Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-04-07

ho cuhuBes maze III tue place Tor a
good many months. Then the family
that had occupied apartment No. 10
for the past two years went to Denver
and gave somebody else a chance.
The lucky one who was first on the
list was a woman.
She passed through the examination
with one mark to her discredit; she
was a widow.
Somehow the Renwood had always
Disseminated against widows.
The other women n,the house, es.
pecially Mrs. Hannibal Wade, who had
gradually grown to be regarded as
leader, and who had helped to revise
the latest catechism. objected to them.
IF you can help it, Mr.. Merrick.
Mrs. Wade said TO the proprietor one
day, when she was inficting one of
her confidential talks upon him,
never take widows in the house"
The most of them have worried
one man into the grave or the divorce
court, and their sole object in living
is to entrap other victims. l am afraid
l shall have to give you warning
now, Mr.. Merrick, that if you ever
take widow into the Renwood | shall
be forced to leave you.
The friendly advice and admonition
ought to have been sufficient cause for
the instant dismissal Of the case of the
widow, Mrs. Raynor, but she averaged
such an extraordinary percentage on
other points that the genial landlord
could not summon the hardihood to
refuse her admission.
Mrs. Wade CHANGED to be away at
the time and Mrs. Raynor had been
occupying apartment No. 10 for more
than week when she came home.
One of Mrs. Hannibal Wade's strong
points was display of fine indigna.
ton whenever occasion demanded it,
and she came out with unusual bril-
liancy in her chosen role when she
examined the records in the morocco
bound book and learned what had been
done in her absence
She went to the proprietor about it
at once.
II see," she said, that you have
broken the rule which was tacitly
agreed upon some time ago between
you and your patrons and have let No.
10 to widow. 1t is needless to state
that l am greatly surprised at such a
breach of faith on your part. Can
you give me an explanation, Mr.. Mer-
rick, that will justify such course?"
well, Mrs Wade" returned the
proprietor, phlegmatically," am sorry
if have offended you, but fail to see
how l have violated any agreement.
This Mrs. Raynor came to see me
several months ago about taking a
suite of rooms here and l promised to
let her know as soon as there was II
vacancy. | assure you, Mrs. Wade,
that even you can take no exception
to her. She is good-looking--but not
so handsome as yourself, he added,
automatically,
"She is forty.fve years old, and I'M.
incumbered. She belongs to an ex-
celleut family and is rich enough to
start national bank of her own if she
cared to do so. I wish you would call
on her, Mrs. Wade, l am sure ac-
quaintauce would Danish prejudice. "
But Mrs. Hannibal Wade's righteous
wrath was not to be appessed by any
excuses which the unlucky landlord
could produce in his own defense.
"No," she returned, II do not care
to know her. She may be all right,
but-she is not to be trusted and ought
not to have been permitted to come
here.
However it is not too late to rem
edy the evil. Surely, Mr.. Merrick,
you can eject her from the house on
some pretext or other at the end of the
month. If you don't I am afraid you
will have trouble"
As general. thing the latest arrivals
at the Renwood were accorded royal
welcome. Teas, dinners and receptions
were given IN their honor, and they
were installed in their new quarters
with great eciat.
But no ouch hospitality marked the
coming of Mrs. Raynor. To be sure,
the great events of the Renwood's So
ciety calendar came and went as usual,
but the handsome widow was religious
ly excluded from them all.
"She means mischief" said Mrs.
Hannibal Wade. "She will bring dis
credit upon our house. 1t is our duty
to issue bull Of social axcommunica-
ton. Perhaps that will bring Mr..
Merrick to his senses"
The general auimosity manifested
toward Mrs. Raynor became more &C.
tive as the end of the month drew
near.
This intense bitterness was greatly
aggravated by the outspokens admlra'
ton of the men, who were strongly
disposed to champion the cause OF the
woman who had apparently done
nothing to merit such severe CON
demnation, and it was undoubtedly
an indiscreet remonstrance which Mr..
Hannibal Wade urged against the IN
justice of the case which prompted ms
wife to seek another interview with
Mr.. Merrick.
"That Mrs. Raynor has now been
here month";" she said, "and trust
you have hit upon some plan whereby
we may get rid of her." 49,
"No," said Merrick, slowly; u
can't say that I have"
1T hope you understand the case
Mr.. Merrick," she said, severely.
''There is mutiny at Renwood. You
have rented an apartment to a woman
who has no natural protectorjand who
smiles at and flirts with our husbands,
sons and brothers, who, am sorry tc
say. seem to be highly gratifed by
such proceedings.
al, n with 4lo ~ in