The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-03-26
II

/ propIgt0rs IN or hall ar ycranda, and even
talked critically OF Improvements on our street.
Ill
Two or three weeks cldcd away, and, being
] early binds ourselves. none Of MS had had more
than distant glimpse, uow and then, OF our
] irOuj-room dodgers. Indeed, we had taken
very little interest IN them, for we were mcrcc-
/ nary I'D those days and. The rent being paid,
! they in no way touched our lives. Cur new
mode Of living had an the fascination %! "a new
/ toy, and we were happy as the day was long.
llttlC Mrs. No0dson srl walked IN the shaa-
/ UWs 40 times bat we affected not 10 notice a.
and 0s she never spoke Of her dead husband,
1 we believed THAT limc, the universal healer,
/ was gradually so.,cning her EiicL and cveulu-
+ ally life would have as bright am outlook for
1 her as Tor the rest OF MS.
Mrs. Pamcry good soul that she was had
her faults, like the rest OF rs. Her own chill
dreu were all married and scattered, and she
had an oycrWccung desire 10 matrouize Us
three unprotected inn0Ccnts. To be shut out
OF the lllle cOIl0quies iu which we discussed
our hopes and fears was a rare punishment TO
/ her and she WAS never better pleased than
/ WHOM one or tho other came 10 her with a litjle
/ bit Of confidential gossip or asked her advice
/ on a disputed point.
/ We soon found that, in addition, she was an
4 invCtcratc matchmaker My dear hcWuuId
4 say when rallied npoa TINS point, " have been
4 SO happy Zoo my married life, that ] am sure
4 il Is jus, what Providence intended for all Of
4 us" And then she would appca. 10 Mrs. Wood
! son" Don you think SO, my GU@r:' Pretty
/ Mrs. Wuols0us eyes would OH with tears aud
she would turn away mumUring something
about having been married such a little while,
and Miss Clemens and ] felt indignant NJ the
old lady for opening mp the wounds arrcsh.
But MIS- Iarmcriy WAS not 10 be subaucd.
Every evening she RECALLED as with some fresh
fact She bad learned about the dodgers on the
. other floors but unfortunately they were a SIM
Puarly, uuiutergsting humdwm set entirely
devoid of interest, and there WIS really very
/ little 10 learn.
" The parties on the second floor are named
Anderson, aud, would you believe it2 they
have seven children, all under u years Of age,
aud they keep two nurses or, The fourth
hoOr mad company 10 dinner to-day, aud the
elevator was kept going for them all the after
no0n.'
But her especial interest ccutcrod iu orr own
dodgers, whom She declared 10 DE perfect gene
tlcmcu, and even worthy the acquaintance O.
so distinguished ladies as ourselves ] noticed
that Mrs. Nooas0n always looked distressed
when the conversation took this turn, and
finally Cs-ayDl 10 demonstrate with the old LADY,
bus she only saId, Nonsense nonsense, my
dear, She must &c used 10 il. Ii Is not nc
cordiug 10 nature that a pretty young thing
like that sE8ald 20 mourning an her days.
Besides, don't see that any OF you are likely
10 make the acquaintance Of those nice mon.
il is just a SIN and shame! Nou need NOT be
afraid. know gentleman Wien ] see one,
and these aIC gentlemen All through
After this conversation j felt no greater de-
sire 10 make the acquaintance OF our dodgers,
but VIII confess 10 "a lutte curiosity 10 see tho
Var8g0us and Judge Il their appearance Tor my
self And tate favored me. IL was on a sun.
] n I'll j. Z
started TO church alone. The elevator boy saw
nae, aud waiting a second, found "a gentleman
lu the elevator before me. lie lifted his hat
and d knew iusiinct.gcly il was ono OF our
I dodgers.
The elevator was rather dark, and ! only
formed a general impression Of n tall we'll
\ dressed man who when we came through the
/ door, went one way wAilc / went the other.
/ Whether he went 10 church or 10 some other
/ locality j do not know, but GA my return !
met him agaiu 5u5t at the door aud raising his
/ hat with the grace Of Chesterfield, be stepped
aside tu8t i might enter the elevator FIRST, aud
/ when VIC both loft ID on the third door gave
me another salute NJ parting.
10 WIS foolish know, but although looked
upon ~ little pa tho light an adventure, did
not mention i when we all met iH the little par
] l0rln the evening. For that very reason perhaps
/ j thought 81 lt the more aud when tic next
/ Sunday morning Caut dressed myself with
unusual care, NOR need 4 hesitate toc1ufc g that
1 ] was hardly astOaishcd when the same Clcs-
tcrhcldlan bow met me ~ the elevator both
going AID coming.
During The week ] often caught myself won
dciiug who my handsome uciphb0r was, aud
would have perhaps been tempted 10 iutcrro-
gate Mrs. larmcry as TO her knowledge on the
subject but about THIS time VIC all became aux-
/ lCus about Mrs. N90dsOu. NOt that Sac Won IA
admit that she was sick, but the Trcgy ewes
/ were heavy with uusaca tears, aud Miss Glenn
4 ems who had tap next room, declared that she
heard her moaning - night in the most pitiful
way. She insisted that nothing was the mat
ter, bot She grew paleT and sadscr day by dar.
aud, what seemed passing strange in spite Of
her weakness, She Lad q perfect horror gf the
elevator, and persisted IN climbing wear.ly the
two long gAls Of stairs that led % our fat
When sunday came again She was so sd that
j volunteered 10 spend The morning with her
aud 50 missed the opportunity Of testing
whether my nc.gIbJr went out regularly ~
church time or whether my meeting him sas
/ accidental. The day passed slowly. Mrs
NcOlsJn was depressed and fcycrisl by turns
and j begged her Iu vain o. sec physician.
/ Tho only dIgTcsslOn happened about dark when
a cClogcd boy tapped 20 "a. door aud LETT a
4 lovely ClusiCrUi HHliu Tu-as, without name or
address. AS each ~ us bad gu equal claim 10
them, proposed ~ divide lHum lu three r6r-
tIOnsi bat Mas. NUJGsou saeHcd SO opposed to
4 the arrangement that Hiss Clemens aud j had
10 keep them a.l. We made many suggestions
as 10 The probable donor aud finally settled IL
that b must have been someone 40 the Office
who wished 10 clHu iIIlCut al alike ] might
have had my gau lt,la suspicious, but, a. least,
] lad The sense to keep tAcm 10 myself