The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-11-21
Madam and
Mrs. Susan.


Io~o~~~~O~o~~o.~>O~1
Mrs Susan. the wife OF Parson
Towne, had so long been dowdy that
she as well as her husband had all but
forgotten the time when she had been
pretty.
He. good man. was too absorbed I'm
his History OF the Hereslesl when his
parish work was over, TO notice that
Mrs Susan. oyerdone with the cares
OF the household the family and the
parish, had almost ceased to be comely.
II you could have brought the fact to
his notice he would have said that a
parsons helpmeet had no need to be
pleasing TO the eyes OF the flesh. SO
far away had he Travelled from the
lever who had praised Susan Treylsas
cool. creamy cheeks and her eyes
brown as autumn leaves
TO be sure, Mrs Susan made but a
poor appearance when she dlned ut the
Manor House, Madame Cholmondeley
having come down from town with a
whole crowd OF ladies and gallants In
her train.
Mrs Susan's brown silk had been
turned after hard wearing on It's other
side She had done her best to fur
blsh II up, poor soul, with knots of rib.
bon aud a yellowed muslin fchu. but
It's make had not been the fashion
these ten years back. Mrs, Susan had
been up all night with a sick child and
looked twice her age. Her unpowder-
ed hair was lifeless and dropping, that
was wont to curl In little tendrlls when
the world went well with her. The Ill.
natured fine ladies wlnked and nodded
at Mrs. Susan, who all but dozed in
her chair In the darkest corner of the
drawing room. They were sorry when
she dozed, for II had been sport to see
how shocked she was al their smart
sayings Already the conversation az
the dinner table had brought a flicker
ing fire 10 her cheek. by the light OF
which Mr. Selwyn declared afterward
that the parsons wife In Madnme's
sacque had been a handsomer woman
than Madame
II was cruel freak OF Madame
Cholmondeley 10 set herself TO dazzle |
the parson. Perhaps she had heard |
what Mr.. Selwyn bad said, and was
determined 20 be reyenged on innocent |
Mrs. Susan for being dlspralsed by
famous gallant
II was wonderful piece OF acting
when she talked to Parson Towne of
his History OF Heresies.
She was a black-eyed. small feltur-
ed lady. with cheeks which would have
been pale only for the rouge. and won
derful, thin delicate, black brows, rls-
ing In a perfect arch. In her powder,
with patch by her eey and another
by her lip In her sacque of pink satin,
with diamonds FOR her breast knot and
her shoe buckles, she was Irresistible.
II was wonderful how she smoothed
the sparkling audaclty out Of her face
when she set herself TO bewltch Par
son Towne To be sure, She had been
a stage lady before Richard Cholmon-
deley feIl 10 love with and married her.
Never had she accomplished so witty
a piece OF acting as when she bewitch-
ed Parson Towne to prose to her Of his
immortal work, thing which she re
produced most gaIly when the poor
parsOn aud Mrs. Susan had rolled
away % the musty. rusty chalse from
the POstboys, which bad scented Mrs.
Susan with an odor as OF mouldy hay
The good man went to bed in daze
The next morning al breakfast he look
ed at bis wife with a new expression
In his eye.
Mrs. Susan had been up some hours.
She had washed aud dressed haif-a-
dozen children, and, poor soul, her hair
was touzled and her wrapper not over
fresh. Her husband looked at her as
though some scales had fallen from his
eyes, and rebuked her. A slattemIy
woman. And the wife Of a parson,
who ought TO stand as a shining exam
pic in the eyes OF the parish His
voice was cold and his eyes stern. Mrs.
Susan, ia the act OF feeding child
with bread aad iallk, flushed, and tears
filed her eyes. Her husband, as
though he could eat no more break
fast. took his cane and went out.
After that the parson was always be
Ing hidden TO the Manor House. He
met all manner OF famous persons
there, and was yihbly pulled out and