Year: 1876

ro A FArrHYuL AND LrrE-IrKE Pom
'raAIF.-I board now, and I think Il have
one Of the kindest lanliladies in the
world. She seems to think q great
deal Of me, and sometimes almost
decide that l should weep If any harm
came near her.


She is very particular about her board
ers Before she would take me in !
was compelled to get certificate from
three clergymen, two bankers and =
hwyes s1pfs19 fhat ] hadAever been
hung for horse stealing. Z bargained
Tor front room looking out on the
campus martius, and il was understood
that was to have the room alone
On the third night I went home and
found stranger in my bed, and when
| began to raise q row, Mrs. Dolby
caught my arm and whispered:


There now, be good dear man,
and say no more. He's a preacher,
and as he is going away tomorrow, l
thought you wouldn't mind just one
night"


At the end of the week she beckoned
me aside, and smiling like load of
fresh hay, she wanted to know If |
would do her favor which would place
her under great obligations to me. I
replied that would die for her and
then she asked me to give up the room
looking out upon the square and take
one looking out upon the alley, full Of
ash barrels and oyster cans. She had
4 new bOarder coming; who was awful
particular, and she knew l would do
anything to accommodate her.
made the change, and the grateful
look she gave me was enough to melt
vest button. had only got fairly
settled when I was told she wanted to
see me in the parlor after dinner. l
found her in tears. She said that a
very nice man and his very nice wife
wanted to come and board with her
but she had no room, and it grieved
her to think that she must turn them
away when she was SO hard pushed to
get along.


told her If ] had hundred lives !
would lay them all down for her and
then borrow a hundred more and add
to the pile, and as she seized my hand
said that heaven would surely reward
me for being good to fartherless Or
phan. l moved into the garret, the
awful particular man moved into my
room, and the very nice man and his
very nice wife moved into the front
room.


In about another week Mrs. Dolby
whispered to me to know if | had
a snake in my stomach. She said she
observed that was heavy eater, and
she didn't know but had a snake.
set her right, and when | promised to
take full lunches down town and urge
all the other boarders to do the same.
she put her hand on my shoulder and
remarked that heaven had place for
me.


That night my bed was made with
out sheets, and when ! went to raise a
row, she took me by the hand and said
that her experience went to show that
it was much healthier to sleep without
sheets. l was going to argue the ques-
ton, when tears came to her eyes, and
she hoped would not say anything to
hurt poor lone widow whose life had
been one long struggle with poverty.


The next nj ght the feather bed and
one of the pillows went, but / didn't t
say anything: then she wanted to bor-
row my toothbrush for boarder that
hadn't any, and she took my stove to
use in the lower hall. l didn't say a
word until she asked me il could spare
the old rag carpet of the floor, and il
| wouldn't set the other boarders an
example by drinking nothing but water,
and not taking second biscuit. Then
! told her that / was going to leave that
house, and try to tear her image from
my heart.


She seized both my hands, tears roll
ed down her cheeks, and she asked:


"Mr. Quad, will you deliberately
plot to kill a lonesome widow, who is
working her life out to make your po-
sition comfortable, happy and luxuri-
Gus :"


couldn't 60. I'm there vet.
sleep on the floor, put up with cold
bites, and use the bootjack for chair
when have company. wish wasn't
so tender hearted. but I can't bear to
think of hurting Mrs. Dolby. feelings
by looking up another place.-.M Quad.