Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08
CHAPTER II.
THE IODGFR.


1t caused little Mrs. Allenbv consider
able anxiety to find at the end of nearly
twelve months that her drawing-room
floor with the extra apartment was not
q source Of profit to her. She had had
quite variety Of occupants for them,
from the intensely disagree able, who
paid punctually, to the delightfully."-
agreeable who did not pay at all. The
intensely disagreeable generally stop
ped about month, grumbled at their
breakfast, grumbled with their dinner,
swore at the servant, and left suddenly
in rage. Their delightful contrasts,
the suaviloquentan impecunious major
Iity, stayed till Dir. Hyde sought an in
terview, and with a suavity equal TO
their own, intimatcd that on that day
week h. should, on Mrs. Arthur Allen
by's behalf, require The apartments and
the key of the street door latch. Should
they not find it convenient TO settle M.
and retire by that time. h. must trans
fer them TO the care Of Mr.. Joyce, his
solicitor, Of Gray's Inn. They finally
found 1t convenient to retire without
settling up or leaving the latchleys be-
hind them. Mary had quite collcc-
tion OF boxes. trunks, por,manteaus,
books, old boots and thieadDarc clothes.
Why they should keep the latchkeys
was q mystery to Mary at first. she had
u fear that they might be used fclon-
iously, but DR.. Hyde told her not to be
afraid
They keep the keys of their various
lodgings he said, "as an Indian does
the scalps of his enemies; we must DO
more careful, Mary. What do YOU say
to an elderly couple or an elderly gem
tleman with his own attendant? Your
servants will never do. no servant will
ever do. Servants arc too forgetful and
too slow, and you have enough to do in
looking after the baby"
DO you not think George" Mary
asked, that an elderly couple might be
fldgety?n
IN Nothing more likely, but then they
would tidget each other. whereas an
elderly gentleman might fidget you.
| However here goes. 'Drawing-room
floor, handsomely furnished, with extra
room. Central square. near the prnci-
pal theatres, the Bank, and Inns of
Court. Elderly couple, or gentleman
with own attendant prefeued.' viii
that dor
Nicely, I think. [ am so tired of
those charming Young gentlemen who
| never pay"
And the equally charming Young
couples who would seem Ia give host
ages to fortune in the shape of children
Proyd"nce must have invented them
on purpose for furnished apartments,
and furnished apartments on purpose
for thom. Very eonsiderate on the part
| OF providence, il it would only go a lit
tie further and help Them to pay the ex-
pense-by the way, how is downstairs
behaving"
Downstairs was the young gentle
man who was going, and now had gone
into st. Bartholomew's; he came with
indisputabe re!eren ccs and his parents
paid six months rent in advance. with
an extra sum for his breakfast and tea;
they also gave Mary strict inianctions
to let them know from time to time how
he went on: he was stout, good-tem-
pered fellow, simple minded aud harm
less enough if left alone, bat his fellow
students We're not inclined TO leave him
alone.
He had an unfortunate name 20 begin
with. Mortimer Postethwaito Parker.
and out Of that half-a-dozen sobriuuets
were invented; he was Parker, NJ. p.
Pestle and Mortar Parker, Whistle and
Wait Parker. for he was slow and had
an incurable habit OF whistling plain
lively; and once. when he was very i'll
indeed after attending the operating
room. ready-made wit christened him
Observation-Disclosures, and the name |
chung to him to the end OF his career. lie |
lived TO attain bright position, and |
had Mr.. Mortimer Parker on his door
plate, but he was always Post Mortem |
Parker to those who knew him at st. |
Bartholomew.
He is very well. poor fellow" Mary |
said. but his friends worry him dread |
fully and he is SO Eood-natured and |
hospitable. They come when he is |
studying, and stay late, singing, and |
playing flutes and violins. If he does |
not let them in, they serenade him at |
the window. The gentleman next door |
went out to them once, and there was a |
fight, and one Of them was locked ND" |
II must see TO it, said Hyde. quietly. |
II have always set my face against |
medical students; rowdyism throws dis
credit upon the profession at large and |
should be put down with strong hand.
l will watch the house for night or
two, and if my rrmonstrance is not eff
fective enough, the hospital authorities
may have word to say"
he watched for a night or two, but
he watched in vain. Perhaps Mary had
mentioned what he said to Mr.. Parker,
and he had warned his friends, for he
was left in peace mt the house. They
had their revenge, however. They kept
him out late and took him home so in
toxicated that they had to carry him to
bed, when they painted his face like a
Maorl's and put powerful colorless
emetlc in his waterbottle. lie told
Mary, with tears in his eyes, that it was
very inconsiderate of them.
The advertisement, written out by
DR.. Hyde and inserted in the Times"
and other papers, brought several an
swers, none Of which quite satisfied the
young doctor.
There are people TO be had who
would be glad of such rooms" he said,
people who would give little or no
trouble Now, most OF these seem to
want the run of mansion and half-a-
dozen servants for two guineas week.
This one has always been accustomed
to butler, and would like n maid set
apart expressly for her. Another OBJ
jects to other dodgers, and particularly
wishes to know whether you have q
man cook and fresh ice every day. Still,
another would not object to her page
boy making himself useful in the house
II you would make corresponding re-
auction in the rent, whatever that NAV
mean. We had better wait. Mary, and
see what tomorrow will bring FORTH
The morrow did not bring single
letter, but it brought Mr.. Joyce from
Gray's Inn. No man would have look
Cd less like q solicitor than Mr.. Joyce.
Nature had clearly intended hin, FOR n