Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-31
IT KILLED THE CAT.
CURIOSITY SLEW THE FELINE, BUT
1T SPARES wOMANKIND.
" COME AWAY FROM THAT WINDOW.
Pestiferous Old Ladies Who Pokc
Hymn-Books mt Us-TIOw "P' u"
Had the snow Cleaned oH Ills
Sidewalk.
Sidewalk.

Sidewalk.
Having long since found out all about
our Cary-street neighbors-especialiy the
things they didn't wish US TO know-"e
moved into the cold and naughty west
End some three months ago, ana are
now living a suburban life. Here there
is ample scope for discovery, and other
peoples business keeps US constantly oc-
cupied. our house stands on 'made
earth" No one has ever Informed me
who manufactured the dirt in question
and / am forced to attribute 1t TO tho
ever-ncreasing crop of children in TINS
vicinity. There is a good deal about
made earth" in Genesis first chapter
thirteenth verse, but no particular refer
ence to this vicinage, so upon the whole
| think the credit belongs to the children.
Assuredly, they are the great Dirt
makers Of this age. / shall not attempt
another letter on West-End life. howso-
ever much the real estate men may urge
my so doing but do wish TO comment
on the simple habits Of these suburban
ties In many respects they are like
other human beings-that is to say, they
eat three meals a day, wear their best
clothes on Sunday, and peep out OF their
front windows when they see a new face
i'm the vicinity. The women are tho
roughly womanly. In short, they are
fond OF clothes consumed by curiosity,
and ever ready TO pick each other 10
pieces. But it is about the row or tene-
ments across the way and their most
interesting occupants that l shall pour
forth by mournful ditty.
This string Of little houses is at once
| attractive and fascinating. Each dwell
| ing is brand new and so is the paint
/ thereon: and so are the fences there
abouts and so are the furnishings
] therein. The place is known among us
West-End derizens as Brides Row
for hither all newly-wedded couples re-
pair. 10 COO and bill, and to wear the
| gilt-edge off their young married hVes'
Everything is new to them. They are
almost regenerate. in fact. Surrounded
by new houses, new fences. new paint
new furnishings, and clothed In new
garments. they begin their new lives
TO find new adventures in new world.
| I, ct one of these little houses become
| vacant. and ere a week has passed IL Is
| bruited abroad among us that the ne"
| tenants will be bride and groom-that
| Mr.. and Mrs Veneering are TO be our
! neiehbors. And then the trouble begins
| for us men on the opposite side OF the
street Forthwith. our wives are swept
| away from us on the vortex OF Gu
| riosty's wave, and the Kitchen Is ue-
serted for the front window and the
frving-pan makes way for the opera
| glass. A man will go four squares out
| of his route to see a fight, and small
| bow will walk miles to look upon CIR
/ c,s. but what, OH what, will not a
! woman do to take an inventory or Il
| bride First. to begin the masculine
discomforture on this side of the way
ne Veneerings send up their furniture
| Ninety pairs Of eyes behold II as II Is
put in place. Then the Veneerings come
| themselves, and, being completely aD
| sorbed i'm each other, and forgetful OF
the fact that there are 70,COoOW other
people in this Union, they fail to note
| their environments. But nine times ten
nairs of eyes that ought to be watching
| the beefsteak cook are noting their
| rnoyements. The Veneerings move in
and thrice thirty pairs of optics note
that they have lace curtains IN theH
boudoir. Thrice thirty husbands oppo-
site them are raging because their DIN
ners are DELAYED. Meanwhile, the new
mown harvestings Of Cupid proceed
TO adjust themselves in their domlche'
and to settle down TO Housekeeping.
Six times fifteen pairs OF eyes are
covertly peering at them. Ana SIX
times fifteen husbands are snorting be-
cause their buttons are neglected. If
the Veneerings, unconscious OF OUTSIDE
observations in their beatific 'mutua-
utv." decide TO take a walk, ten
and eighty pairs of eyes will note
the brides underskirt as she descends
| the stairs. Ten and eighty husbands OH
the opposite side will be indignant De-
cause their Sunday linen has not been
! gotten out from the bureau drawer
J And so the farce continues-the uhsus-
Meeting movements of the bridal pair the
au-absorbing interest of the ninety pairs or
eyes, and the devouIing rage Oh tnilce
thirty husbands-until the Veneerings
cease 10 be new, and have worn Out
tbeir wedding clothes, and rubbed or the
naint and begun TO quarrel among them
selves.
Though not inherently pious. and by no
means 81 good q friend OF the neatneh
&C some other fellows, who send thelh
Whiskey and Bibles, 1 am regular AZ
! tendant at church, ana may De louhu
there "of Sunday morning arrayed III
a
! beam with a semiweekly shave, ana
show q serene contentment indicative OF
good dinner to follow the services.
There is something resttul about TINS
church going function, and except for &C.
| casionaI things which happen | would con-
slider the duty delightful one. 1 gene
rally have to get some raps about the
sunday newspapers from the preacher
but of late, I'VE gotten hardened to that'
| although the congregation always peep
AT me through the corners Of their eyes
10 note the effect OF the rebuke. when
I get to be the proprietor of newspaper
| and cease writing my letters on Thurs
DAYS I shall feel the sting Of the CEN
! sure. Meanwhile, l do wish the minis
fer would at least cross a lance with the
lawyers and spare class of men, VINO
in nv opinion, are entitled to heavenly
| abodes even IL what they write on Sat
urdays and Thursdays accidentally does
Get in the Sunday edition with the dry
goods lads" Lawyers are so coated
4 on coz