Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-05-05
LANDLADIES.
Experience of Il Young Gentleman in Search
of Desirable Apartments.

Experience of IA Young Gentleman in Search
Undesirable Apartments.
will pass over some of my earlier exper-
fences. Let me begin with my experience
in French family. After an almost end
less search, found accommodations with
Monsieur and Madame Chose. The family
consisted of Monsieur Chose, his wife and
Mademoiselle Sulpherine Chose, their
daughter. They were nice people in their
way, thoroughly neat, and possessed of
that bourgeois politeness which borders on
servility. 1t was pleasant to come home
and find my books, papers and matches
in the right place. 1t was pleasant to find
the spotless linen fragrant with lavender
a favorite perfume among the middle class
French. Somehow it CHANGED that I almost
always found Mademoiselle Sulpherine on
the stairs when 1 went out in the morning,
and she would exchange the usual saluta-
tions with me in her pretty French way,
and in her native tongue ask me if I was
comfortable or if there was anything
wanted. believe madamoiselle had hazel
eyes, ard was of a rather dark complexion.
1t may be that she had blonde hair and
light blue eyes. However, I am SO near
sighted that am certain that I would not
have recognized her on the street. lodged
with the Chose family for three months,
and was very well suited. But I recollect
now that it never struck me as odd that
madamoiselle was on the stairs every morn
ing when l went down. A feeling of pro-
found contentment gradually crept over
me. Indeed when compared those pleas
ant quarters with some of my previous
ones, I sometimes used to chuckle inward
ly. Alas! it came to an abrupt end. One
evening found the folio wing letter on my
table,
MONSIEUR STEPHANoTIs: Madam
Chose and myself feel constrained-aftor
the atfront offered by you to Mademoiselle
Sulpherine Chose, our beloved and esteemed
daughter, on the street this day, in not re-
turning the salute. of Mademoiselle-to
request you to vacate the apartments you
now occupy. Madam Chose and myself
feel that after the marked attention you
have shown Madamoiselle our daughter in
addressing her every day on the stairs,
your conduct of to day is inexcusable.
''HYPoL1TE CHOSE.
I bought myself pair of glasses the
very next day. And the day after, my
month being up, I moved into suite of
nice rooms-rent sixty dollars month,
The house was kept by a lady who seemed
to move in sea of black satin, with soil
She was a neat and shapely lady. The
brilliant hue of her nose bespoke her weak
ness. I stocked my sideboard with choice
wines, and liquors and she evidently liked
both; if the liquors ran low she was salts
fed with champagne. Sometime she would
knock at my door at six o'clock in the
morning, and ask me to hand her out the
whisky bottle, so that she might take a
drop. And one evening I nearly stumbled
over her as she laysprostrate on my floor,
with the empty brandy decanter for pill
low. I had got used to her ways by this
time, however. and didn't mind it much.
l think I might have been living in her
house yet, if hadn't found her one even
ing about II o'clock, leaning out of the
parlor window:.and inviting the whole street
to come up and have drink. There were
six of her bashful countrymen in my room
when entered, each one with bottle of
my wine. Reluctantly gave up my apart
ments.
About this time was glad to find mod
est suite with what appeared to be a nice
family
rented the ground floor consisting of
parlor. bedroom and bathroom, in nice
American family. 1t was relief. Every
thing was pleasant; there were no inartis-
tic prints, no absorption of my liquors, and
fresh flowers in the vases every day. There
was surfeit of towels, and dearth of dis
comforts. They we're polite without being
demonstrative; they were solicitous for my
comfort without being officious; in short, it
was pleasant place for gentleman to live
in. should have lived there to this iday,
believe, but unfortunately had given the
husband some advice regarding stocks,
which he had followed, and he became rich.
They changed their quarters and I was
once more waif on the rolling sea, look
ing longingly toward a peaceful harbor.
l found 1t at last with a young looking
widow. My inexperience is my only ex-
cuse for taking so ill-advised step. Her
parlors were so nice. and she looked so
kindly might almost say benevolently-
at me. and SO taking was that certain sub
tile way which Is peculiar to young looking
widows, that I was induced to call her par
lors mine for $75 month And yet it
would not be strictly true to say that they
were mine-they seemed to belong to her
more than to me. Every day she favored
me with her society. After had been
there week. noticedall the blue mats
on the dressing table replaced by rose-col-
ored ones, and the walls became gradually
covered with embroidered notices,
tnuS. Love ID Ine only SadeguarQ;
1t is not well for man to be alone;" Re-
member me-" These and other signs made
me restless. Finally, on waking up one
morning discovered her picture hung on
the WALL A sort of nervous tremor took
possession of me. I consulted my physi-
clan; he advised change of air and locality.
I followed his advice, amid the tears and
complaints Of my landlady.
Another street being more elevated and
the air being more rarefied, my physician
thought that locality would answer. She
was dressmaker this time, whose husband
had levanted leaving her with several chill
dren. Her answer to my advertisement was
on a gilt-edge card. ought to have known
better, but moved in. When / opened
my door the first evening to go down town,
nearly stumbled over the eldest daughter,
who blushingly informed me that she was
cleaning the door-nob. The next room to