Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-03-11
LIFE IN A FLAT.
Ta,o OF tho Miss" Who Hated
Public Demonstrations.

When the lIarrisons decided 20 move
from their pretty. suburban-looking
cottage in the upper part of the city
into Hat downtown. because il would
b. nearer 10 Mr.. HarriSon's business,
several reasons why they should not
have decided were Immediately dis
covered Mrs. Harrison was certain
that there were mo- ministers down
Gown who could compare with Doctor
Barron. and that she couldn't enjoy
them If there were. Ollie, the elder
daughter. wa, afraid that Charley Mat
son. wh, lived around the corner,
could mo-, continue 10 call five evenings
In = week, ~ was hi, present habit;
md her father wa, fearful that the
rather small parlur OF their new abode
would not take the place Of their pleas
ant little porch for smoking and nj
nina,ing ON warm spring evenings.
But Jessie. who was barely ont of
school, was eagerly enthusiastic con-
rcrning the Hat. She was positive that
OF all the charming places To live. a
fat must be the most charming; and
she could hardly wait To get into one.
Had ii not been for Jc,sic'S contagious
good spirits. the llairi>onS would have
been inclined, at the end Of their first
week Of l'at-lifc. TO move back uptown
without further ado.
They had begun To despair Of ever
becoming accustomed to u Hat. Mr..
Harrison, being forgciiul, WAS freshly
startled every evening when the door
opened by apparent magic in response
To his ring. But Jessie, by repeated
explanations, convinced him that, so
FAR from being spiritual manifesto
ton. it was the direct result Of small
orass handle attached TO the kitchen
wall. Ollie. whose hour of rising was
not Of the earliest, was disturbed every
morning by the whistle of the janitor
up the dumb-waiter shaft, and the con-
scqucnt sending down of ashes ON the
part Of the girl. But Jessie grew clo-
qucnt over the extreme desirability Of
this arrangement. Mrs. Harrison,
whose tastes were quiet, was annoyed
ct meeting people IN the hall and
hearing them on the stairs. But Jessie
defended these sights and sounds rs
being remarkably pleasant and socia-
Bile. She herself, however. had one
cause of disturbance. She drew Ollie
close to the hall door, one morning.
with her finger raised.
"Thcrc-listen!' she whispered. cts
the gentleman ON the floor above. It's
Just the same every morning
\ quick step was coming down stairs.
At their foot it paused. while femi-
nine voice called down sweetly:
"Good-bye. Willy. BE home early
BE- sure"
And manly voice responded cheer
FULLY.
"Tll be on hand. Good-bye" and
Ao hall door closed upon the speaker.
"Thcy 90 through with all that every
day." said Jessie, disgustedly. "And
once or twice I've heard her call him
.dear'-yes. actually! II there's any
thing | abhor. it's the public demon
s,ration of young married couplesf
abe concluded with a shudder. She
stepped to the window hastily. closed
che blinds and peeped through the
ohuttcrs.
Eyes, he doesn't look more THAI
swenty-four," she announced. They
probably haven't been married long.
But that's no cxcuse-not the slightest.
willy for that immense thing! she
added scornfully. rs she watched the
tall figure TO the corner.
That afternoon Jessie went uptown
% call on several Of 1.-the girls, and
returned at four. having had the best
kind of time. She had gone first to
Mamie Dukes. and Mamie had gone
syer to Cora Bradlcy's with her. and
.hey had all gone on to Myra Sellwin's,
where Jessie had entertained them
with vivid description of the Hat. and
amused them with a slightly eNagGer-
atcd account of the doings of the amor
Gus couple ON the second floor. She
bad, in fact, represented Mr.. Sander
son-Sanderson was the name in the
slit over the letter box-as being in the
habit of shouting "Bye-bye. Tootscy
Wootsey," up the stairs as he departed.
and receiving the mystic response OF
"Nicy picey--oozy booty goozy." But
the statement had not been fully cred
tied.
She was smiling over the recollection
of her afternoons jollity As she stood In
the ycstibGls waiting the response q