The Brookhaven leader., 1883-08-02
MIR. HALLS MISTAKE.


pressed it, the "great conflagration.
She kept boarders, and the struggle she
made to at least come out even at the
end of the month gave her face Il
pinched and worried expression which
her blandest smile could not wholly OBJ
literate.
Her boarders were five in number and
were all gentlemen.
Mr. Hall, an old bachelor of fifty, had
bearded with Miss Carson for six years,
though he threatened to leave on an
average of once week.
Mr.. wilkins. Elr. Crane and Mr..
Stowe were statesmen in a large dry
goods house. They occasionally pre-
scented their landlady with gloves, hand
kerchiefs, or the latest thing in neck
wear, 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,
young lawyer who had taken a room
immediately under the mansard roof,
and who spent most of his evenings
reading pondcrouS volumes that his
landlady declared made her head ache
even TO look at.
AT first Miss Carson was inclined to
weave romances about Mr. Fay. He
was so handsome, so quiet and reserved.
Was he somebody in disguise, or was he
suffering from an unrequited love? As
months passed on, however. and moth
ing startling was heard concerning him,
she ceased to think much about him.
merely regarding him as a rather I'M
sociable young man totally wrapped up
in his studies.
Miss Carson made it point to always
show ready sympathy with whatever
interested her boarders.
If Mr.. Stowe told her that the White
Stockings had beaten the BoStons, or
some other thrilling item of news con
nected with the National idiocy, she
would eXclaim: Il am surprised" or
''What pity" with an interest that
was only equaled by her ignorance of
the great American game.
One cold winter evening the landlady
did not appear. as was her usual Gus
tom, behind the coffee-urn at the dinner
table. 'Old girl sick?" asked Mr..
wilkins of the company in general.
No. replied Mr.. Crane: "she has
gone to the Twenty-Second street depot
to meet little girl, her niece, who is
coming here to live.
''If She is going to take child to
raise that settles it with me, growled
Mr. Hall, in a deep bass voice.
- | shall leave at the end OF the month.
What is that in front of YOU, Stowe? A
meat pie of course, Meat pie is an in
veation OF boarding house keepers to
ssve scraps. Miss Carson says she
Y,ovar oriH-aS nc boub but Oh OF bn,. ,,,,+,
it between cruSts and calls it meat pie,
or she adds onions and calls it an Irish
stew! "
"A rose by any other name would
smell as sweet observed Mr. wilkins.
Tomorrow will be Sunday" con-
tinued Mr.. Hall, land that means cod
tish-balls for breakfast. Will somebody
tell me the connection between Goldfish
balls and Sunday morning. that they
should appear regularly on that particu-
lar day. Is there any creed that insists
on codfish-balls for Sunday breakfast"
As no one volunteered an answer to
this question Mr.. Hall finished his din
ner with the remark that he hoped soon
to take his meals where he would be
served as a gentleman ought to be, and
not be fed like a tramp.
Miss Carson's boarders were rather
surprised to find her niece Il full-grown
Young lady instead of the little girl they
had expected to see. 1t would be a
difficult matter to describe Flo Sheldon.
She was not a beauty. Her nose was a
triie "tip-tilted - and her mouth
little too large, though her teeth were
white and even; but her eyes were the
glory of her face. They We're large,
dark and bright; they were shaded by
long curling lashcs; they were such al
Turing, provoking, bewitching eyes.
n have always mentioned Flo as my
little niece said Miss Carson at the
breakfast-table. Il can scarcely real
ize that this tall young lady is the little
girl in short dresses parted from five
years ago. All, we'll! have changed
great deal in that time myself"
Not at ALL said Mr.. Hall, with a
sudden and most unaccountable attack
of politeness. Il assure you you look
as young and as er-er-rosy as you
did six years ago. Time has not put
silver threads among the gold, OF er-er
-trlied with your appearance in any
way" This was true. Miss Carson's
hair was drab, and her complexion
matched it, Time could make no start
ling change in either
A gradual but very perceptible change
came over the house after Flo's arrival.
She was very industrious girl, and
knew how to employ her time. The
curtains were looped less primly, the
parlors had a more comfortable, home
like appearance, while delicate pud-
dings, tlaky pies and delicious coffee
showed her acquaintance with the Gull
nary art.
You are certainly the personifica-
ton of youth, health and happiness
combined, NJ IS Flo," said Mr.. Fay, as
he found her late one afternoon singing
gayly as she was spreading the cloth for
dinner. 1t does one good merely to
look at YOU"
Thank YOU; pray continue to look at
me then, by all means. As to the first
observation you made. l can say that /
deserve it. lam young, am certainly
healthful, and am rery happy, for to-
night am going to the opera, When