intelligence to make them really h. M.
ilful; dark, wavy hair. delicately formed ears,
taper fingers, and a fair, though faded com
plex1on, tell or youth whose Beauty must
have been striking.
She seldom alluded to her husband at all, and
never oy name. the brief pronoun ''he'' an
SWef1ng all purposes, and this invariably ut
Tered IN tone OF resentment and contninot
which me story OF his wOOing sufficiently ac-
counts for
"His folks lived over tother side the moun-
IN. she related, IAN he was dead sot an a.
termlned he'd have me. i never did see a man
so Sot! The Lord knows why He used fer
]0Iler me round an set an set, day in an day
out KEEP a-tellin' of him | couldn't a-bear
hlIn, an when said IL he'd Jess look at me An,
KIND Q, grin Ike, an never say nothin. but keep
on a-Settln roun'. Mother she didn't dare saw
q word, cause she knowed father lowed should
nave him whether or no. ''Taint no use Cal
hue, shed say, .ye might as well give up fusC
as last Then he got ter comm every day an
he an father jess sOt an smoked an drink
whisky, and he a-Starin' at me all the time as If
ne was crazy, like. Bimeby i took ter hidin'
Wnen ne come. Sometimes hid In the coyy-
shed, an sometimes In the woods an waited
I'LL he'd cfared out, an then when come i'm
lne mouse, father he'd out with his cowhide. an
whip me. I'll teach ye,' he'd saw STearin' a "
full, IN teach ye ter honor yer father an moth.
er, as brought ye inter the world We huSSyI,
An after While. what with that, an seefn,
6iQ ~ a-cryln ,roun begun ter git enough
up an let him marry me; but she added with
smouldering fire in her faded blue ewes. II
lowed q make him sorry fur it, and | reckon |
Htt But he wont let on. ketch him.
This, and her subsequent history her yalor
gus struggle with poverty, her industry and
lldineSS, her Intense, though blindy foolish.
loSe lOT her numerous Offspring and q general
sOft-heartedneSS toward all the world excent
"n1ggefS and the father OF her children inter-
eoled me In the woman to an extent which has
proved disastrous to my cOmfOrC-ald DOcket
cannot tell how 1t came about but at an early
period OF our acquaintance Mrs Angel bagan 10
TAKE lSely Interest In my wardrobe, not only
promptly securing such articles as mad aIraaty
condemned as being too shabby even for the
wear or an elderly government emplOye hut
gong 70 The length OF suggesting the laying
aSlut OF others which had mOdeStIy deemed
capable OF longer service. From this IL W IS but
a step 10 placing species OF lien upon all newly
purchased garments, upon which she freely
commented, with view 10 their ultimate desti-
nation III Is not pleasant TO 60 through the
world With the feeling OF being mOrtydgei as TO
ones apparel, but though there have been m1-
EehtS when have Ineditated rebellion have
course OF action,
/ cannot recall the time when Mrs ANGEL left
my room Without package OF some descrip-
uOn: she carries with her always a black
satchel, possessing the Capacity and insaTia-
Dlnty OF a conjuTer's bag. but, unlike that arJl-
eie. While anything may be gotten into IL, moth
Ing ever comes out or IL.
Her power OF absorption is simply marvellous
fortunately, however, the demon OF desire
which possesses her may be appeaSed all other
nedIs falling, WIZ such TITLES as row OF pins,
lew needles, OF even stale newspapers.
lie reads EN-, she explained, concerning
1nt iast, an Then dresses my pantry-shelyeS
II is a wonder your husband never tauyht
lod 10 read" said once, seeing how wlsTfnlIy
Sne Was turning the ptge5 OF a HUpr.'s
The look of concentrated hate flashed into her
face again.
He lows a woman amt got no call fer
read, she answered, bitterly. Il alters laid OF
10 ii VII o''
came home from my Office one day late in
autumn 10 ma Mrs Angel sitting by the fire In
Hy room, which as | board with fripnd IL
never locked. Her customary IrappinUs of ygoa
were enhanced by new veil or cheap crane
which swept the floor, and her round rosy VS.
age wore am expression OF deep, unmitigated
gfle1. patch or pOudIe De rig ornamented
her UP Tilted nose, delicate aroma OF FarIna
COIoSnt-Water peTVaded the ATMOSPHERE and
me hahdie or my ivory-backed hair brush pro-
my dressing bureau.
glanced at her apprehenstvely. NV first
Ihought was that the somewhat mythical per-
sOnage known as ''he" had finally shuflie1 him
fully. -'p'''-
"Goodeventn'," she murmured. pretty
How do you do. Mrs. Angelo" / responded
symparhetically. You seem TO be In trouble
What has happened? -
"A heap" vas the dismal answer. ..Old Mr.
LawSon'S dead.' "
quired. III
well" she answered. somewhat dnb,ons,v
thought-''not SO high. tie wasn't rightly no
KIM His fuSt Wife'S sister married INV oldest
sisters husbands mOther-but ives alters
E7tOtCed him, an he was alters a comm, an a
goin amongst Us lie enc o the family An II
ever they tCGS saint he was one.r
Here she wiped away fuTtiVe tear with a
new black bGrdeTed kerchef was silent feel
Ing any expression or sympathy on my pari I'm
adequate 10 the occasion.
HE was prepared" she resumed presently
'ef ever a man was. lie got religion abolf
forty years ago-that time all the stars fell
down, ye know. He'd been ter see his gal. an
was goin home late, and the stars was a-fallln'.
and he was to0k then. He went into barn an
begun prayin, an he amt never STOPPED
sence."
Again the black bordered handkerchief was
brought into requis1tion.
How are the children" ventured. after a
pause. =
poly" was the discouragfng answer,
jimmy an Nelly an John Henry has all had the
Group I've been a-rubbin' OF em with Rad
ways Relief an British ile an a-givin' on it to
en- internal, fur two days an nights runnin'.
Boln bottles Is empty now, and the Lord knows
MneTe lhe next Is ter come from, fur we amt
gOt no credit at the 'pothecary's Hes out o.
MOIk ag In, an they amt stick o. wood In the
sneu, an me grocer man says he wants some
money putty soon. Ef my hens would only
III was unfortunate" could not help saw
lcS, Win glance at the veil and handkerchief
mat you Ielt ooliged TO purchase additional
mourning just when things were looking So
She gave me sharp glance, a glow Of sone.
ting Ike resentment crept into her face.
Nle- r.4fr