The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-02-07
MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR.
How She Often "Drops in," and
What a Nuisance She Is.
"Oter the garden wall"

have the misfortune of being per-
sonally acquainted with my next-door
neighbors.
Mr.. Platitude is comparatively harm
less, but Mrs. Platitude is a perfect
nuisance. She is perfectly idle herself,
and she cannot get it through her head
that anyone else has anything to do.
She comes in to visit me at all hours. l
can't say, mot at home" to her, for l
never go out or come in without her
knowledge, 1t is no use to say 1 am
engaged, for she comes in all the same,
always on the plea that she wants
particularly to see me, and will not de-
tain me five minutes, but she forgets all
about that once she gets hold of me.
She always opens her visits by saying,
81 just dropped in,'' and very big
"drop in" she is. am sure she does
not weigh less than one hundred and
eighty. And how she talks. She al
ways knows a great deal more of my
business than know myself.
She generally ''drops inn to tell me
that my cook handed parcel, early in
the morning, to the milkman; that my
Emma Jane was romping in the back
yard with the bakers boy, or that she
thinks it right to tell me that the
butcher stays very long time in the
house when he calls for orders, and
what do | think of that? And do l
know, that though she has larger
household than l, she only takes in half
as much ice as l do, and don't / think
my servants must waste itP And am l
sure that l keep my house warm
enough, for use far less coal than she
does. And what do l think of my
Emma Jane telling her Kate that l
was a tiresome old maid, and that no
one could live with me. And then
she generally wants to know who
was the gentleman who called yester-
day afternoon, or whose carriage stood
so long at the door, or where | spent
the whole day? Then she offers me
matronly advice, saying, that living
alone as | do, should not receive gen
clemens visits without sending in for
her ''to make it pleasant for me. "
She always either '"drops in" when ]
have visitor, or comes in the moment
/ am alone, to account for her non-ap-
pearance. had great joke the other
day, and mystified my friends most
beautifully. l had been having some
curtains dyed, and the dyer, a jocose
Young man, called around with the bill
tude trotted up the steps after him anC
saw him hand Emma Jane a slip o
paper, and heard him say: 81 dye fol
your mistress. Give her that. Sht
knows all about it.n / heard it, too
so bid Emma Jane show the young
man into the front parlor, and tell Mrs
Platitude l was very much engaged
and positively could not see her.
paid the young mans bill and let hin
go, and have been very silent and mys
FERROUS on the subject ever since. Mrs
Platitude thinks that / have made
mash, and has not neglected to expires
her opinion, and spread the news ia
and wide, but she remains in the dark
and Kate vainly tries to make Emm
Jane tell her, but poor Emma Jan
really does not know the facts. Blu
yesterday Mrs. Platitude had full re
Yenge.
My parlor is very pretty room, an
am very proud of it. l spent all las
winter working new chair covers for il
These were made of Roman satin an
elegantly embroidered. They all cam
from the upholsterers yesterday morn
ing, and they looked simply quit
perfect / had them unpacke
in my little back parlor, which is
very small room, and barely held then
While l was gazing fondly at them,
flood of sooty, grimy water suddenl
rushed down the chimney and saturate
three of my prettiest chairs, an
splashed all the rest, till they looked 8
if they had been covered with chin
ney sweeper's apron.
Emma Jane, Emma janet
screamed, and began to haul out th
chairs. but it was too late, they wei
all spoiled That tiresome Mrs. Pla
itude had, or fancied she had, fire
her kitchen chimney. So she got thu
idiot of maid of hers to pour waite
down, and she, of course, sent it dow
some other fiue which connected wit
M bacl; psrlor, and spoiled my love-
chairs. OF course, Mrs. PlatituC