Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-07-04
from the Chicago Tribune.]
MIR. HALLS MISTAKE.

Miss Carson came to Chicago befor,
the great fire, or, as she always ex
pressed it, the great conAagration.
She kept boarders, and the struggle slit
made to at least come ont even at th,
end Of the month gave her face pinche(
and worried expression which her bland
est smile could not wholly obliterate.
Her boarders were five in number ant
were all gentlemen.
Mr.. Hall, an old bachelor of so, hai
| boarded with Miss Carson for six years
though he threatened to leave on an av
erage of once week.
Mr.. Wilkins, Mr.. Crane and Mr.
Stowe were statesmen in large dry-goods
house. They occ sionally presented
their landlady with gloves, handker
chiefs, or the latest thing in ncckwear,
in return for which kindness she darnci
their stockings and replaced missing but
tons.
Last, though by no means the least,
for he was six feet tall, there was Mr..
Fay, a young lawyer who had taken g
room Immediately under the nansard
roof, and who spent most Of his even,
ings reading ponderous volumes that hif
landlady declared made her head ach.
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 nothing
startling was heard concerning him, she
ceased to think much about him. mere.
~ regarding him as q rather unsociable
young mon 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 Bostona, OF
some other thrilling item of news con-
nected with the national idjociy, she
would exclaim, II am surprised!' or
"What pity!" with an interest that
was only equaled by herignorance of the
great American game.
But it was sevre trial to tho good Or.
thodox lady when Mr.. Hall, who was an
admirer of Ingerso]l, would.say: ssI tell
you, Miss Carson, it is only a question
Of time when church going viii be re-
garded os r.ere superstition People
will laugh over it as they now do ov,r
witchcraft. -
Miss Carson would not argue She
would merely throw him eickl7 smile.
and adroitly change the subject, wishin g
with gentle sigh that Mr.. Hal! would
marry a woman who would change his
wicked views.
One cold winter evening the landla,ly
did not appear, as was her usual custom,
behind the coffee: urn at the dinner
table. cold girl sick?" asked Mr..
Wilkins OF the company in general.
"No," replied Mr.. Crane 'she has
gone to the Twenty-eecond Street dcpot
to meet little girl, her niece, who j,
coming here to llve."
IF she is going to take child to
raise that settles it with me-" growl-
ed Mr.. Hall in a deep base voice.
II shall leave at the end of the month.
What is that in front of you, Stowe? A
meat pie Of course? Meat pie is On H.
vention of boarding-houee keepers to
save scraps. Mrs. Carson says ste
never gives us hash, but she either outs
it between crusts and calls it meat biz.
or she adds onions and calls it an 'Ilish
stew"
"A rose by any other name would
smell as sweet" observed Mr.. Wilkins.
"To.morrow will be Sunday" con-
tinued MIR. Hall, "and that means cod
fish 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 Goldfish balls for Sunday breakfast T.
As no one volunteered to 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 gentleman ought to be, and
not be fed like tramp.
Miss Carson's boarders we're rather
surprise d to fud her niece fu!l-grown
young lady instead of the little girl tht,y
had expected to see.. ltwould be diff
cult matter to describe Flo Sheldoc.
She was not beauty. Her nose WIS a
triae "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 curl
ing lashes, they were such allurins, pro-
voking, bewitching eyes!
IL have always mentioned Flo as nv
little NIECE" said Miss Carson at the
breakfast-table. "I can scarcely real
ize that this tall young lady is the little
girl in short dresses I parted from five
years ago. All, WELT I have changed
great deal in that time myself
"Not at all, said Mr.. Hall. with O
sudden and almost unaccountable al!
tack Of politeness. 81 assure you you
look as young and er--er-rosy as you
old six years age. Time has not put
silver threads among the gold, or er-er
-trifed with your appearance in ary
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 q very industrious girl, and
knew how to employ her time. The
curtains were Topped less primly, the
parlors had a more comfortable. home
like appearance, while delicate pud-
dipgs, f1aky pies, and delicious coffee,
showed her acquaintance with the Gull
nary art. zs = 5@
9" Yon are certainly the personifcation
Of youth, healtb, and happiness COM
bined. Miss Flo, ",ssid MI. Fay, as he
found her late one afternoon singing
gaily as she was spreading the cloth for
dinner. "It does one good merely to
look at you" ... ] 4= >.
'Thank You; pray continue to look
at me then, by all means. As to the
first observation you made. I can say
that I deserve it. ! am young, I am GER
ta Il healthy, and I am gerry happy, for