The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-23
in concluding these ladies to be impostors,

| j
said they were considered by their friends
| to be kleptomaniacS, a statement which
they did notthemselves indorse in any way
Two of them-if recollect right for have
| mislaid their letterS-were elderly spinSterS
whom the world had treated badly; the
other three were widows. All wrote al
| great length, each urging, strangely enough
that because she was poor, therefore she
had exceptional claims upon my considera
| ton. From their letters it might have been
| supposed that each was the most unfortu
| nate person in the universe.
| In the end decided to interview all FIVE
| that being the only way by which | could
| discriminate between them. Accordingly
| wrote TO ask them all to come to my house
ON a certain day, and added that would
of course, defray any travelling expenses
In order to prevent clashing, which ! saw
might place me in a most unpleasant posi-
ton, requested one lady to present herself
punctually at II 100 o'clock another al
| II 30, another at 1900, and so on.
| There would be no difficulty from my
| wife, for she was to be away from home or
that morning. 1t had been arranged that
a certain Uncle Joe should escort her to al
exhibition which had declined to attend
While pitied Uncle Joe, who was a very
irascible old gentleman, | certainly felt he
had done me great service on this occa
sion, though even here there might be
fresh trouble in store. When confronted
by an angry stall-keeper, who accused hin
and his companion of stealing, he would,
was confident be magnificent spectacle
I was getting used to it, but it would be {
new sensation for Uncle Joe
When the morning in question arrived
tried to bundle Maria out of the house with
very unconJugal haste, but notwithstanding
all my efforts her toilet required so much
time that it was past eleven before she
drove Off
The drawing-room where / had decided
to receive my visitors was large, pleasant
and eomfoFtabys ROOM With a aqS,fr yin u
dows mortgae upon the road. II was too
full o.. e lacks thought but that was
my WE. of5ing. l had Contributed only
one arta to the general collections
small gold vase which a favorite mare of
mine had woE in a trotting match. It
stood on cabinet between the fireplace
and the window, couch being just in front.
At the end of the couch and slightly in adj
vance of it placed chair for myself, in
tending my visitors to sit IN the armchair
opposite, where they would be facing the
light.
When Miss White appeared was vexed
to see that it it was already II 80, so that
clashing was nearly inevitable after all
Let me say at once that she was a very
different woman from what had expected
There was not trace of hardihood about
her; a meekeT-looking creature 1 never
saw. In fact began to think there must
be some mistake.
She was neatly dressed in black; in figure
she was tall, thin and rather angular, and
she had pinched face, with very mourn
ful expression. When she first entered she
raised her eyes to glance at me and then at
the room, but after that they fell as if they
were habitually fixed upon the ground.
Her intellect, imagined, was q little
dull, for she apparently mistook the seat
assigned to her and occupied the couch. In
self-defense l was obliged to move my chair
furtnpT and Tp 20 the liorrt ryybiob
not what had intended Without taking
any notice OF my action, Miss White laid
down by her side q black bag she had been
carrying. Then she drow out her handker-
chief, placing it on her lap, and folded her
hands over it. In this attitude, with down
cast eyes, she silently waited for me to
begin-a most difficult thing to do, as / now
found. AS tried to shape the necessary
questions so as to be the least offensive,
grew very uncomfortable.
"Ahem," | said, Miss White2n
There was knock at the door, and
James, my factotum, entered
"a lady to see you, sir" he announced;
a Mrs. Stone"
| fancied that Miss White raised her eyes
reproachfully to my face, but they fell
again the next moment. The idea that she
had guessed the object of this second visitor,
and felt herself to be subjected to a sort of
competitive examination only added to
my embarrassment.
'Show her into the dinipg-room, James,"
said, land say I'll be with her in a few
"Don't mind me,n said Miss White,
humbly. "Since the death Of my poor
parents l am used to being set aside for
others"
'But, Miss WHITE protested.
mo, please don't apologize l am not used
to that. All my life long have been tram
pied upon. / don't complainant, don't
complain. l merely state the fact, as
think it only right you should know every
thing if am to become an inmate Of your
house,
"Another lady to see you, SIR" announced
James; "a Miss Mildew."
Here was pretty enhancement What
on earth has brought her along before her
time2 OF course. that other woman in the
dining-room would hear and know the
meaning Of her visit. l was growing very
hot. indeed.
"Show her into the library, James," I
stammered.
Don't mind me-" again said Miss White,
applying her handkerchief to her eyes;
''please don't mind me. I'm used 60 being
left alone. I'm only an unfortunate single
woman, without friend in the world. /
think it only right you should know that
also"
''Your parents" said l, making frantic
attempt to get to business; "were--"
"'Most respectable people, but unfortu-
nate. Yes; it's only right you should know
that"
"Another lady to see ysu, sir" announced
James
This time the rascal was certainly smiling.
/ knew quite well he was thinking Of my
wife. l knew, also, that her appearance
upon the scene would just about finish me
off, but l had no reason to apprehend any
thing so dreadful.
Miss White had clearer idea OF the
situation. She looked at me in the same
reproachful way as before, and chen com
posed herself in that attitude of patient
resignation which made me feel as il | were
doing her positive injury.
what room is vacant Jamesm | asked
hurriedly. SIS any room vacant"
"Only the boudoir, sir"
''Then show-who did you say it wasa"
"Mrs. Dark, SIR"
''Show her in there
ooh. don't let me detain you," said Miss
White humbly "pm not used to detain-
ing people"
And then, as il the thought was too much
for her, this most depressing woman burst
into food of tears.
By the time that my fifth visitor arrived,
an event which happened very shortly after
the arrival OF Mrs. Dark, l was well nigh
distracted. There really was no room for
this last woman. ! could not have two Of
them gossiping together, and, perhaps,
quarreling, so l was compelled to ask Mrs.
Heslop to wait in the hall. 1t was very
rude, but what else could | doi Besides,
such Inconvenience as she suffered was
entirely her own fault-her eagerness to
secure the post having brought her two
l.. a.. l..