The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-08
TIE PRESS.
A Modern Love Story.
NOTES FROM THE DIARY OF ALADY
TUTOR.
CTinsley's NIagazine.l

Nav 9th, 1851 am neither nervous nor
hvsterical, but at this moment | am sorry
that have mislaid my smelling-salts. A
mana young man-said to be cookbook
ing-has been admitted here into this house,
and is actually unpacdng his portmanteau
in the room over my head And this is a
clearinghouse for girl students; and he
has been admitted BY Mrs. Williams, our
landladv and my old friend l am afraid
that shall sleep badly tonight; and L have
five chapters of Roman history to prepare
for my class tomorrow. 1t was Jane who
said he was good-looking; she took his port
manteau in from the cab. Is this matter
on which Jane is competent to give an opin-
ion?
May It'll did sleep badly; and my analy-
sis of the motives which led Caesar to at
tempt the conquest of the Britons was not
SO clear as | could have wished it to be.
But am better now, for / have heard the
whole story The gentleman, whose arrival
and admission into this house last night
produced in me- and indeed in all OF us,
such an extreme degree of establishment, is
MIR. Arthur Lindsay. 1t seems that he has
known Mrs Williams ever since he was
boy at school; and she says that she feels
like mother to him. She is in the habit OF
saving that she feels like mother to us
girls; but that is a different thing. l have
huOMn SCfCIdi SOuils SOhbiCAhCi oh4SO WY
were boys at school; but don't feel like a
mother to them, and | am sure they don't
feel like sons to me.
We heard all about It'll should say "him"
at breakfast this morning. Mrs. Williams
was down first as usual, and Lola Brown
was down last, as usual; and Mrs. Williams
had to begin again to please her. Ii Lola
wouldn't lie so long in the morning we
should be better friends.) Mrs. Williams
says that Mr.. Lindsay arrived here
at 1890 o'clock last night from
the East India Docks, having come
straight from the ship Wellington Ia good
subject for an essay for my class-"The
Tactics of Wellington and the Tactics OF
Wolseley," of which he is First Lieutenant
He lived With Mrs. Williams and her hus-
band six years ago, before he went to sea;
and arriving in London, hers was the hrst
house he thought Of. He knew nothing OF
the change that had come over her estab-
nshment: that is to say he knew nothing of
us. We are the change" There were no
female students when Mr.. Lindsay boarded
with Mrs. Williams. Mr.. Lindsay was as
tonished to hear of us; we were astonished
to hear of Mr. Lindsay.
1t seems that we were all astonished
When Mr.. Arthur Lindsay said that he
had come to stay with Mrs. Williams; Mrs.
Williams said that it was impossible. She
explained to him the situation. She said
that she now received only lady boarders;
except one, who was lady tutor, were
students of Queen Anne's College; that all
of them were pretty (she told us that she
said 'falI';) and that was certain neither the
parents of the girls nor the Principal of the
College would be pleased to know that she
had admitted gentleman as a permanent
boarder among them. Lola Brown asked
what color Mr.. Lindsay's hair was; and
asked Lola Brown if she had finished her
French exercise.
Mrs. Williams, resuming after this inter-
ruption, said Mr.. Lindsay caught at the
word permanent" almost before it was out
of her mouth, and said, "Oh, but / shan't
be permanent. l have only two months
leave; in nine weeks | must be on
board again. I need see nothing of
the ladies, and they need see nothing of me;
and what could possibly happen in nine
weeks?'
Ethel Austin demurred to the first part of
the last sentence, and Lola Brown said a
ssgreat deal'' could happen in nine weeks.
She said that her Aunt Sarah had married
her Uncle George in six weeks and separ-
ated from him in three. Lucy Fair said
that Lolass aunt Sarah and Uncle George
onght to have known better; and Lola
asked Lucy rather irreverently,as thought,
whether her grandmother was still alive.
s'The end of it all was, dears," said Mrs.
Williams, "that l consented to take him in.
Yen see it is only nine weeks after all, and
will use the bedroom at the top of the house
an will use the small library for sitting
room. He will take his meals alone, and he
will hardly be in at all during the
day. 1 shall have a wire-blind fastened
across the window of the study
which overlooks the little room;
and you had better, I think say nothing
about Mr.. Lindsay at the college,"
Mrs. Williams says that Mr.. Lindsay is
better looking than when he went away.
May 11th-Ougat to tell Miss Grindle?
Miss Grindle, as Principal of the college and
responsible to some extent for the surround
ings of the students, not only in class, but
at home, would, am afraid, object peremp-
torily and decidedly to Mrs. Williams's new
boarder. She would take it as no excuse
that Mrs. Williams had known Mr.. Lindsay
''since he was boy" and was prepared to
vouch for the gentlemanliness of his con-
duct at all times and in all places. Indeed,
am not at all sure that she would not decline
to listen to any reasoning on the subject, but
would bring matters to head at once, and
give Mrs. Williams the alternative of losing
or retaining the girls and myself, and, with
us, her lucrative connection with the col
lege, by losing or retaining Mr.. Arthur Lind
say. But is there, in actual fact so far as
myself can see, any danger to be appre-
hended from this gentleman's remaining
nine weeks among us? l do notknow. To
be sure, Mr.. Lindsay himself, expecting
negative answer, asked, "What could posi-
bly, happen in nine weeks?' But l can't
help remembering Lola Browns reply about
the ill-considered union of her ridiculous
aunt Sarah and uncle George. Let me
think, now, who we are here, and what
quantity of possible self-control and pr oper
feminine dignity there is contained among
us.
l, Susan Finn, aged twenty-five, lady pro-
lessor of mathematics and ancient history,
and tolerably good-looking, am certainly
safe. Miss Grindle has nothing to fear from
me.
Mary Mervon, aged twenty-three, student
of Queen Anne's College-pretty in quiet
way, Woodworking, undemonstretive and re-
served-is also, think, perfectly safe. Oh
yes, yes, dear Mary is safe. She has told me
herself that the majority of gentlemen she
has met are not attracted to her, and that
she herself uses no arts to attract them. She
says she is wholly wrapped up in her work;
and believe her. No, if there is trouble in
this house it will not be with Mary.
Ethel Austin, student, aged nineteen. Eth
ell is nice, pretty, and attractive, but also
a good. girl. Ethel says herself that she
s'likes fun;" and know that her boy cous-
ms never think their holidays have really
begun until she has joined them. But Ethel
is not at all free with strangers, and would,
am convinced, do nothing clandestinely.
Any man who meets her must like Ethel;
but if he intends love making he must be
open and honest about it. But she is sus-
ceptible; / am a little fearfulfor Ethel. l will
keep near to Ethel.
Lola Brown, student, age seventeen. Lo-
las a little rogue. She would fiirt with any
one. am not sure that she does not still
keep up kind of secret correspondence
with a male cousin who has been forbidden
her fathers house; and she shocked me once
in church by whispering that the curate,
most exemplary young man. as L believe,
was making eyes at her all through the SER
mon. 1t is quite likely that Lola was max
ing eyes at the curate; but from the manner
in which he has several times spoken to me
at Sunday school, suspect the curate of
more taste and propriety than to make eyes
at her. Lola is most certainly to be feared.
She told Mrs. Williams once at dinner that
she would marry any one over fifteen; and
the way in which she uses those wicked blue
eyes of hers whenever we are out walking
gives me reason to be thankful that am not
her mother. had to deprive her of her
class in Sunday school after the first days
teaching; for she discarded the parable of
the Prodigal Son, which was the subject of