The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-25
A SCRAP OFF PAPER
How It Was Rescued From the Dust
Heap and Reunited .
Divided House.

taper in my hand to guide me through
the darkness. stopped suddenly half
way down the corridor. In the dim, flick
ering light Of my taper l saw fastened
to the door Of my landlady's room a
white sheet of paper. 1t was pinned
above the doorknob and contained brief
message.
"Dear children" 1t read, "God bless
your home coming. l love you both, dear
daughter and beloved son. couldn't
wait for you, because ! had to go to the
theater. Your mother"
"Ah," l said to myself, "the young
couple are coming home" As the latch
Of my own door clicked heard two per-
sons come up the stairway.
my mother Is not at home" said
CHEEKY, manly voice, "but here Is her
greeting, as kind and loving as ever"
I don't know what else the man or the
woman said-sweet love words, no doubt,
such as a young husband and wife are
apt to indulge in on their Wedding night.
Mrs. Alberta Damman had been my
landlady now for two years. She was
little, rotund woman, with vivacious
temperament, which betrayed every min
ute the presence Of actor blood in her
veins. For many years, she told me,
she had been wardrobe woman In the
only stock company house in the city.
She had saved up little money, which
she loaned at reasonable interest to ac-
tors and actresses In hard luck, and she
was able besides to do profitable bust
ness in purchasing and selling cast of
party dresses and stage gowns. The
glib tongued wardrobe woman was as
passionately fond Of the theater as she
was picturesquely disorderly about the
three rooms which she herself occupied.
My own rooms, in happy contrast, were
neatly and simply furnished and always
kept scrupulously clean. The disorder in
hers was appalling and sitting to me.
Furniture from all kinds of periods hob
nobbed with chandeliers and cheval
glasses Of long forgotten periods.
Mrs. Damman's son was very different
In character and disposition from his
mother. While she was shrewd and full
of temperament he was taciturn and
slow of comprehension. Despite his 30
years he was as helpless as a child al
most. In his habits he was absolutely
correct and faithful to his employer, who
had given him the position Of head book
keeper at moderate salary. His moth
er and he always ate their meals togeth-
er. On Sunday he went to the theater,
and during the week he waited patiently
for the old lady's return from the play
house, that he might partnke of supper
with her. Then she would tell him. with
delightful accuracy, all that had happen
ed during the performance, while he lis
tened musingly and sometimes with eyes
almost closed in sleep.
Now this idyllic existence was about to
be interrupted or rather extended. Young
Damman grew courageous one day and
confessed to his mother that he loved a
girl and had promised to marry her.
Mrs. Damman's verbosity would not per-
nit her to conceal this fact from me. As
she was serving my coffee one morning
she acquainted me with the new state Of
affairs.
"Do you know your sons fiancee"
asked, just little uneasy as to how she
would take this sudden surprise.
No, she had never seen her, but inquiry
among friends had elected the informa-
ton that she came Of respectable fam
lily and was good looking young miss.
an receive her as my daughter" she
snid, land they can both live here. My
sons salary is not large enough to sup
port a separate household, and l cannot
give him anything out of my own means,
80 they will have to make their home
here, and my daughter-in-law will have
to learn how to please me-"
Now the wedding had been celebrated
and henceforth the young people would
be my neighbors, for their room was
next to mine. If my misgivings had con-
tnued about the new member of the
household, that friendly welcome, pinned
| to the door Of my landlady's quarters on
the eve of her arrival would have dis
PEELED them. In the morning Mrs. Dam
man, as usual, brought my coffee and
rolls.
"They are here" she said. with a
broad, mother]y smile. Didn't you hear
| the noise we made when I came home
| last night? My daughter Is n perfect
little witch-pretty as peach too. I
know you'll like her."
An hour later sauntered down the
hall. A voice, fresh as a birds, sang a
gay little ditty.
1.-THE BRIDE" unused, and presently
she hove in sight. welding broom with
a pair of round, dimpled arms barred tc
the shoulders. The moment she saw me
she blushed and disappeared, dropping
the broom on little heap Of dust she
had swept together. On top of the heap
staring at me in uncomfortable fashion
lay scrap of white paper.
1.-THE welcome" ! murmured, STOPPED
and lifted the motherly greeting to save
it from destruction with the rest of thu
debris.
"She can't be very sentimental" wa!
my silent comment, "or she would hav'
treasured these penciled lines all he
life" Naturally l soon made the &C
quaintance of the youthful bride ant
found her to be all that her mother-in
law had SAID of her. SHE was as Handy
and alert about the house as she wa.
fresh and pretty. Mrs. Damman was re
lieved Of a good deal of work, although
she superintendcd the household as Of old
Fred Damman, the young husband, wa!
head over ears in love with his wife, ant
she seemed fond Of him in her ingenious
grish fashion. There were little bcker
ings between the two women now ant
then, but they were forgotten in an hour
and all was as calm and peaceful as o.
old.
An unusual stress Of business kept mi
away from the house longer than hat
been my custom, nearly every day for I
minute, and when summer came l wal
ready to indulge in m extended journey
that was likely to keep ME away from
Mrs. Damman's house for ut least three
months.
Upon my return the family received
me with open arms All three had
friendly word for me and for each 9th
err, and I was more than delighted n
the continued harmony that pervadet
my landlady's home. That much of Thu
harmony was sham ! learned befor
many days. Mrs. Damman was the hrs
to pour out her heart to me. She com
planned bitterly Of the younger woman
wilfulness, that her daughter-in-laV
usurped rights which did not belong t
her and threatened dissolution of tn
household. 1t came sooner than even
anticipated, but In an entirely unexpect