The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-03

"ell-kept anu looked forward 10 d
long stay. Alas, it was a dream. One
and an old coat there came knock
at the door.
oh. Mr.. JONES' said the landlady,
for she it was, you must be lonely up
here and we are going to have little
music this evening. Won't you come
down? The gentlemen who have the
room next yours are there and one of
them sings beautiful. Such nice young
men, both walters at the Millionaires'
club she added with pride.
Now T may be snob, but I must
own that l did not regard it altogether
in the light of an honor to meet wait
ers, even from a millionaires club, on a
footing of social equality, still the in
vitation was 80 evidently kindly meant
that l felt it would be unmannerly to
refuse on such grounds, so | murmured
some excuse about old coats and slip
pers not being quite the correct get-up
for a musicale. But Mrs. HoVey was
not ITO be put off SO easily.
Why, that's no matter she eX-
claimed. you can easily slip on your
coat and shoes again and be down stairs
as soon as I am l saw ] was in for it
and weakly consented to make the nee
essary change. Over the horrors of that
evening / draw veil. Read Thack-
eray's description of the dinner party at
Mrs. Gann's and you will get some idea
of it.
This was but the beginning of many
similar evenings. In vain ] made ex-
cuses. I had work to do. l had tooth
ache. I was just going out. I went
through the whole list. Why, Mr.
Jones' said Mrs. Hovey, 4 do believe
you think you are not welcome. l can
assure you your company affords us
great pleasure. After three weeks l
left. Mrs. Hovey on bidding me good
bye insisted that l was to be sure and
come to see them often. Too bad you
are leaving she said, just as we were
getting to know each other
My next landlady was stout, moth
erly-looking person hailing from Chic
ago. In answer to my questions, she
assured me that the house was quiet
one and that l should be able to work
without disturbance. The very next
day my troubles began. About noon
came the inevitable knock. l was my
hostess with many anxious inquiries as
to how ] had passed the night, and If
everything was ITO my liking. AS she
was speaking her eyes wandered con-
tinualy to he sketch on which l was
engaged, toward which she gradually
edged herself
''Well, l declare she exclaimed as
she finally brought up in front of it,
if you amt quite mechanic.'
Having thus created an opening, this
appreciatiVe creature entertained me for
at least half an hour with the complete
history of the various members of her
family: how Joe, who much reSembled
me, had married beneath him. while
Emmeline had married a Russian noble
man who spoke seven languages per-
me next week and you must meet her
| never met Emmeline. as 1 left after
the first week.
Il now decided to try foreign estab-
lshment, as | had always heard that
things We're so differently managed
abroad, where landladies treat their
tenants as Iheir supeTiors. With this idea
in my mind, | engaged a room from
German woman who | soon found oc
Cupied the room adjoining mine, the two
being separated by folding doors. All
went well till New Years eve. On that
night when l reached home somewhat
the worse for little session with the
boys | was considerably startled to see
the folding doors suddenly part in the
center and to behold a smiling female
figure of ample proportions which bade
me Happy New Year in a CHEEKY voice,
the doors then closing as suddenly as
they had opened.
"'Great Scott ! calculated, the thin
end of the wedge,'
Next day ! was very i'll and kept
my room. Toward evening l heard re-
peated ringlnss of the hall door bell
and the murmur of voices in the frau's
apartment A New Years party was
evidently under way. For some time
was unmolested and was congratulate
ing myself on the good sense displayed
by my landlady when suddenly the
tWang of either was heard almost
Immediately followed by the fatal
knock. Wouldn't MIR. Jones join the
party. l was nervous and Wretched
and pleaded i'll health. for which | re-
ceived deep sympathy from my would
be hostess. AT any rate, she said, l
should not miss the music. She would
leave the door open. And she did. There
sat, pitiabe wreck, in full view of
the assembled guests. l made a feeble
pretence Of being deeply interested in
my book, but was painfully conscious
of the curious eyes which We're watch
ing me. Time passed and l wanted to
go 10 bed but dared not, so finally in
despei alton l approached the folding
doors and, with Il ghastly attempt at
gayety, declared that the attraction was
too strong and that | could keep away
had an inspiration and started Good
Night, Ladies' 1t was no use. The
people looked surprised and said it was
rather early for that song, and for two
solid hours l suffered tortures. ! did
not stay in that house long enough to
sea whether the intimacy thus auspic-
iously commenced would have contin-
ued. | feared the worst and fed.
In this way, like poor Jo l was kept
continually moving on for several
years. Time and again my hopes were
raised, only to be dashed once more to
earth just as l was getting comfortabl
settled. ! recall one instance in which
l engaged room entirely on the
strength of the landlady's manner and
appearance. She was dark, heavily
built woman with n lowering express
sion and a sullen, almost repellant
manner.
"'Eureka,' thinks l to myself. That
woman will never encourage genial
ity'
The first night l spent in the house
as l was sitting reading | heard the
handle of my door softly turned, and
looking round saw the door slowly
GDeninp on the impulSa of thu mn