Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-10
ABoARpIsG HOUSE kPIsoDa.

l am an Old maid, and 1--we in a sec
ond rate boarding house, and probably
the world at large would agree with my
niece Ellnor when she says:
such a dreadful life, auntie! How
can you bear the monotony, to say
nothing OF the annoyance!'
Elinor has always eaten cream from q
silver spoon, so to speak, and having
Just married, and being consequently
surrounded by a deeper rose-colored
atmosphere than usual, 1t is hardly to
be wondered at that she cannot appre-
ciate the advantages of my situation.
BLESS Won, child" l say to her, sit
isn't SO very bad after one gets accus-
toned to boarding-house steaks and
muddy coffee; and I've had more
experiences IN these twelve years than
YOU in the whole twenty-tour of your
life
1t i. true, there have been such
funny incidents at number twelve,
Blank street, that / could have given
Dickens points for dozen tales better
than Pickwick. 1 must say, however,
that two years ago this very month
something happened which more nearly
demoralized the tranquil course of
affairs at number twelve than anything
else.
Brother William and 1 had been there
for years, and were as nearly domesti-
Gated as it Is possible to be IN a
boarding-hnuse. William is somewhere
in the thirties, and always so staid and
quiet that he has the credit of ten
additional years. He comes home at
night-he Is clerk on a moderate
s,lary-and after tes drops into my
room with the evening paper to read,
while 1 knit or darn his socks. We ara
neither Of us brilliant conversahouallsts,
so tnat after We have talked half an
hour or so he saws goodnight and goes
off TO his own room. 1t is q trifie
humdrum, perhaps, but we've never
been used to g.yeties, and on the whole
rather enjoy vegetating. Sometimes
William suggests that pipe or cigar
would add TO his happiness, Judging
from the comfort other men derive from
smoking, but say to ham:
mo, William, you haven't one bad
habit, and why should you cultivate one
Kow? When a man is growing bald he
is too old to begin smoking"
To begin my story. One night q
carriage drove up to number twelve, a
large trunk was lifted off, and girlish
figure came up the steps. was IN the
bare psrlor waiting for tea and saw the
arrival. In d boarding house there are
SO few occurrences that one cannot help
fostering little curiosity, and l waited
with some impatience for the new
comer's appearance. But she did not
come and ns William did and the tea
bell rang / proceeded to the dining
room.
The long table was nearly filled and
tea was half over when a girl appeared
in the doorway. and no one noticing her
fof an instant said in a bright and
charming voice.
''Wil you give me asesta
Then the little maid servant whom
she addressed turned and placed her
opposite me. / cannot begin by any
description to tell how pretty she was.
She had that plump, peach blossom
beauty which reminds ohe so irreslstlbly
of summer bloom and brightness, Her
ewes were large, brown and appealing,
her hair fuli ef little curly knots and
rings, and when she looked down tt
long Iashes rested on her checks. and
made her pretsler than ever. L could
see tina the eyes of the gentleman were
furtively directed toward her, and knew
they were filed with admiration, but nc
one spoke, and believe she did moi
lsok at any OF US.
To cut the story of several days short,
we did not succeed for that length ol
time in making her acquaintance.
learned from Maggie, the chambermald
that her name was Miss Archibald, anc
that she had come to the city for &
visit, choosing number twelve as
stopping place because her father had
known Mrs. Ford, the landlady before
she moved to Boston.
Fer several days. as said, she came
to breakfast, dinner and tea, and gave
none of US the chance even of saying
Good until 1t happened
that her eyes met mine by chance, and
said it boldly. Then the ice was broken.
That noon when William came to dnnel
he fingered ID my room before golns
down. and SAID finally:
Smith says you were lucky thu
morning" -,
Smith is the bank cashier, who sit
at the end of the table.
"Why?' asked curtly, breaking m.
thread, although L knew well enouSi
what he meant,
Because you have had the frs
chance of speaking to Miss Archibald.
Small honorl'' saii /, ourtly.
well, / don't know" said William
1T depends on what you consider al
honor" and by that l knew he was q
mich interested in Miss Archibald a
the others.
All our gentlemen are of that u-cer
tain age at which, if the follies of you'll
crop out. they are mueh more apparen
than at an earlier period. Williams
however. seemed to be the one a.nons
then most t.yorsd by fortune. W,
were at dinner, ami Miss Archibald
nearly opposite, was screened from I'll
by tall glass o. celery. William
ostensibly 10 help himself to tina
Vegetable. but rs still think. to remov'
is from his range of vision, put IN
hand out, and instead OF lifting tn
glass. nervsusly overturned 1T In Mis-
Archlbald's plate. For the first TIM
since we had known her, heI lao
relaxed into most charming smile
William was too much confused to d.
ANYTHING beyond asking incoherentl.
to be excused. at the same time CROWNS
more AID more scarlet and Mis-
Ar;hibaId said lsughisgly: