Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-02-12
OUR NEW BOARDING HOUSE.

OUR NEW BOARDING HOUSE.
My two chums (Algernon de Vaya-
sour and Jack Briggs had occupied
palaIial furnished apartments with me
for years, when necessity of mutual
and very considerably e retrenchment
compelled us 10 think of humber quar-
teTs and regular meals in boarding
house
We stared the necessity IN the face
somewhat lugubriously. We had nedr.l
and read something of the mysteries
and horrors of New York bpaIding-
houses of the lower class. We knew
the suggest yeness of the noun hash. >
We had imagi ed the unctious fascina-
tions Of the evitabie only daughter of
the boarding-hOuse mistress.
But necessity knows no law. and
these aId kindred unpleasantnesses
were soon to test the truth of ourselves.
ia 4 Briggs, "A jolly. practical fellow
appeared TO look upon the change as a
Z Oh joke, fIom which he expected to
derive vast amount of amusement;
but poor DE NavasOur. our sensitive,
sentimental, lOetic De Vayas uur,
shTank before the dismal prospect like
a lily-of the valley in Boreal bla t.
But we mustered courage, and re-
moved TO tie small rooms which had
been recommended to US as select,
fashionable. and moderate of charge.
We arrived shortly after our trunks,
but too late for the regular dinner. But
our hostess had anticipated our desires,
and had nice dinner for three pre-
pared for us Oar precOncelved I'M
presSions were considerably dissipated
by the repast, which, though not eX-
tTavacant, was plenteous and gracefnl.
We loOkel at each other in surprise.
True, the waitress who served US wOulI
have looked a little tidier If her apron
had been wa>hed two or three weeks
before our arrival, but Mrs. skllle-
poured out the tea IN all the grandeur
of snufT-colored silk, and beamed upon
US serenely from benea h painted eye
brows and well-Iouged cheeks She
was sharp-nosed, thin-lippeI lady,
with quick, eyer-ShiftIng eyes, like those
of detective policeman in quest of IA
very small needle in very large ack
of hay.
While we were discussing our meal,
there entered her only daughter, who
was presented to US as Miss Aurora
Theodosia She was about six feet
high, weighed somewhere III the region
of Seventy-fve pounds, with a ia her
pretty, but faded face, Ike the head OF
a flower that had grown Sd near the
sun as to become slightly wilted. She
moved about wi h the softly undulating
movement OF a young giraffe, and then
quilted the room.
v-al - Tn Aa1f
dedly erraIic mannar, a good-looking.
well-dTessed young man of about
TWENTY-FIVE, in a comicdl state of ill.,
ebriety. He was eccentric with liquor
irregular with stimulant.
why, Reginald Skillet' exclaimed
our hostess, drawing herself up, and
locking inexpTessibly shocked, while lac
supported himself by the back of a
chair, and saluted us with numerous
bland and idiotic smiles.
Yes, yes. my dear, hiccoughed
Reginald. New candidates for the
haslery, eh?' And, by a series OF
plunges, he crossed the floor and made
his way into the adjacent kitchen.
Another of yo-r interesting off
spring, ma'am? quelied DE Navasour,
innocentiy.
Skillet, with dignity.
NV friend is somewhat uear-s'g GIFTED,
aid Jack Briggs, coming 10 the rescue.
Il, for my part, madam, Judging by
relative appearances, would have taken
the gentleman for AN elderly uncle -
perhaps grandfather
She bowed grandiy, AMI then, as We
gave 81, mails of having satisfied our ap-
rnr.aLs 1f.a-
custom to receive one months board In
advance. In loNei-Cl~ss houses ii was
the custom t. ask only one week 5
board ia advance, but her extraordinary
expenses in always providing her table
with The FIRST anu all delicacieS Of the
season, in order 70 satisfy her select
class OF bo.rders. compelled her TO puT-
sue her present course
re shelled out twenty-eight dollars
each. and then entered q drawing
room. 1t was filed with the kind of
people one usually meets III 'genteel
boardinp-house.' There were young
and pretty girls, and old and ugly girls.
There were old men who hal passe
ther lives in boarding-houseS, book
keepers and c,eI Ks who contemplated a
similar existence, and shy-looking
Ac4IO"S VIM "SAN gHa|N NA-NS-
ing upon It.
We had evidently already been sub
iects of general comment end specula-
ton. AMI our entrance occasloned a
re eral stir, and all eyes seemed to be
fastened upon us. The regard of the
long-inItiated, the old stagers, was
grim and pitiless, but l noticed several
Young persons, whose general appear
ance was that Of refinement and Guilt
vation, who looked upon US with sort
f dreary mmiseration-
We were no sooner settled down,
somewhaJ apart from the general COM
any- when OF these las;-mentIoned per
sons. a tall, enaciated youth, sidled W
to me. and made overtures looking tC
an ACQUAINTANCE. As he was rather
iInid than otherwise, and very gentee
md polite W thai, cheerfullv respond
a. and We were soon engaged in con-
,eTSGtlon-
Il hope you viii not consider me i'm
,ertineat. SIR said he, after a little
\ lille. but 1 would request a little in
formation. solely for your own good.
D,d She, sir, did she fake you out of q
months board In sdvAnce!'
we saoh paid Q months board In