Year: 1860

Mrs. Gloriana Smiths boarding house
was the model of all kindred institutions
a concentration of all respectability and
gentility-the epitome of all hospitality and
affability. If there has arisen, in later years,
any house resembling 1t, the fact has never
come to my knowledge.


Storms break the golden calm of the
Southern seas, occasionally, and l am going
to tell you how the peace of our household
was materially disturbed. 1 say our" for
being one of the respectable and genteel
boarders under the fostering care of Mrs.
Gloriana Smith, l felt myself decidedly
identified with the household.


There were some very pleasant ladies in
the house, both married and single and
two or three fellows-capital fellows they
were, too; so we generally had delightful
time-a little flirting little reading a
little music and dancing ; and, occasionally,
glorious little suppers, which Aspasia would
have envied.


Well, to my story:


One day we were all discussing some very
quaint beef, when the door bell rang. This
was no unusual occurrence; yet, the stall
wart pull, which seemed to tear the bell-wire
from its fastening, made the nervous fraction
of our deipnosophile half rise from the
table. We strong minded fellows, however,
went on masticatipg our beef and potatoes,
regardless of the repeated storming at the
front door,


Our grave landlady, at length, arose with
a severe and crushing frOwn upon her face,
and stepped majestically into the hall. A
confused comminglng Of voices soon fol-
lowed, in the midst of which, the dining
angular female stalked in, followed by
meek-looking man and our worthy hostess.


"A regular character J" whispered Harry
Fayne, who sat on my right.


Without taking off her bonnet, IA very
outre one, by the way) she drew out
vacant chair, and established herself oppo-
site me, and began her dinner in the most
unembarrassed mood while the meek little
man stood against the wall, with his thin
arms folded over his little breast, impervious
to the entreates of our landady to be seated
at the table.


Disguised with the rudeness of the new
conner, the ladies began to withdraw, which
movement the tall lady eyed with grim sat.
isfaction. Our hostess suggested to her the
fact that she could dine more comfortably
with her bonnet off, but she received the
suggestion with such unfeminine ferOcity
that she was allowed to do as she pleased.
So she ate her dinner with her plumes nod.
ding triumphantly from her head frequently
casting sharp glances at her mural attend.
ant, whom we were beginning to suspect
was her husband, in very bad way, truly.


Suddenly shrill voice from beneath the
plumes, called out: " You Dan, you Dan,
fetch them trunks in here directly"


Dan started from his ruminations, and
was darting out of the door, when our
landlady interfered, and ordered the trunks
up stairs, saying she would show the room.
After some wrangliDg, the new boarder and
her llliputian lord were established in their
room.


"Mr. and Mrs. Dan Syvers; want board
ing indefinitely. our landlady remarked, as
she passed through the room on her return
from the upper regions


Harry Fayne and discovered that the
new comers were established in undesirable
proximity to our room /; undesirable as we
found that night when we went up to bed.
While taking our usual smoke, we heard a
most internal noise in the next room, and
soon recognized the shril voice of the strong
minded Mrs Syvers, using rather strong
language to the unfortunate Dan.


ii In the morning we were reused from our
innocent slumbers by renewal of the femi-
nine garruity, with the addition of several