Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-15

affairs. He could not help hearing people
speak of her, for she and her husband
had been the most popular people in the
square. Among things he had heard
the cause of her wishing to give up the
house was, that her circumstances had
naturally been reduced by her husbands
death. He had ventured to come with a
suggestion, which, if she did not feel dis
posed to adopt, she would, he felt sure,
take as well meant. All the people in
the square were most anxious she should
not leave it, and would do everything in
their power to help her. He, too, should
be 10th to lose all old and valued resident.
Now, what he came prepared to do was
to cancel the subletting clause of her
lease.
Thus it arose in the year 1879, in one
house in Manville square lodgings could
be secured, and that Edwin Colthurst
lived as lodger with Mrs. Brooks. He
occupied room at the top of the house,
looking into the square. He went into
the city every day Immediately after
breakfast, and was not home till six in
the evening. He was quiet and unas-
Stunning, spoke in a soft, low voice, and
never was SO pleased as when he could
steal in and out unperceived. He had
no companions or friends. He lived al
together to himself. No one ever called
on him. He always came home straight
from his business and went to his ROOM
At 9 o'clock he came down and ate his
supper, mostly in silence. Mrs. Brooks
had great liking for the young man,
and often said she wished he would have
some of his friends with him on Sunday.
But he always made the same answer
"Thank you, Mrs. Brooks. It is very
good of you to think of it. But there is
no one l care to ask just now"
He had taste for entomology and
reading, and he spent all his Sundays
and his evenings over his books or his
cases of specimens. Toward the end of
May Mrs. Brooks thought he was look
ing very i'll, and attributed this to his
want of variety in life, and, she feared,
his great carelessness about meals. Of
ten at supper it had slipped from him
that he had eaten nothing since break
fast that morning. Mrs. Brooks made
up her mind she would see he ate his
supper at all events; SO toward the end
OF May she was always in the dining
room when that meal was served for him.
Early in June, while he was in the
diningroom, Mrs. Brooks pulled letter
out of her pocket and said: "Mr.
Colthurst, [ got letter from lady this
morning. She has been recommended
to come here by lady who stopped here
by lady who was with me for a few
months last year. I want to answer the
letter at once, and cannot read part of
her letter or the signature. Will you
be so kind as to try if you can make it
out?"
''Certainly. Let me see it."
He took it, and after looking at it
awhile, read out:
''DEAR MADAM:-My friend, Mrs. Shipstone
tells me [ should be lucky if you would allow
me to come and stay with you for fortnight or
three weeks-business takes me to London.
My niece accompanies me. We shall need two
bedrooms, opening into one another, and
tor. You need not be alarmed. The complaint
is neither infectious nor dangerous. An early
reply will oblgee,
fYours faithfully, HELEN GAY"
Five nights after that Miss Gay-she
proved to be spinster-arrived with her
niece.
"You remember" said Mrs. Brooks
that night to Colrurst, as he ate his sup
per, "the letter I showed you few days
ago from lady recommended to me by
Mrs. Shipstone ?" eyes, the writing
was not very legible.' ssThat is it.
Well, they came this morning. I don't
wonder her coming up to town for advice.
[ don't think she has many weeks life in
her. She's bent on one side, as thin as
charity, and quite yellow and pinched
don't think she came day too soon,
poor old lady. She isn'tvery old-noth-
ing like as old as but death is on her
face-death is on her face"
81 am very sorry for the poor lady,"
said COlthurst, seriously. He had a
sympathetic nature and serious manner
"But her niece, Mr., Colthurst, her
niece! [ don't think [ ever saw any one
more lovely. She is fair and slight and
tall and graceful, the picture of health,
and no more than eighteen. A most
perfect lady. A lady in her carriage,
her speech, her smile. They are, I be-
lieve, of very good family; but young
Miss Gay would do credit to the best
house in London. She is soft-mannered
and cheerful. [ cannot tell you how
much / was struck with her. She is the
loveliest creature I ever saw in all my
life, and so amiable. To see her smiling
all the time to cheer her poor ailing
aunt would win any ones love, man or
woman, old or young [ have seen her
only twice, and then for no more than
few minutes at time, but never any
any one else grew on me in SO short a
| space.
Next evening as CoIthurst was COM
ing home he met an elderly lady and a
tall, slight girl walking slowly toward
Mrs. Brooks. He made up his mind at
once that these were the new dodgers,
drew back, and saw them enter the
house. This was complete confirmation.
He did not go into the house then but
walked around the house three OF four
times. It was such pleasant thing to
think he could go up to that door at any
moment, open it with his latch-key, and
walk in.
When he woke the next morning, the