New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-06
MISS MARTHA'S BAG.

Va
No one had seen these clasps Enclosed ii the
bag looked sentimental Miss MarihaS appearance
did not suggest sent oIe was Sr,n ny "a
ner was occasionally ridlculOusly youthful and
who wore costume OF antQuated fashion. A more
Observant scrutiny resulted III II pleasant er I'M
nresslup vet IL left on the mind battling one. con
corning Miss Marthas age and ldiosyncrasy. II
We might thus express IT., youtb ana age Kept
separate and ruling influence over H"r countenanGe.
The eyes had lost their charm OF setting IN the
WTinklcd skin; they had not lost their brllllancy
their aertuess of glance The outlines OF lhe feat
uTes were blurred, bat the plquancE OF MopHe eA-
preston was in them still and II the lips were
little blue they retained the sweetness oil quickly
coming smiles. She still kept up the young hablt
of finishing and if of the color had faded out
of her brown hair il had not lost It's pretty sliki,
ness OF texture. Perhaps 1t was the impartial
IotundIty of her figure that preclndel sentiment
from being associated with Miss Martha. She rig
idly adhered through all the changes OF fashion to
her own taste in dress. In the days OF crIuolIne
and trailing drapcres she woie short skirt edged
with a single hounce displaying sandal shoes; "a
fchu was pinned ever her bust ana little DIT oil
pink was always introduced.
The old lady earned Il Livelihood IN Pars Nv
teaching English. Her principal means OF sustcn-
ance came from the salary she received for lessons
given at the Convent school of Notre Dame. she
lived in the Rue ste. CrOX IN little attic az sep
Gf,1r of n nou,e situated few yards distant from
the convent. 1t steep and quiet street. about
which fingered an aroma OF sanCtity-a street mat
seemed 10 have Jagged behind from the Middle
Ages StatustteS OF tie Virgin looked down II om
many niche caG IN wlutc, fresh HnweIs lali az
her feet. Over the door OF number OF the antique
houses. on either side. rose the massive cross. u
was "A street Of conNents, OF schools, OF hospitals
Down its rugged parCs walked piety and charity.
hand in hand. sweetest union diyestns monasti-
csm of all its steTTness.
No one knew anything abont Miss Martha's pre-
vious history; her full name was Miss Martina
Langton, bat every one called her MISS Marina.
she had been recommended To the nuns Nv priest
rs one deserving of help aud M need oil H. In tue
0udrtier there was general impression that the
rieiie fHe dpGidse was bit daft but 10 was gentle
o.. prit Of utfA n he rI
bestowed upon her. II her ways we're eccentric,
they we're loyable. She had kept freshness about
her She was fond OF walking in the Bois de Bou-
logne On returning she would enumerate, IN her
shrill crescendo voice the items that had charmed
her IN her walk the good air that had blown on her
cheeks: the notes OF the bros she had heard what
they had said - her; the wild flowers she had seen
she knew tine language OF flowers ana told lIttlo
parallels IN 1t.
Hei relations with the neighbours Were marked
with bOphOmc. superficial yet genial. She gave
ready ear to their troubles and helped them ia their
difficulties out OF her hardly Won earnings In the
love affairs OF the Young she took an especial IN
tcrcst blushlng aud dImplIng. ana waPping her big
bonnet with arch pleasantly as she listened TO their
story. Miss Martha would march oil To the Bon
MaTcb6 and buy little bit OF hnery Tor the inturo
bride. When enc ~ love- one must look pretty,
the oil maid would say For all this kiudlncss IL
was felt, nevertheless. that the grcfs and Joys of
others affected Miss Martha hut remotely. She
was at heart solitary, meeting other human
beings on he most superficial points OF contact.
she spoke with them but she repealed all advances
at intimacy. She invited no one TO cross the tlresh-
old of her ltlc room. aud accented none OF the in
vitatiuns rendered TO her. TO press her upon this
point was 10 ruflc her serene temper But 10.
but no she would answer. her voice rising IN rest
less crescendo Leave me 10 myself am quite
happy alone. | like best my solitude. Another
pecnliarity Of MISS Marthas was lei attitude con.
corning her bag. She repelled with chill curtnc's
any remark concerning Its appearance. us odd
shape. the embroidery upon II. II the prlm formal
ltysol her manner when the subject vas br0ached
was amusing if it did not succeed in keeping III
at In. a Il Of
pathetic and childlil,e anger. IL Was impairment
In nollcs her bag Ii concerned no one. Leave IL
alone. Another peculiarly OF Miss Martha's was
reported by those who met her on her walks. They
said that she did not 10 see them that as she
walked she talked to herselt ana that often her
face would be Int by broad smile. II that smile
gave no comfort 10 others, 1t seemed to tell of
mighty comfort IN tho old maids heart.
MISS MATTHIAS pupils at the Convent Of N0tre
Dame had many THEORIES concerning the contents
OF her bag. Probably il the nuns thought about II.
they imagined II Was receptacle like the pocket ol
n Teiigieusc, q world Of miscellaneous Objects all
pious and useful. Tho girls conlectnres were man
fold few of dull Imagination maintained 1t
held light refreshments. The opinion that Miss
MATTHIAS soft brown hair was a front ana that tho
bag held change of Wigs found some adheronts.
There were some who maintained that the bag held
nothing ut all 1t was worn 'pour 81 donner une
cUntcnance' Nothing in u was ever heard to
shake or rattle; but tho iav0ute idea was that 1t
cOntaiAed all Mis-, Martha's fortunc--all her hoir
looms. This notion gained ground the day when
Miss Martha appeared violently agtatcd and. tor
the first aud only time, alluded To het bag Oi lea
own accord She explained that a seedy kng
man had made clutch at il. She gave a vivid re.
nearsa Of the scene. the tcnaeity and passion with
which she had chung 10 II, and defeated tho robbers
purpose. To her pupils eager question had she
given him up TO the police - No. she replied j
did not care to do that had the bag
BY the time Miss Martha had taught ten years mt
The Convent of Notre Dame. and her bag had bo
come accepted rs part of heTself-as wo grow
spectluly invest IL with a share OF his individual
ity-a new pupil arrived; The nuns had not
hqrbored Mile. RENE Mlchemln a fortnight
the fold. Their keys were mlsaid the irult-troes
were ritled large nIoads were daily maze into
Sour Monique's weekly patches OF pastry. Before
three weeks the esp,tgierics Of Mile MIchemn had
filed the place It's peace had gone out Of the " in
dow as she had entered It's door
Among Ter eTratic store OF accomplishments she
had mastered during her travels with her father. a
far knowledge of English, and she was sufficiently
advanced 1t once to ia e the second place ID Miss
MaTtlas class. SpeculAtlOns concerning the lag
furnished food for her BRAN she secuted ell The
old theories respecting it. She advanced a new, q
fascinating, startling one There we're neither
wig nor rlOOns In that bag II contained neither
sandwiches nor light refreshments; It was not
empty. The bag contained Miss Marthas love-let-
tiers. Tout an roman HtdH was in that bag she
said. Then encouraged by the elect she produced.
she piled cODiectuTes Bah who knows; there
may be in it the embalmed heart of a lOyer-such
things have been!
influence her fellow pupils. Her iearlessness,
q of grOtesque humOr that favored her ure
aud gave sort of coarse health TO IL, impressed
them. She swayed their ideas backward and fur
ward according to her will. Having advanced the
theory that Miss MATTHIAS bag contained tout an
roman in6di she stuck to il, and enlarged npon It,
and they followed the pitless viyacty of her fancy
through all its vagares That Miss Mdrtha's rO-
tund face should have once INSPIRED an ardent pas
sion, set them draw ing carlcatures. composing bouts
IimG writing farcical love letters their leisure
One girl only, Alne de Raix-the eldest
of the class-kept alOOi and stood between the old
maid and her would-be tormentors. She it who
one day intercepted caricature. inserted In the
grammar laid upon Miss Martha's desk. where q
portv lady in aridiculously old-fashoned dress
was represented firmly grasping the bag, TO the
handle of which were chained a number of cupids,
W no gazed upon the expansive figure with laughter
and amazemeut or turned away anrighted and in
tears AIne took out the draw ing and looking full
at RENE SAID quietly: Il shall lay this before the
Mere Supereure.' 1t will bring matters to an
amusing pass answered Rcne with laugh. Il
would give something to SEQ our good mothers face
IL lla.