Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-09-07
MR.. HALES MISTAKE.

MR.. HALES MISTAKE
Miss Carson came to Chicago before the
great fire, or, as she always expressed it, the
great conhagration" She kept boarders,
and the struggle she made to at least come
out even at the end of the month, gave her
face pinched and worried expression which
her blandest smile could not wholly obliter-
ate.
Her boarders were five in number, and
were all gentlemen.
Mr.. Hall, an old bachelor of fifty, had
boarded with Miss Carson for six years though
he threatened to leave on an average of once
a week.
Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Crane and Mr. Stowe were
statesmen in large dry goods house They
occasionally presented their landlady with
gloves, handkerchiefs, and the latest thing in
neckwesr, in return for which kindness she
darned their stockings and replaced missing
buttons.
Last though by no means least, for he was
six feet tall, there was Mr.. Fay, a young law
yer, who had taken a room Immediately under
the mansard roof and who spent most of his
evenings reading ponderous volumes that his
landlady declared made her head ache even to
look at
At first Miss Carson was inclined to weave
romanccs about Mr.. Fay-he was so hand
some, so quiet and reserved. Was he some
thing in disguise or was he suffering from an
unrequited lover However, as months pass
ed on and nothing startling was heard con-
cerning him, she ceased to think much about
him, excepting as a rather unsocial young
man totally wrapped up in his studies.
Miss Carson made it point always to show
a ready sympathy in whatever interested her
boarders
II Mr.. Stowe told her the White Stockings
had beaten the Bostons, or some other thrill
ing item of news connected with the national
idiocy, she would exclaim 81 am surprised !"
or what pity !" with AN interest that was
only equaled by her ignorance OF the great
American game.
But it was a severe trial to the good ortho-
dox lady when Mr.. Hail. who was an admirer
of Ingersoll, would say
II tell you, Miss Carson, it is only ques
ton of time when church going will be re-
garded as a mere superstition. People will
laugh about it as they now do about witch
craft"
Miss Carson would not argue. She would
merely throw him sickly smile and adroitly
change the subject, wishing with gentle
sigh that Mr. Hall would marry a woman who
would change his wicked views.
One cold winter evening the landlady did
not appear, as was her usual custom, behind
the coffee-urn at the dinner-table
"Old girl sick 2" asked Mr.. Crane of the
company in general.
mo" replied Mr. Stowe "she's gone to
the Twenty second street station to meet her
| niece, little girl who is coming to live with
her"
''If she's going to take a child to raise, that
settles it with me, growled Mr.. Hall in a
deep bass voice II shall leave at the end Of
| the month. What is that in front of you,
| A Of Maot-y,ia /
an invention of boarding house keepers to
use up scraps. Miss Carson says she never
| gives US hash but she either puts it between
crusts and calls it meat pie, or else adds onions
and calls it an Irish stew"
| "a rose by any other name would smell as
sweet" observed Mr.. wilkins
"To- morrow will be Sunday" continued
| Mr.. Hall, land that means Goldfish balls for
breakfast. Will somebody tell me the con.
nection between Goldfish balls and Sunday
morning, that they should appear regularly
on that particular day? Is there any creed
that insists on Goldfish balls for Sunday break
fast p
As no one volunteered an answer to thi'
question, Mr.. Hall finished his dinner with
the remark that he hoped soon to take bis
| meals where he would be served as a gentle
man ought to be, and not be fed like a tramp
Miss Carson's boarders were rather surpris
| ed 10 find her niece fullgrown young lady
instead of the little girl they had expected tC
see 1t would be a difficult matter to describ,
Flo Sheldon. She was not beauty her nost
was e trihe "tip-tlted" and her mouth lttl
too large, though her teeth were white anC
even. But her eyes were the glory of he
face. They we're large, dark and bright
they were shaded by long, curling lashes, ant
were such allurng, provoking, bewitchinl
eyes!
IT have always mentioned Flo as my little
niece, said Miss Carson at the breakfast table
81 can scarcely realize that this tall young la
dy is the little girl in short dresses | parte
from five years ago. All we'll l have chang
ed a great deal in that time myself"
mot at ALL" said Mr.. Hall with a sudde
and most unaccountable fit of politeness g
assure you you look as young and as-er-e
rosy as you did six years ago. Time ha
not put silver threads among the gold, ore
-er-triAed with your appearance in an
way"
This was true. Miss Carson's hair was dra
and her complexion matched it. Time coul
make no startling changes in either.
A gradual but very perceptible change cam
over the house after Flo's arrival. She was
very industrious girl, and knew how to en-
ploy her time The curtains we're looped le'
primly, the parlors had more comfortable
| homelike appearance while delicate puuulnB
faky pies and delicious coffee showed her a.
qantanoe with the culinary art.
you are certainly the personifcation
youth, health and happiness combinedr Mi
Flo" said Mr.. Fay, as he found her late OF
afternoon singing gaily as she was spreadir
the cloth for dinner. at does one good
look at you"
THANK youi pray continue to look at m
then, by all means. AS to the first Obsery
ton you made, l can say that deserve it,
am young, am certainly healthy, and l a
very happy, for tonight / am going to Il
opera. When you learn that am fond
music, and that never saw feal opera
my life, you will not be surprised to hear th
/ can scarcely keep from dancing with gle
as well as singing"
70 Your parents do not approve OF that XII
of amusement, l supposeT
"Oh, that was not the trouble. We live
/ the country, and my father could not ato
,r to take six daughters TO a city merely for
10 pleasure trip. You've no idea how GLAD "
10 get my aunts invitation 10 come to Chic
go, and how much enjoy myself when