Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-09-23
From the Lynchburg News.j
HOPE DARE
ILLUSTRATES THE UNCOMFORTABLE CoND 1
TIoN OF A CURIOUS MIND, ETC.

| ILLUSTRATES THE UNCOMFORTABLE CoND I
TIoN OF A CURIOUS MIND, ETC.
II don't think the Ensler House, with al
| its modern Improvements, is 80 very hand.
some after all; do you Mrs. Perkins?"
why. it strikes me as very beautiful
| house, Mrs. Greeneye, and certainly one of
the most convenient have seen. The ed
ditions ara all well planned and the exterior
quite picturesque in effect, besides the
rooms are SO arranged as to make every
thing handy for the new mistress, who am
sure must enjoy it greatly. Young people
as general thing Ike novelties" And
Aunt Polly fixed ber keen penetrating eyes
npon her visitor to note the effect of her diff.
ference of opinion.
"But is the new mistress such good
honsekeeper after ali?'
"Well, her husband thinks so certainly
aud he is the one to be pleased. 1 should
think the rest of us might afford to accent
his opinion. Onlya few days ago heard
him say that he had married the sweetest
/ woman and the finest little housekeeper in
the world, and that was high praise from
q young husband whose mothers good
management was proverbal. To have things
as Mrs. Ensler, Sr., had them was the am
bition of all her neighbors, and her table
recipes were borrowed far and near and
copied to enhance the value of many a cook
book. She entertained beautifully, know,
for have sat down at her table to many a
grand dinner as we'll as evening party. The
house has the interest of pleasant associa-
ticn with me. notwithstanding the changes
that have taken place.
"And," responded Mrs. Greeneye,
(which are no great improvement consider
| -t,at a III
l venture to say that the present Mrs. En-
sler will never follow in the footsteps of her
predecessor, at least, as regards entertain
| ing, she doesa't look like q person who
would be much given to hospitality, al
though as everybody knows, she married
Fred Ensler for his money, and will doubt
less spend it lavishly upon herself, and for
her own selfish purposes. She's too much
spoiled and stuck us 10 go out Of her way to
make other people happy.'
"Ah WE'LL" rejoined Aunt Polly, 1--WE
mustn't judge too hastily" In fact she
was beginning to discern CLEAN of the
greeneyed monster in the restless eye of her
busy interrogation. Envy, as the good book
tells us, isindeed ''rottenness to the bones,"
and the dacaying process was always mani
Testing itself in the discomfort with which
Mrs. Greeneye regarded the good fortune
of the young bride whom Fred Eosler had
but lately installed in his grand old snces-
tral home. The enjoyment Which nobler
natures derive from seeing others fortunate
and happy was wholly lost to her in the
knowing jealously which clothes with de-
formity even the fairest temples of human
character, covering with unsightly mould
outlines which to others shown with tue
pleaaing charm of freshness and beauty.
Aunt Polly was not little surprised when
a few days after this conversa ion l report
ed having met, among other guests, Mrs.
Cameleon Augustus Gresnsye- at a fashion.
able lunch given by Mira. Ensler.
Sand she accepted the hospitality she had
so bitterly doubted, and broke bread with
the hostess she had 80 harshly judged?
Well, Hope, I am something of an Arab,
perhaps, but at all events could never have
had such thoughts or used such language
of g person and then quietly eaton their salt
-neverp' and picking up the dropped stitch
in her knitting, the old lsdy proceeded to
discuss at length the misfortune of az en-
vious and jealous nature-how it not only
betrays its posssssor into gross injustice to
others, but really incapacitstes one for the
enjoyment of snch sources of happiness as
lie in ones own way.
"Why, how very uncomfortable Mrs.
Greepeye must have been to"
''She did not appear to be at ALL" inter-
rupted, 81 heard her congratulating Mrs.
Ensler upon her beautiful surroundings
the elegance of her cut-giass and China,
the beauty CT her decorations and the fault
less arrangement ef everything, top-dress.
ing it all by a subsequent remark in the
dressing room, that for one unaccustomed
to entertain everything passed off pretty
well, but anybody could see she was
novice"
"Why. worse and worse, pity the cres-
ture. She is prey to one of the very
meaness elements Of human nature. She
doesn't reflect that one loses much of the
pleasure of life not to be able to rejoice in
aaosher's good fortune. Affiuence and
worldly success are not necessarily allied to
mean and narrow spirit. Often the grand
est charities flow from such sources. Be-
cause some people are dwarfed and narrow
ed By the possession of wealth, it by no
means follows that others cannot use it
judiciously and without being hardened by
the contact. Mrs. Greeneye loses many
chances for happiness by the bitter preju-
dice with which she regards these whom
fortune has favored above herself. 1t seems
to me- that anybody would be glad that
rich, proud, worthy man like Fred Ensler
had married poor girl who is hereby
placed in a position to help whole family
Of younger brothers and sisters. But no,
she must pick her to pieces, aud refuse to
see any good in her, simply because she
had been elevated from the position of de-
pendant governess to that of mistress and
ruler over the handsomest establishment in
town. pity the disposition that can fail
TO enjoy her change of circumstances and
welcome the fate that after years of st rug
Cling orphanege orowns her with a full cup
and above all with fond husbands ad-
miring confidence and tender love. l tell
you, Hope, envy is a rank poison. would
not have had Mrs. Greeneye's feelings when
she attended that church for all Fred's
money aud more besides. am curious to
know how she will talk the next tina she
comes over.
Aunt Polly had not long to wait, for the
last word had hardly dried On her tongue
before the lady in question was announced.
81 suppose Hope has told you, Mrs. Per-
kil,s, all about the swell lunch we helped to
dipt se of the other day. The new hostess
not accustomed to things, you know"
s;Weh, Hope reported everything lovely
and the young bride altogether charming in
her now role of mistress of ceremonies. You
OF course agree with her.
"Oh, I enjoyed myself amazingly, the
lunch was splendid and had lots Of fun
running over in my mind how the lady felt,
living in such style and never accustomed
to anyth ing before in her life. She certain
ly could not have been very much at ease,
though sh % evidently pretended to b."
81 thinIe that must have been lost on
Hope, who fortunately possesses in mark
cd degree the faculty of appreciation. She
accepted Mrs. Eusler's invitation, as a
friendly courtesy. and having accepted it
did not go to criticize either the hostess
herself, her house or her surroundings"
And with the privilege of chewing the
cud of this delicate reprimand for the rest
of the day, Mrs. Greeneye found it convent
ent to make hurried departure, and Aunt
Polly pulled ont her ball of yarn for anoth-
or round.
SCROFULA is BAD.
For all forms and variations of scrofula,