Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-16

mediately after requesting the vinegar
"Ah." " said Horatio, looking w at Mrs
Bobbin, "its hard to think OF one SO sweet
handling anything so sour, 'tis, 'pou my
soul" he added, as he began using the
liquid.
BAN. " replied that practical lady; what
are you trying to give mef"
mo but pom my soul, Mrs, Bobbiu,
answered Horatio n whom there ran vein
OF unconscious humor you really do value
Your Charms TOO cheaply, bah ioye you do, %
he added, loiling back in his chair and
lazily regarding the hard, coarse features Of
the landlady.
Keeping a mans boarding house--for
never will allow a woman to lodge here
began Mrs. Bobbin, who, when the occasion
arose, could be as voluble as the next,
may or may not be conducive to preserving
the personal appearance of those as keeps
the house In the case of others, cannot
say but in my case, can tell you, gentle
men, that the worritiug and vexation !
have experienced since have been in this
business has added years and years to my
regular age"
mo, No, Mrs Bobbiu, " cried Golden and
Dawson both together, we really cannot
allow you to depreciate yourself in any
such manner; we really cannot" they ad-
ded, as they became painfully aware OF the
fact that Mrs. Bobbin was regarding them
in a gloomy manner aud appeared to take
but slight notice of their ELUSIVE adj
vances
Certainly little differences regarding their
failure to promptly meet their board bills
had caused a coldness to come between
Mrs. Bobbin and the Messrs. Golden and
Dawson, and these two gentlemen eXerted
every means within their power to try and
stave of the wrath of their landlady so far
they had succeeded in keeping their affairs
--as regarded Mrs. Bobbn and her claim
against them--from coming to crisis but
that lady's stern demeanor and chilling
tones convinced the two beyond a shadow
of a doubt of troubles in store for them in
the near future il these financial conditions
continued unchanged
"What with the ones as do not pay you"'
proceeded Mrs. BObbiu, and here her eye
either by chance or intent rested for a few
moments upon the two medical students,
and them as tries to ind fault with every
thing in the house, aud nothing will suit,
them, do what you will these troubles in
themselves be enough to add a good ten
years on anyoue's appearance; but if you
take into consideration the worritiug' with
the help, which vexation by itself is
enought to turn the backest of hair into
the whtest in less than no time, then per
haps you may we'll wonder how it is, after
| all the years I have been in this business
that have kept up as we'll as have"
you certainly are a remarkably young
looking woman" said Dawson.
Yes indeed, she is" chimed in Golden
doesut appear to be day over thirty-fvei
although should imagine, Mrs. Bobbiu,
that you are a couple-surely not more-of
years older" he added
Bother, p replied Mrs. Bobbin, who was
| fully conscious of the forty-hve years which
had successfully passed over her head. and
! who was not to be taken in by Golden Is
/ flattery; "I am not one of them as wishes to
| make myself appear younger, if such were
! possible"
/ 'Yes, yes, why not2" cried Mr.. Jollyby.
| You do yourself a rank injustice, '
chorused Golden and Dawson you GER
tainly do they earnestly added.
why, 'pou my soul, Mrs Bobbin,
lazily yawued Horatio Perkins, you knock
ten years off your age when you dress up
damme if she don't fellows" he added
looking at the others seated about this
table.
"Well, am sure, " replied Mrs. Bobbin
who, woman-like. was rapidly melting
under such a complimentary cannOnading
many women who has had the trials and
tribulations that / have had would, per
haps, snow their ages a great deal worse
than L show mine. The roast meats alone
the cooking of them-takes II out oi
you'-what they took Mrs. Bobbin failed
to specify--"and as for soup" continued
Mrs Bobbiu, that there same ran away
with whatever complexion had years anc
years ago. 1t did / assure you" she added
"Ah Mrs. Bobbin," suarled the un
pleasant Silas Beddoe, don't, pray of YOr
madam, attach so much importance to suct
a trifing thing as ones complexion SUP
pose, like myself, it had been your diges
ton which you had lost, then madam l coulC
have sympathized with you, as no one
knows but ourselves the acute pain we in
valids suffer-" he added.
Although Sias belonged to that vast ARM
of pill taking, medicine soaked chronic
supposed to be-iuvalids, no one of Mrs
Bobbin's boarders dined any more hearth.
or oftener than did Silas Beddoe, and ther
was nothing either which this interesting
invalid refused to partake of. Indeed h
appeared to be veritable human ostrich il
his capacity for putting away all kinds o
iudigestible viands, and yet to hear him tel
Of his many ailments one would imagin
that his was indeed a desperate case. Oi
Mrs Bobbin, who was a daily witness o
the terrific inroads made upon her table b.
Silas, his lamentations on account of hi
last digestive powers aud kindred othe
diseases made but a slight impression
merely causing that lady to speculate OF
the awful calamity which would visit he
table should Mr. Beddoe's digestion become
any more perfect than what it appeared t
be at the present time, that calculating lad,
shuddered to think of the impending catas
trophe. In the meanwhile she lent a will
ing ear to Mr.. Beddoe and his many imagi
nary ailments, as nothing seemed to deligh
this gentleman so much-unless 1t was il
contradicting nearly every one about him
as to have some one to whom he could tall
about his pains aud aches, and as he was
number one boarder from financial poiu
&c ,,fauy ha found hat tittla diffcu1tv II