Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-05-04
\ COM PANION
BOARDER
tOriginal.]

| udu DttleE Stt SOLuS hiSS sVuhS Shi :
live with us. Not boarder. Some on
who will be member of the family
play a game of whist with us occasion
ally in the evening and make hersel
generally agreeable"
'Where dc you expect to find such
person?" asked Mr.. Tr0tter.
Leave that to me. We women know
women who know other women. II
ask my friends to help me-"
Il don't app We of the plan," sad
Mr.. Trotter.
! Mrs. Trotter, who was really looking
to slight addition to the income in
stead of companionship, would not give
up her point, and her husband at last
yielded. A young woman was found
who wanted Il home, and she went to
live with the Trotters. She filled the
bill completely, being kind hearted
cheerful, amiable and paid her quota
as she had the consideration to call her
board. regularly.
IL told you So" said Mrs. TrOtter to
her husband. You think you know
more about domestic affairs than l.
When a man leaves his business for the
household he usually gets beyond his
depth"
"Since you are satisfied" said the
husband, 81 see no occasion to be dis
satisfied. Miss Smead seems to be n
charming girl
Months went by-n0nths that bore
proof that Mrs. Trotter was right in
the matter Of Miss Smead. Several
disagreeable episodes occurred, but
nothing that could be sven remotely
traced to Miss Smead One Of these
was matter of business. One of Mr.
Trotter's creditors suddenly came down
on him for the amount due him and
when paid confessed that he had heard
that his debtor was I'm straitened cir
cumstances.
One morning when the postman de-
livered the mail Miss Smead, who was
expecting letter, was watching for
him from the parlor window. Mr.
TrOtter left the house as the postman |
came up the front steps. and Miss |
Smead saw him hand Mr. TrOtter a |
letter. Furthermore, she was near
enough to see that the address was in
4 wOman's hand. Mr.. Trotter thrust |
the letter in his coat pocket and spoke
sharply 10 the postman. who evidently
apologiZcd for something and went on
to the next house. 1t was plain that
Mr.. Trotter was receiving mo il that he
had instructed the postman not to
leave at the house. but Miss Smead
was not the person to make trouble in
4 family. and the last thing she would
have thought Of was revealing the mat
cr TO Mrs TrOtter. Besides. Mrs. Trot-
cr had Il few days before presented
Ter husband with daughter. and it
Ter for any one to excite any suspi-
ions at such time
4 few days later Miss Smead. wish
ne to borrow Il pattern for 4 baDy's
inning blanket-fOr in her kindness Of
cart she Was making clothes for the
ewcomer-went across the street to
Irs. Prior. who lived directly opposite.
, borrow one
"Since you want the pattern for Mrs
rottcr." said the lady. won are well
ONE to it. but that abominable Trot-
n should not have it on any account"
whats the matter with Mr.. Trot-
,r?'
Matter? Matter enough. He's cor
with some woman. Didn't
see him receive letter from the post '
ian the other day, thrust it in his e
)cket and scold the pOstman for de- Q
vering ii at the house," l
Miss Smead stood aghast. Mrs. Prior, |
ho had an object in view--to find out D
the miSsive were really from a wo-
an-wcnt on: II
"YOu saw it yourself and were near c
Tough to see that the address was in e
wOman's hand" IL
Miss Smead was tempted to deny the 81
Ct but hesitated. Hesitating, the Sc II
ct was lost. the information gained. ID
Not long after this Mrs. Trotter re- e
ived an anonymous note in which ID
@ writer said. You ought 10 know pl
ut your husband is corresponding 81
cretly with woman not his wife"
len there were tears and crimina !"
ms in the Trotter family. Mrs. TrOt- ~
: was still in a condition rendering w
I'll an affair dangerous, and her hus- III
nd found himself OH the horns Of w
emma. He had been receiving let pr
s concerning his wife's mother, who ca
IS dying lingering death. He must Jo
W show the letters or virtually ad
that the charge was correct. He
,duced the letters. Mrs. Trotter stood
shock fairly we'll
he matter was kept from Miss ar
cad till Mrs. Prior had admitted ap
+ sho vvos tbo .utbor of tho ononv- ale
us letter and had gained the infor oe'
ton from Miss Smead. The Trot- pr'
5 also discovered that when Miss il''
cad had come TO live with them uu
5, Prior. seeing that they had taken III"
boarder." had inferred that they SUI
re III Stralteneu circumstances ana
so informed the creditor who had s''
ed for Il settlement. 10
he first intimation Miss Smead had 'o'
the trouble was curt note from VIII
!. Trotter requesting her to leave ooo
house The blow was somewhat .ot"
lifted by Mr.. TrOtter, who said to Pus
lou are not TO blame for this, nor Ii
wife | alone am the culprit. It L
false principle for a family to have ana
or their rooftree any ono Int Thorn. ecu
es. When my wife insisted on TAX me;
you In. should have had the ~
myth Of character to decline on this quiz
md. | regret that you as well az VIA
should have been sufferer ing