The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-09-23

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Ruth was absent, having been max
ing q long visit to friend. and the
household funds being very low, Mrs.
Carey's thoughts had once more revert
ed to the plan, and she had finally con-
cluded to speak to her brother, and II
possible engage some boarders before
Ruth's return.
MAY be. when it's all settled. she
will think better of it, )" she said to her.
self. ''And perhaps l shall find some
pleasant girls vino will want board. and
who will be nice companions for Ruth.
I'll step over to Mrs. Mapleton's this
evening and speak to her about it.
Mrs. Napoleon. or her husband, kept
the village hotel; but it was not . very
capacious building, and had good rep
utation for excellent fare, it was gener-
ally filed to overlooking, and these
who applied too late for accommoda-
tons were advised to 60 to certain of
the villagers who were in the habit OF
taking few boarders. Consequently
Mrs. Carey's first movement when she
wanted boarders was to 60 to Mrs. Ma
pleton.
"Now. cali that curious, !" remarked
that worthy matron, when. an hour
later Mrs. Carey was seated in her pri-
vate parlor, and had stated her errand.
''Just this very night q letter has come
from a lady who staid here night last
summer, asking US to keep two of our
best rooms for her and her daughters,
who wish to board here all summer.
Now our rooms are all engaged for the
season by our old customers, and my
husband was just saying he must write
and say we couldn't accommodate her;
but if you like he shall tell her about
your rooms, and I don't doubt she will
be better suited than to come to q
hotel. U. she's quite the lady, ma am. :"
she continued, observing that Mrs.
Carey hesitated. "Quite the lady, as
sure you. and very soft-spoken. She
stopped here over night with party of
ladies and gentlemen who had been up
in the mountains and got here too late
to take the night-boat."
Mrs. Carey was sorely tempted. now
that the decisive moment had arrived,
to decline Mrs. Mapleton's offer, and
struggle on as she had done; but the
landlady proceeded to dilate upon how
much a lady who dressed so handsome
ly would be likely to pay, and hope of
improving the state of their affairs once
more grew strong in Mrs. Carey mind,
and when she Quilted the hotel it was
arranged that Mr.. Mapleton should
write, mentioning her rooms and max
ing some inquiries as to the length of
time they would be required.
A few days elapsed, and then the an
swer came, stating that the lady was
much pleased with his account of the
cottage where she could board. and
would come the following week to make
arrangements.
Early the next week she appeared
tall. fashionably dressed lady, who in
troduced herself as Mrs. Lecompton,
and seemed to shrinking little Mrs.
Carey to fill the cottage parlor to over
flowing. She was gracious in the ex-
IRENE. The bedrooms were charming
quite perfect, in fact. OF course Mrs.
Carey would not object to removing
those white rollers from the windows
and replacing them with draperies.
Mrs. LecomptOn was ashamed to make
such trihing matter any objection, but
she had an unconquerable aversion to
white rollers. And if Mrs. Carey would
excuse her for mentioning it, she would
much prefer white toilet set; perfectly
simple-merely white, with gold bands
perhaps. Those antiquated blue sets
always reminded her of most disagree
able hotel where she once staid, and the
set in her room was of that pattern.
and so forth. All said in the smoothest
and most "soft-spoken" manner, as
Mrs. Mapleton had called it, and almost
involuntarily assented to by Mrs. Carey.
who was. nevertheless, somewhat dis
mayed when she afterward recalled that
she had promised new paper on one
room. curtains and toilet sets in both,
and various other little items, to pro-
cure which she must run in debt, trust
ing to pay when Mrs. Lecompton should
have been with her short time, as the
lady had particularly stated that she
would settle punctually every week.
latter ALL" thought Mrs. Carey,
trying to console herself, "the paper
on this room is shabby, and the rollers
are old. have often told Ruth should
like draperies at those windows, and il
isn't as if they were only going to stay
a few weeks, as l expected. Mrs. LIE.
compton said she should not dream OF
leaving before November, and that very
likely she should beg me to keep her all
winter, so really think can afford tc
spend little to begin with" and she fell
to counting how many weeks there
| would be before November, and how
much money she might reasonably ex.
pect to make over the necessary outlay.
Mrs. Lecompton and her daughters
were to arrive the next week. In the
meantime the alterations in the rooms
were to be made, and, hardest task oil
all, Ruth must be told of all the new ar.
rangements. She returned home a day
or two after Mrs. Lecompton's call, tc
find the guest chambers in the widest
disorder. A man putting on fresh paper
in one, while in the other Mrs. Carey,
hammer in hand, was mounted on 8
step-ladder, struggling with q curtain
that seemed determined never to hang
in proper folds.
"YOu dear little mother" cried
Ruth. flying up the stairs, and EN-.
bracing step-ladder, curtain and all. in
her eagerness, "what are you doing;