The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-12
A Neat Patch.
s. A N old bachelor ~ said Honora
"A haywood.

many words" said Mrs. Pennypacker,
who stood on the threshold of her best
room with her head tied up in pocket
handkerchief and hair broom in her
hand, wherewith she gesticulated, after
a tragic fashion ,as she talked, while Miss
haywood, tall and slender as a water
lily, stood in the hall, with roll of
music under her arm, and her slight
figure wrapped in shabby black shawl.
"And he's willing to pay my price, cash
down, every Saturday night; never at
tempted to beat me down penny, If
you'll believe it, my dear"
Why should he ?" said Honora.
81 Most people do, my dear" said Mrs.
P. I" A wrinkled old widow wo-
man like who has her living to earn, is
most fair game for everybody. But he
never objected to my terms. A real
gentleman, my dear, every inch of him.
But he's little particular, Pm afraid" "
{" suppose most bachelors are" said
Miss haywood, smiling.
Yes, my dear, yes" nodded Mrs,
Pennypacker. 81 But this gentleman is
beyond the average, think"
"And if he is ?'
Nothing" said Mrs. Pennypacker,
making dab with her broom handle at
q stray moth. miller that was fluttering
against the garnet damask window cur
tains "nothing-except that one don't
know quite where to have him. He
drinks only English breakfast tea, and
he wants his pie-crus made with the
best Alderney butter instead of lard, as
is good enough for other people, and he
must have ventilation to all the win
dows, and an open CRATE instead of
base burning stove, and-I hope you'll
not be offended, my dear, but he particu-
larly dislikes a piano"
"Dlslikes a piano?" said the little
music teacher, reddening in spite of
herself.
"And he says, says he L hope, Mrs.
Pennypacker, that there's no piano in
the house. A piano. says he, plays
the deuce with my nervous system, with
its everlasting tum, tum' Those were
his very words, my dear. So L courte-
sled, and says l, You'll not be troubled
with one here, sir And so, my dear,
I'll be grateful if you won't mind doing
your practicin' until he's out for his
daily walk-from one till three, just as
regular as the clock"
Miss haywood looked piteously up
| in the old landlady's face.
{" I will do anything to oblige you,
Mrs. Pennypacker," she said, earnestly;
81 havn't forgotten how much / am
indebted to you, both in actual money
and in kindness, which money can
never repay"
And her soft blue eyes filled with
tears as she spoke.
my dear, don't say a word" said
Mrs. Pennypacker, hastily You've
been sick, and you've got a little behind
hand, and its quite natural that you
should be little low spirited now and
then, but you mustn't get discouraged.
Things will look up after while. And
you're quite welcome to stay on here
until you're able to settle up your little
account
Honora NIaywoon sighed, as she re-
membered how often her little advertise
ment had been inserted in the daily
newspapers, without attracting the least
notice from the world of patrons and
pupils. There were so many capable
music teachers to give lessons at moder-
ate prices nowadays, and how was
any one to know how sorely she needed
the money ?''
And, as the time crept on and no
pupils came, Honora began seriously to
ask herself whether she should go out
in some menial capacity or stay genteely
at home and starve.
Clothes, ma'am !"
Honora started from her reverie as
the washerwoman's little girl banged
herself, like human battering ram,
up against the door with preposter-
ously big basket on her arm.
Yes" said Honora, coloring {" Put
them down, Sally. But I'm afraid
it isn't convenient to pay your mother
to-day"
Mother didn't say nothin' bout the
pay" said Sally, wiping her forehead
with whisk of her arm, and shifting
herself well nigh off her feet. "I was
to leave the clothes with her tumble
duty, and she 'oped they'd sYit; but it
was that damp and muggy on Monday
and Tuesday as starch wouldn't stick
And she 'opes you'll excuse all mistakes
as IheN,ll be done hetter naxt tir,,a -