Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-22
MISS MARSHALL

A neW Doarder.
A ripple of interest went down the long
table and came back On the other side.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to INTRO
ducs Mis- Julia Marshall said uaotherly
Mrs. Lane, up at the bead Of the table The
new conner bowed with great eornposure and
tho other boareers aekno" ieiged the nitro
duction, each In his own peculiar manner.
Then the slender, black rubed figure slipped
into its appointed place. and was politely TN
conscious Of tina curious Chances that followed
Its motion
What did J ou say YVES the nannef Mar
shallf'
"Yes, Miss Marshall Wonder VITO she's
in mourning for"
Her mother probably Rather good look
ing"
1No, no, too pale" The speaker was
young Mrx Bernard, who certainly could
not be objected to on the same ground "A
great many women affect that style because
1t makes them look interesting. | can't en-
dure IL ny self"
Il should think not, indeed, returned sar
castle Mrs Palmer, with genial emphasis
..AHectation of any kind is always unpleasant
to unaffected people"
such q PITY" drawied little Mrs. May.
the boarding house beauty, toying with her
toast and casting an Indignant glance at the
young lady in black We were all getting
along so nicely together, quite like a family,
and am positively sure that We shall not
like her"
"A little more tea, If you please, ula'am,"
said Miss Marshall, in low, clear tones-and
all the critics started as though they had
been overheard
As for the gentlemen, they had nothing to
say In the first place, there was breakfast
to be disposed Of, and no trivial affair could
interfere with that Moreover, they had all
glanced at the young lady more than once,
and had found her not disagreeable to look
at 1t was, therefore, not in the nature Of
things that they should pronounce judgment
at once, so they were discreetly silent; and
when the breakfast was concluded they went
of to their several places of business and left
the ladies to settle the affair as pleased them
bef
MiS Marshall, indeed One solitary girl in
a house full Of married women And they
were oil women whose husbands carried the
family burdens while they themselves toaed
not, neither did they spin They crocheted,
however, and embroidered, and did arasene
and kensington stitch, and painted on satin
and on velvet and plush and china and when
ever they assembled for all these things they
canvassed the appearance and conduct of
Miss Marshall
Rather singular, isn't it, her boarding
here all alonef' asked Mrs. Bernard when the
congress had assembled for business on that
first morning.
Especially since she is young and good
looking added Mrs Palmer much absorbed
in her crochet
"Youngl" cried Mrs. Demands voice out
Of the chorus Of disapproval, and Good look
ingl" screamed Mrs May, dropping her work
in establishment
We'll, since she Is ueither young nor good
looking perhaps she can take care of herself"
said Mrs. Palmer, who was always making
everything uncomfortable, and dead silence
fell during which every woman attended de
voutly to her work.
That Miss Marshall isa wonderfully pretty
girl" said Mr.. May-who was nothing If not
obtuse-that day at dinner, after Miss Mar
shall had left the table.
"Va-a-ryi" remarked Mr. Bernard, who
affected the English.
These remarks practically sealed Miss Mar
shall's fate, 50 far as this particular boarding
house was concerned.
She was a quiet. unobtrusive girl, but she
could not always escape the sharp eyes and
sharper tongues Of the ladies who had set
themselves on her track. To tell the truth,
she did not care to elude them So when the
feminine coterie waylaid her in the parlor,
and Mrs May implored her to remain in the
room and to keep on playing she yielded,
and played 50 sweetly that the gentlemen
came to the parlor too, and were visibly en-
chanted
.'Oh, that Is lovely, Miss Marshall" cried
Mrs May with enthusiasm You must come
down among us often. 1t is 50 seldom one
has an opportunity to hear any really good
music OF course, several Of US play, but we
are only amateurs"
"Ah and there are grades even in amateur
music" replied Miss Marshall. in that low,
calm voice Of hers, and Mrs May, whose play
ing was notably bad shrank back and forgot
what she intended to say
1t was Mrs. Bernard who made the next
attac!. Personally Mrs Bernard was obnox-
ious to Miss Marshall, as any woman with af
fected manners and an artificial complexion
must necessarily have been. but that had
nothing to do with the conversation that en-
sued.
II am sorry to see that you wear black.
Ms MafSQal on naNt lCSt ~ Iut TtihllNe,
presume
YES, mad
A long silence, during which the clock
licked in a most obtrusive manner.
Your mother, supposef
II have lost my mother"
"Ahi recentlyf
About twenty years ago-in fact, when
was not day old. +"
A deeper crimson dawned in Mrs Demands
already crimson face. and she retired from
the contest A suppressed chuckle came from
the farther end of the room, where some Of
the gentlemen were deeply absorbed in read
ing, and again the clock licked with imperti
nent emphasis
II will never speak to her again." cried
Mrs Bernard. tearfully, to the ladies engaged
In art work.
I'VE must make Mrs Lane find out who
she Is We owe it to ourselves" exclaimed
two or three OF the more indignant ones, just
" incensed at Miss Marshall's reticence
1t seemed. however, on investigation, that
this was much easier said than done
Miss Marshall came to me bringing the
best of references said Mrs Lane, among
them some friends Of mine l have no right
to inquire further"
But what does she do, Mrs LaneF aross
the feminine chorus GOOD heavens. what
does she dor
she spends good deal Of her time attend
ing to her own business" retorted Mrs Lane,
who had learned the use Of the English Ian
guage in the course OF several years conflict
with an ungrateful public, as boarding house
keeper. and again the assailants retired, and
there was silence for space.
From this on the discussion ragged with IN
abated interest and accommodating venom.
The gentlemen were drawn into it in spite Of
their protests and their earnest wish to be-
friend the girl, who was alone and had no
friends Mrs Palmer laughed and said with
0ne scorn;
go on, by all means I have nothing to
do with it Mis- Marshall is abundantly
aba to take care Of herself But shall en-
Joy seeing the battle royal at all events
So Miss Marshall was utterly ignored At
the table, while the conversation went on
overhead, and all kinds Of impertineut things
wore said At her When she met any Of the
ladies In the hall they were wholly uncon-
scious Of her presence When she entered
the parlor the conversation came to a sudden
stop, and the assembled crowd dropped OF
one by one until she WAS left alone Then
she calmly took possession of the piano and
Ane and played until some Of the people up
stairs grew very restless and would willingly
have been down in the parior again
One evening Mrs May ieinei har friends
flushed and .hreathiess from rapid walking.
and ascendea the stairs In a violent hurry
1--we found out something, at any rate"
she cried, triurnphantly, land | think it
ought TO convince US about that Miss Mar
shall, whether it does or not