The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-11
M l s s G A Y
BY MARCUS FALL.

One of the quietest places in the London
suburbs is Manville square, Chaplain. 1t
lies at the core of a network of shady lanes
and sequestered roads, where the thrush and
in the quiet evening. The place
Is gathered in peaceful calm; and to find
yourself in Manville square, after the dust
and turmoil of the city, is as great change
as for the citizen of sleepy cathedral town
to find himself on prairie with the feeling
of inexhaustible relief always arising from
the absence of walls. But in Manville square
you find no solitude. Lightly swung brough-
ans and landaus and victorias brush over
the smooth roadway now and then; you can
OH no fine day put your head out of q front
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, and fingered longer here than even at
Kew. The square had no pretensiOns to
splendor or wealth or fashion or distinction.
The houses were modern, well-built, whole
some, and roomy. Thegrass and shrubs in the
Enclosure were kept neatly and efficiently,
but there was no such prudery in the gar
dening as forbade cricket to four-year-old
boys or the laughing scamper of children
through the trees. The GENT of the place
were peace and prosperous plenty and conrte-
Gus services. No angry word ever invaded
that Tempe of London. No dun ever cast
shadow on its clean tlagway or wholesome
grass.
The houses all belonged to one landlord,
who was rich man and owned property in
several other parts of London. He had made
one rule over all his house property, and
that was to take ten per cent. year less for
his houses that he could easily get, and to be
much more particular as to the people he ac-
cepted as tenants than most landlords. 1t
was not enough to satisfy him that the
tenant was solvent and respectable he
would also be convinced the applicant for a
house of his was free from anything which
could make him a disagreeable neighbor.
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 Man.
vile square.
When DR.. Stephen Brooks took his house
he read the clause with satisfaction. When
a man paid hundred and thirty pounds a
year for house in the suburbs he expected
not to have dodgers next door. Mrs. Brooks
was delighted at the stringency of this pro-
viso. They had had hard fight in the
world. They'were childless. Neither was
now young, and little responsibility be-
comes very acceptable in the middle life of
woman, when youth and young matronhood
have been spent in 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 little money-not
much. When all debts and expenses had
been paid there was no more than fifteen
hundred pounds for the widow. Her friends
recommended her to give up this house at
once, sell off what furniture she would not
absolutely need, and take small house out
| further. She wrote to the landlord, and he
replied, saying lie would be most happy to
do anything he could for her. He recon-
mended her to do nothing definite for a day
or two, until he had called. Between the
despatch of that letter and the visit to Mrs
Brooks the landlord was observed to call a,
every house in the square. When he saw
siderate. He hoped she would not consider
II impertinent on his part If he alluded Il
her affairs. He conld not help heaript
people speaking of her, for she and her hus
band had been the most popular people il
the square. Among things he heard tn,
cause of her wishing to give up the hous,
was that her circumstance had NATURAL,
been reduced by her husbands death. II,
had ventured to come with suggestion
which, If she did not feel disposed to adopt
she would, he felt sure, take as well meant
All the people in the square were most anx
ious she should not leave It, and would d.
everything in their power to help her. He
too, should be 10th to lose an old and valued
resident. Now, what he came prepared Il
do was to cancel the sub-letting clause of he
lease.
Thus il arose in tho year 1879, in on
house in Manville-square lodgings could b.
secured, and that Edwin Colthurst lived a
a lodger with Mrs. Brooks. He occupied
room at the top of the house, looking int
the square. He went into the city ever
day Immediately after breakfast, and wa
not home till near in the evening. lie wa
quiet and unassuming, spoke in a soft 10y
voice, and never was 30 pleased as when Ii
could steal in and out unperceived. He ha
no companions or friends. He lived alto
gether to himself. No one ever called upo
him. He always came home straight froi
his business and went to his room. At
O'Clock he came down and ate some supper
mostly in silence. Mrs. Brooks had a grea
liking for the young man, and often sal
she wished he would have some of Lis friend
with him on Sunday. But he always mad
the same answer-Thank you, Mrs. Brooks
1t is very good of you to think of it. BIZ
!, there is no one l care to ask just now.
: He had taste for entomology and reading
and be spent all his Sundays and his ever
ings over his books or his cases Of specimen
0 Toward the end Of May Mrs. Brooks though
he was looking very i'll, and attributed thi
to his want OF variety In life, and, she fearet
his great carelessness about meals. ofte
: at supper it slipped from him that lao la
eaten nothing since breakfast that morning.
Mrs. Brooks made up her mind she would 81
; he ate his supper at all events; so toward Il
end OF May she was always in the dinin
room when that meal was served for him.
, Early in June, while he was in the dinin
room, Mrs. Brooks pulled a letter out of h
pocket and said: :" Mr.. Colthurst, l got
| lattar from a ladv tLia Inorninn She L.