The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-03-26
MRS. "BUT."

Mrs. But is our next door neigh
Dor. Her real name is Green, but
Jonas, whenever he sees her march
ing up the walk, remarks, MY dear,
here comes Mrs. Butt He is not
in the habit of calling people names;
but he says it merely to put me on
my guard, for he knows our neigh
bor's failing. She is a bright, breezy
little woman, and as long as the con-
versation is confined to the weather
and household affairs | quite enjoy
chatting with her; but the moment
that human being, living or dead,
chances to be mentioned, | quake.
The first time she called it was
soon after we moved into the neigh
borhOOd. | happened to say that
Mrs. Goodwin, from the opposite
side of the street, had been in to see
me, and that she impressed me as a
lovely character.
"Oh, she is indeed, p" said Mrs. But,
heartily, "she is such a devoted wife
and so good to the poor. But, she
went on, lowering her voice." there
used to be a good deal of talk about
her when she was girl, and though
L don't suppose half the things SAID
were true, people don't seem to for
get it,"
What necessity there was for this
drop of poison to be instilled into
my mind, 1 could not see. Mrs.
Goodwin's youth was in the far past,
and in the gossip concerning her in
that remote period | had no interest
whatever, | was quite willing to
take her as she was in her sweet,
ripe womanhood.
One day when Mrs. But, dropped
in she found my little friend, Nellie
Gray, at the piano. Nellie is a shy,
brown-eyed girl of fifteen, gifted
with wonderful ear for melody,
and, as the Grays had no piano,
had offered her mine.
II can't help loving the child, she
is such a warm hearted little crea-
ture, and so eager for music" said
as the door closed behind her.
My visitor gave scarcely percep-
tible shrug.
Eyes, Nellie seems to be a very
nice girl" she admitted, "but L sup
pose you know that she is poor
house waif.'' asa
mo" l said. II knew nothing of
the kind" Mrs. Gray had intro.
duced Nellie to me as her eldest
daughter, and the information vol
unteered by Mrs. But was utterly
uncalled for.
One evening, on our way home
from pray r-meeting, Jonas remark.
ed that he always enjoyed listening
to young Spaulding, he was so de-
vout and earnest.
Yes, he is very interesting
speaker" said our neighbor, whC
! had Joined us as we came out of the
lecture room, land he seems very
sincere, bM I can't help feeling {
little suspicious; [ knew him wher
he was IA boy"
Jonas made haste to change the
subject; word of encouragement
would have resulted in our hearing
the whole history of the young man.
boyhOod.
i've no patience" he exclaimed
| the moment we were by ourselves
with people who are always bring
ing up the past. Just imagine wha
heaven would be if the inhabitant,
were disposed to indulge in that sor
of retrospection! The Angel Ga
bill himself would hardly be sa!,
from their disparaging 'but, and tn
whitest robe in all the 'white-robet
throng' would be in danger of beinI
/ smutted."
"And yet,n 1 said, Mrs. But evi
IDENTIFY considers herself a Chris
tian."
"Oh, I don't dispute her title,
said Jonas, "but 1 can't help think
ing that she might be able to reat
it clearer if she would rub up he
glasses with the thirteenth chapte
of First OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES In
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