Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-03-21
my door with her customary information

always getting up early and going out to
business and letting himself in again with his
latch key about in the morning, when he
expected breakfast ready, and ate it walking
about the room, as q rule, preparatory to
running away again in hot haste. l should
have considered Mr. Goode an irritable
lodger if it had not been for the angelic con-
trast that he afforded to Capt. Choppers, As
it was, he seemed only little bit fussy and
precise, which was attributable chiefly to his
'ot in life. Mr., Goode was widowar with
two sons at boarding school, and If those
boys had lived and died at boarding school,
instead Of coming home twice year for the
holidays, think Bridget and Sarah would
have rejoiced exceedingly.
I remember Mr.. Goode asked Sarah that
morning if ne could speak with Miss Neild
befors he left, and went up stairs at once to
see him He was walking about with his
mocth full and slice of bread and butter in
his hand.
,nz sssThat was dreadful noise last night. Miss
Neild,' he began; II couldn't get wink of
Sleep The captain, suppose, again: must
certainly ask you in my name to present my
compliments him, and"-
ut was not Capt. Choppers"
"Indeed2 No. Well, thought I heard
his voice." said Mr. Goode, very much disap-
pointed.
There was no homogeneousness between
Mr.. Goode and Capt. Choppers-I may say
even that there were times when they hated
and loathed each other.
"He's beggarly upstart civilian, mad
am," the captain would roar in excited mo-
ments; and HE crr.ainm Mr.. Goode
would say, with whitening contempt "Cap-
tain of penny steamboat, perhaps, nothing
more"
But to my strange story.
"a gentleman dropped his umbrella down
the area and knocked me up for it," ex-
! planned, with little acrimonious emphasis.
''Well, of all the confounded imperti-
nence!" exclaimed Mr.. Goode; II should
like to treat that party to a bit Of my mind
You never got up and gave it to himg'
''No, did not"
II am glad to hear that. For you must
take care of yourself, Miss Neild, and keep
strong. You are not looking well, D." he said,
regarding me with his head on one side, as if
he had troublesome wen on the other which
he was anxious to keep clear of the edge Of
his shirt collar, upon my word you are not.
You are pale and fragile looking. A little
change at the seaside now would do you
world of good"
"Yos, dare say it would"
This large house is trial to you-and
that captain, with his absurd fancies and his
ridiculous tempers, would worry the life out
Of a saint-and you are really looking ax-
tremely pale this morning. And-good gra-
cious, had no idea it was SO latew
Mr. Goode swallowed the last portion Of
bis bread and butter whole, and dashed like
harlequin out Of the front door. When he
had gone surveyed myself in his parlor
glass and wondered if was looking very i'll,
or whether being dismal man, he was try
ing to frighten me, and I arrived at tho con-
clusion was looking about the same as usu-
ala prim. pale, pert little puss, as my dear
old dad called me once, when was arguing
with him on the housekeeping expenses, and
how the weekly money would never hold out
| If he would continually ask the dodgers in to
supper and game at cribbage afterward.
Poor dad; he died next year and left me
sole proprietor Of the lease and furniture Of
the house in Prossiter street, and there were
no late suppers and cribbage any more. I
was II when he died, and I had had five
years charge of No. 10 since-"getting quite
an old maid, Lily Brian, who lived next door,
said; but then Lily was four years younger
than I, and assumed upon her youth, as girls
will. A nice girl was Lily Brian, and my one
friend and confdante, but perhaps too fond
of laughing at everything, although that
showed she was happy and had q keen sense
of humor and fine set Of teeth.
Well, perhaps was trihe paler, was my
second conclusion after the first five minutes,
~
about the nose, just Us if was breeding
cold, as Bridget put it. And this was not
remarkable, considering last nights expert
ences, Ind sure enough the cold was bred be-
fore my early dinner hour, when the sneez-
ing stage had set in with considerable force.
| This reminded me once more of the umbrella
which had been dropped into the area last
night, and asked Bridget to bring it to me.
''The what, m'm?' asked Bridget, with
wild stare.
''The umbrella"
sUmbereller, and down our airy, did ye
say. m,m2 There's not a scrap Of umbereller
down our airy. I've been in and out twenty
tonnes, and must have seen it," continued
Bridget.
Bridget, there must be an umbrella,"I 7
said; ''go and see."
Bridget departed, and returned with tho
information that there was no umbrella in
the area, and then I went and looked for my
self, and as it was still drizzling with rain, I
caught another cold on top of the first one,
and was a+ fever heat ere twenty -four hours
had cnsued. But before then the gentleman
had called for his property, and I had met
face to face the individual who had rendered
last night hideous.
He came ut in the afternoon, sending iu
his card by way Of preliminary announce
ment that he had arrived. I did not associ-
ate him with the umbrella-indeed I was
feeling drowsy and tout of sorts" with pains
at the back of my head, when huge glazed
card was presented to me bearing the in
scription in large, fancy letters, Of "Geoffry
Bird, carver and glider and picture frame
maker, 9G7 Goswell road, Islington, N"
81 don't want any picture frames, Sarah,"
said to my small help, wearily.
sits the gentleman about his umbrella,
num-" said Sarah.
"Good heavensl Oh, indeed. Well. ask
him to step in, then"
My sitting room was small apartment at
the end of the long passage, the only little
room had to myself and my day dreams
yes, my day dreams s!-when the house was
full, which it had been all these years, for
they were the same lodgers who had lived
with us in fathers time-odd inconsiderate,
queer tempered dodgers enough, but faithful
to my house, and keeping an old promise to
my father, too, ito stand by the little woman,
a bit when he was gone"
! Mr.. Bird was ushered into my presence,
and he came in with low bow and with
trifle too much Of smile to wholly please
me, although it suggested itself to me some
what quantity that he would not have much
to smile at presently. Mr.. Bird was slim
and somewhat short young man, who wore
his black hair long enough for violinist,
and had upon the smallest Of hands the rcd
dest and most prominent of knuckles. He
was rather q good looking young man, With
brown eyes and black bushy eyebrows, and
with habit of shaking his head suddenly,
| as if to get the hair back from his forehead,
or as if he had just come out of water. He
was fairly we'll dressed, might have passed
even for gentleman if it had not been for
his red knuckles and that very obtrusive
smile.
"Good afternoon, Miss Neild-for under
stand your namc is Neild," he began; II am
very sorry for the third time in my life to be
such complete nuisance to you. But
think am in the right this time, being here
by invitation"
Eyes; asked you to call at a more sea
| ,1o,-b T cd