St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-11-16
THE LADY UPSTAIRS.

"What night to get home in," sail
Il Mrs. Pippo as she took the arm MI. Pipe
Offered her as she descended from the car
/ AZ the - depot. ''Its as dark as pitch
How providential that l took my water.
proof 1t pours cats and dogs Oh
Ephraim, what dreadful journey it ha:
been"
'.But here you are, safe and sound, you
know said Mr. Pippo, who was of &
cheerful disposition. ''It's all right, Han
nah Ann; you've got here. How's youl
mar"
miserable" said Hannah Ann.
"And sister-in-1 awf"
'She's miserable, too" said Mrs. Pippo.
'And her husband and the children -
asked Mr. PIppo
Poor brother in, law has got a church
yard cough" said Mrs Pippo, "and the
children are getting something spotty /
hope it's the measels but if it's small pox,
~ why, | shall have it and you'll take it
from me- and that will be the erd of us -
and Mrs. Pippo groaned.
"Well, I'll wait until I'm sure" said
Mr. Pippo. 81 don't care about borrowing
trouble. I'm well, anyhow, and so are
you"
"Ah, healthy people drop off first" said
the desponding Mrs. Pippo. well. how
is all at home?"
"rm sorry to say the cat has eaten the
canary bird" said Mr.. PiDpo.
That canary was the idol of my soul"
said Mrs. Pjppo. "Ah, had an awful
presentiment that something had hap
pened."
''But have good news to counterbal-
ance that" said Mr.. Pippo. The gray
cat bas six kittens-three gray and three
black. l left them in the yellow satin
chair in the front parlor, where found
EN-. to let you see how cunning they look
And I've let the second floor at twenty
eight dollars month, and they've moved
in and are all to rights. There do &C
knowledge that you're pleased at that,
Hannah Ann,"-
''The ideaSaof their moving in while !
was away" said Hannah Aun. You
know how it smuses me to see people
move in. Now shall never know what
we've got, or anything"
"Well, you see, had to do it, Hannah
Ann" said Mr.. Pippo. "Ihe gentleman
is sea captain, and had TO sail on Mon
day, and had to let them move in Satur
day. He wanted to see she was all safe
and settled before he went. That was but
natural. Everything came new from the |
pes down. When I came home to tea
they were all to rights. She's alone now.
Very pretty woman. Such winning !
smilel''
''Oh, she's that sort of a creature, is
she3" asked Mrs. Pippo.
"What sort, Hannah Ann ?" asked Mr. |
Pippo.
Mrs. Pippo. Alone? Ali I've no |
doubt. Nicely you TSssseen taken in, MIR.
Pippo."
''Oh, pshawl Tie captain is splendid
fellow. Regular up and down. No non
sense about him. And he said his wife
was an angel. And" continued the mis-
guided man, adding fuel to the flame, ''she
really does look sort of angelic SO soft |
and tender and girlish. You'll like her,
Hannah Ann
s'Like her, the bold creature |" said Mrs
Pippo. Smiling at married mani"
After Mrs Pippo had had her tea S b |
went upstairs to ask the time and see here
NV tenant she was pretty young We
man, and very civil, indeed, to Mrs. Pippo j;
but that lady had formed her opinions, |
and they were not to be cha .ged.
Before next evening Mrs. Cav and Mrs
Daw and Mrs Nav; her three most init
mate neighbo,s, had heard that Mr.. Pippo
had let the second floor, in Mrs Pippos
absence, without reference of any kind, to
q person whose husband was away, and
that Mrs. Pippo felt dreadfully about it.
After this Mrs Cav Mrs. Daw and Mrs
Nav watched the little lady with curious
eyes as she passed by their doors, and gave
her forbidding glauces when they met her
in market or in church.
s.Mrs Montague they used to say,
L = ln~
Moutaguei Any one might know that no.
q novel or play. People are named Smith
and Brown, Jones and Robinson, in real
life. As for the captain, we'd like to see
him, that's all"
And so, without any reason whatever,
the neighborhood decided that they chad
their doubts of Mrs Montague.
One fine morning Mrs. PIppo, having
listened for some time at Mrs Montagues
keyhole the evening before, might have
been seen flying from Mrs. Caw's to Mrs.
Maw's. and from thence to Mrs. DAVIS.
She had story to tell at last
"To think of it," she said, with many
shakes of the head and many mods and
winks and upli. ling of her hands: Il had
nv doubts all along. and proof has come
at last. There was man in MRS. Mon
tague's parlor last n1ght. now ne got IN
don't know, but she called him dear, and
coaxed him to take more sugar; and as
snre as you live, heard her kiss him
And after that there wasn't sound, and
went to bed with the door-key under my
inflow; SO no one went out that night"
Frightful to have such goings on in
the house." the ladies all agreed and ter
rible that Mr.. Pippo would not believe 1t.
..Sbe has that sort af way with her that
blinds the men, said Mrs Pippo; "but
out she shall go as soon as can prove
what am sure of.
Mrs. Nav, Mrs. Cav and Mrs. Daw ap.
proved of this resolution, and watched
n nroof of the evil conduct of Mrs. Mon
Leyue. - .n,a
,hadow on the blinds of the back window
a second floor. Mrs. Cav had proof
that Mrs Montague's laundress was he'd
nascnline garments every week; and Mrs
law had heard that there was once LADY !
living In ---- street who was short, ana !
nd light hair and blue eyes, OF whom her
,eichbors had no opinion Whatever, ana
,nnIdn,t help thinking 1t must have been
I'D Montague Yet all the while MAJ.