The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-09
4 HEARrLEss rLArTERER.
IAlex. E. Sweet, in Texas SiftinRs.I

- A-s( Ae NAAos MASA9Ay UU@tUtuk mOUSe
 besides Mrs. Measly and the boarders. I
 was tue bill of fare. ftwas like the pocket
 book of an editor. There was no chang,
 in it. It was the same thing every day
 Our condition reminded us of the suffer
 ings of the Greedy party. Everybody ir
 the party vas growing weak, the ration.
 were growing smaller, and hope began tt
 vanish. spent most of my time ir
 hunting proper fiat in which to 20 tc
 housekeeping while we were still strons enough to move. l could have ess;l;
 found another boarding-house, but wal
 afraid of getting out of the frying. pan
 into the hre. In the words of Shakes.
 peare, which were probably penned in a
 boarding house just after dinner, and on
 an empty stomach, "It is better to beai the ills we have than change boarding houses aud fly to ills we know not off If we iefs the Measiy boarding house, we might get into one where, besides being starved, there might be boy learning to play on the fiddle.
 At last found a flat that answered my purpose It was in an aristocratic neigh oorhood, not far from Fifth avenue where Wander bilt, Gould, ct als., live. bu, l didn't care for that. In New York you don have to associate with anybody un. less you see proper to do SO.
 When told Mrs. Measly that she could have our room at the end of the week, she seemed to be surprised. She ex. pected to keep us there until we perished and then get com mission from the un- dersaker for burying us. She no doubt had hopes of administering on our trunks and effects. From the way the clergy man eyed ne, suspected him of hayin g the intention of trying on my clothes after had nc more use for them.
 The proprietor of the restaurant near est to the Measly mansion also felt very badly at our leaving, but he consoled himself with the hope that Mrs. Measly would soon get some other greenhorns from the south. He told me con6deu- iaiiy tha. there were three Of four board ing houses in that neie hborhood. and from them he got all of his customers. He said that afser six o'clock in the eve. ming his place was crowded with strang- CTS in New York, who had just taken dinner at the boarding houses. If it were not for the boarding houses. there would not be half As many restaurants in New York as there are.
 On the day b:fore we left the Measly boarding house, l had a dispute with Frank Elliott, of Hampstead, Texas. who IS a student at the Art Academy, as to which boarding house was the meanest. his or ours. He biagged ab put the meanness of bis place. He said thai never before was he able to eat boiled cabbage. In Texas it always made him sick, but he had starved SO much at his boarding house that he had learned to love boiled cabbage.
 To test the matter invited him to dinner. He accepted on condition that he be allowed to prepare himself bv eat ing meal at his restaurant. He was promptly on hand at dinner time.
 Before we went into the banquet hall I told Elliott to praise everything on the table just for the fun of the thing. He carried out my request to the letter. When he tasted the dose of fried liver that was on his plate, his eyes distended. and, smacking his lips, said in a joyous tone:
 Nov, this is something nice. We don't get anything like this down in Texas. WoulI you be kind enough. mad ame, to give me the address ef your butcher2"
 Mrs. Measly was in the habit of get ting the liver from the butcher who gave the biggest chunk for the least money. but she gave the address of a butcher in the neighborhood, ali of which Elliott noted down in his pocket book. I thought she would perceive that he was not in earnest, but she did not. Flattery has the effect of bewildering the reason. ing faculties of some persons. When the thin, watery stuff she called coffee was passed around, Elliott went into an. other spasm of delight.
 This" he exclaimed, sipping the mis- erable siop, "this is what l call coffee. 1 have only tasted coffee twice in my life. once Tn New Orleans, where those French people know how 10 make coffee, and this IS the second time. It has the lava flavor. l must get you to give the recipe. would like to know precisely how much water you put in it?"
 Just as Elliott said this the medical student had his coffee to his mouth, ano his mouth full of coffee. He was seized with sudden paroxysm, and after spill ing some of the coffee on the napkin which had been placed on the table to cover ap a soiled place, he almost choked to death.
 "lfs a pity" continued Elliott, turning 10 me, that you have to leave this place because you want more room. This is the only place in New York where you have elegant meals, refined society, and other home comforts"
 It was only when Mrs. Measly pro- posed that he should occupy a hail room and board with her, that his eloquence appeared to let do vn.
 After dinper was over, he cheerfully admitted that poor as his boarding house was, it was better than Measly's.
 We lef next day. Mrs. Measly had already secured family from Georgia to 'ake our rooms. When saw them in 'he parlor for the first time, felt SO sorry for them that 1 had to wipe the from my eyes
 Mrs. Measly bade us an affectonate farewell, and the last thing she said was :