Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-11-22
CHAPTER III.
A MUTINY DOW NSTAIRs.

For some time after the advent OF the
eccentric lodger, number twenty-seven
was rather unsettled. but the inmates
grew accustomed TO him gradually. There
was, in fact, no alternative, he gave
very little trouble and he had no in
tention OF going. The cook gave warn
ing, the housemaid would not wait up
on him, and NJ. u. Parker stole in and
out of the house on tiptoe; he was
dreadfully afraid of that eminently dis
agreeable old gentleman upstairs. When
he walked about the house the ceilings
shook, and when he called his mar il
was in aroart that made everybody trem-
bic. Up TO this time Mary Allenby had
not much TO thank the friendly lawyer
for, but she did not tell his 50.
He / sold, and irritable, and in pain"
she said, when Mr.. Joyce inquired how
she liked her new ledger, land perhaps
the climate does not agree with him.
lie will be better by-and-bye."
Nothing eve did suit him or agree
with him except having his own way"
said Mr.. Joyce; "he is rich and eccen-
trlc, and most people let him do as he
ikes for the sake Of what may be got
out OF him. by the way, | forgot 10
mention that he hates the sight or sound
OF children. They drive him mad, SO l
tod him you had none"
Mr.. Joyce, how could you?n
"A little evasion, my dear lady, moth
ing more, quite legal. He asked me if
yon had-no, / am wrong-he did not
ask anything about you in that respect,
he wanted TO know if there were child
rem IN the house; now, one child is not
children, so | could answer him fear
iessly, and then yours is such a quiet
little angelo
"lie certainly is very quiet" said
Mary, land / keep him out Of the way"
Quite right, too, most children are a
nuisance, except TO the people they be-
long TO; how does the little chap get
along with the Niger, for of course he
has seen ity"
Il vas so surprised in my life.
Arthur took to him from the first; he
understands children wonderfully; but
you should not call him a niger, Mr.
Joyce"
"He would not mind. Why should
ne! The negro is "A man and a brother,
and | have told him not 10 mention the
child to his MASTER"
Il was about TO ask you that"
II would not have him know ii for
the world. II would aggrayate the govt;
inflammation might set in, and then !
should lose my best client. Keep that
child out Of his way, Mrs. Allenby,
whatever you do"
1t was difficult 10 tell whether Mr..
Joyce was serious or testing, but he
said that so solemnly that Mary was
frightened; there was no knowing what
such a singular gentleman might do if
ne came suddenly upon one of the in
nocent race that he hated with the
ferocity of Herod.
Had Mr.. Bankers irritability not been
a natural infirmity intensified by pain,
II might have been thought that he was
trying to see how thoroughly disagree
able he could make himself. He grum-
Died whenever he had a chance, and the
way he went on at the poor man of his,
was, as the cook said, something dread
ful; not that she understood aword, for
MI. Barker roared at him i'm an un- !
known tongue, and Cinci replied in the
same, with his quiet, mellow voice and
irresistible smile; and then she wanted
to know why he did not have his game,
and fish, and poultry from the proper
tradesmen, and his meat from the butch
er, instead of eating those timed things
like a cannibal. Evidently the cook had
curious associations Of ideas, or else her
impressions as to what those tins con
tanned were decidedly erroneous.
With a cook who gave warning twice
. week on the average, anda housemaid
In q perpetual state of mutiny, Mrs.
Allenby was in a sad condition Of per-
and she did not like having to
smugsle her pretty baby out of the way
i she CHANGED tohear her lodger's voice
Or footstep on the landing. The little
widow had q very independent spirit Of
ner own, and in her Utmost heart she
MI. Barker would 20.
II would tell him to CO." she said to
DR.. Hyde, "but / am sur6 no one else
would take him in; he is SO disagree
Rble.n
"You have the true spirit of a Chris
Liam, Mary" he said, with q smile.
you endure the infiction rather than
let your neighbors suffer; but it seems
me that so long as you keepa lodg
ng house you will be liable to these
ntngs. People who live in lodgings
imagine that they have the right to do
9 they please; people who let lodgings
imagine that those who live in them
nouid DO a. they, the people who let
hem. please. Now here we have the
wo Thought into conflict. You have q
el!-Willed old gentleman for q lodger,
2 "a . digniaed little landlady. Now,
thing is, do you really wish TO get
Mary heaitatcd.
,sa ! have 70 keep baby out Of his way,
Wen, that is no particular hardship,
nd y % be met by keeping baby out OF
- way. Now what comes nextyn
Tho cook win not stay. She gives
warning every other dky~6 so, and
rs houstmaid Is always complaining"