Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-02-05
KEPT BY MISSES BROWN.
Harper's Weekly.

/
gether in their own little room at fv
O'Clock in the afternoon. Ire little roor
was the cabinet whittier these ladies re
tired from the cares of the establish
ment. and where they made ont IN
weekly bills of their bearders those &C
counts in which extra items appeared il
the spidery and angular handwriting O
the young sister, Selma.
The world of modern Rome sWeE
across the wide piazza and along tn
crowded thoroughfare-a mingling o.
sound which fioated into the open win
dow with the bright winter sunshine
The breeze rustled the plants of stan
dard near-at-hand rose a church tower
one of the many shrines of the Eteria
City, and across intervening roofs the
Pincian hill rose clearly defined against
the blue sky.
The Misses Brown needed neither tn'
multi of noise nor the gay life of the city
for theeir attention was concentrated en-
a letter just received from the post.
LADY Pounee will soon arrive" an
swered Miss Brown, removing her spec
tacles, after perusing the note which
contained this gratifying information.
"FaneyW murmured Miss Selma, IN
turn scrutiniziBg the missive.
The letter bore the date of Brussels,
and was written in French of not the
choicest purity, yet in a bold and scrawl-
ing handwriting. Her ladyship stated
that in visiting Rome for the first time
she wished to stop with the Misses
Brown rather than be exposed to the
publicity of hotela, as she was alone ard
a widow. Deepest qualification awoke
in the hearts of the four spinsters-for
the Misses Brown were four in number
nor had either of them exchanged the
single for the married state.
"Well, am sure!' exclaimed Miss
Ethel, who was artistic, and whose
glance wandered to an earlier portrait
of herself on the wall, taken in the style
of Madame LIE Brun, with floating sash
and muslin cap, with palette in hand.
"She will take the best rooms, of
mused Miss Mary.
"Then that old lady must be moved
to the third story" said Miss Browp,de
cisively.
The sisters looked at each other like
milo conspiratators intent on earning
their daily bread in the, most genteel
manner. Outside, little man passed
N his carriage, with his English gay-
Prince of Naples seeking the
Villa Pamphili-Doria, to gain ssae-.s'
strength in his puny limbs as would en-
able him to grow into king by-and by
if fate willed it. The Misses Brown
u finued to sip their tea unmoved by
street shows. Habit rendered 8 o'clock
lea indispensable to them, while expe>
1iency made them contemplate the ar
rival of the boarder of the quality of La
1y Peunce as of vital Importance to the
standing of the establishment.
"The POunces came from Stafford
shire" said Miss Selma.
"The title is not an old one, 1 fancy"
added Miss Mary. 81 remomber some
thing about Lord jeremiah Pounce in
dear papa's time"
At this casual allusiOn to dear papa
the sisters sighed gently, but it was
more the sigh of conventional sorrow
than of acute bereavement, for the late
Mr.. Brown had departed this life with
stroke of apoplexy some twelve years
leaving bis affairs hopelessly
and his daughters penniless.
At the time there was rumor of Indian
Investments, and four more gentlewo-
men were thrown on the world. The
The Misses Brown burned their ships
and decided to establish pension in a
continental city rather than return to
their native land and seek employment
rs governesses. 1t would be superfu-
ous to add that they adorned their posi-
tion. Their very misfortunes shed a
certain halo over their superiority, and
afforded their boarders material for
endless small talk. The Oldest habitue
Of the dining table or of the drawing
,oom, usually an elderly lady, fond of
with much leisure on her
hands, told fresh arrivals all about the
Brown descent in the social scale. and
;he former grandeur of their position.
Widest confusion of facts resulted, eli
her through the fault of the glib nara
,or or the abstraction and bewilderment
If listeners. The Misses Rrown were
wisely esilent, and if in the lapse of
Years they came to be allied with half
If the country families in England, and
/ bishop or two in the bargain, neither
affirmation nor denial could be traced to
themselves. The pension was systema-
lied on the model Of a young ladies'
school, and indeed mankind, unless in
he guise of retired naval officer or an
Invalid clergyman, seldom haunted its
precincts. Strictest etiquette was OBJ
served as to the hours kept by the in-
mates, the extinguishing of lamps,punc-
,uality in attendance at meals. No 9TH
er chaperonage than refuge under the
'oof of the Misses Brown was necessary
ior giddy maidens longing to obtain
glimpse of the Coliseum by moonlight,
and sip the clear waters of Trevi, while
Kept aloof from the manifold wiles of
Satan. Frigid receptions were occasion
lily given, presided over by Miss Brown
n lavender kid gloves, with a careful
selection of outside guests-a few Wal>
lenSian pastors, depressed German